The PBS News Hour carried a report on the IVAW ‘Winter Soldier’ testimony in Congress tonight, 5-21-08
Witnesses to War Speak Out on Rules of Engagement
Reports of innocent civilian deaths in Iraq have been numerous, but barring a few instances caught on tape, they have yet to be recognized by the soldiers themselves. Some soldiers have begun to speak out, about the actions they have taken and the things they have seen.
KWAME HOLMAN: As the House debate continued last week over funding the Iraq war, leading anti-war Democrats convened nearby to hear from a group of veterans who say they witnessed and participated in widespread misconduct during their time in Iraq.
The stories came from a dozen or so former Marines and soldiers who left Iraq at least two years ago. They include accounts of unwarranted killings of Iraqi civilians and mistreatment of detainees that were met with indifference or encouragement by commanding officers.
Two of the men said the weight of such experiences led them to suicide attempts.
They have dubbed themselves “Winter Soldiers,” the same name used by Vietnam veterans who reported similar alleged abuses during that war.
They were welcomed by California’s Lynn Woolsey.
Or you can Visit this News Hour link to listen and read the rest of the transcript of the report.
