Iraq Winter Soldiers and Families Testify in Pasadena

Saturday saw Pasadena City College hosting the "Winter Soldier Southwest " hearings; an extension of the Winter soldier hearings " held in Washington D.C during March of 2008.

The first such hearings were held in 1971and were pivotal in stopping the Vietnamese war.

The at times highly emotional panels were focused on testimony coming from "Boots on the Ground " soldiers who had had immersive experiences in both the Iraq and Afghani fronts as well as the families of those who had died or had returned disabled.

Some soldiers such as Marine Ryan Endicott told graphic stories of death metal fueled moments of civil gore, fatally unclear policies and dehumanizing intimidations.

Others such as Navy Lt. Cdr David Brooks and his wife Paulina spoke of how a lack of support services for PTSD can damage family life and end careers.

All of the participants related as to how they arrived at their personal conclusions that the Iraq and Afghanistan wars were immoral, illegal, unsustainable and finally bad for America's world image.

The speakers also included vets from other American wars who gave witness to scenario's of barbarism, mercenary objectives and rethought patriotisms.

Many of the panelists cited the need to protest and monitor the influx of recruiters and their ever growing toolbox of techniques that are being employed to bring in kids from the malls, high schools ,ghettos and video arcades.

The event lasted approximately eight hours and ended with a question and answer session involving all of the participants and the audience.

Groups such as The Gold Star Families, Military Families Speak Out, Veterans For Peace, Vietnam Veterans for Peace and the Iraq Veterans for Peace were all represented in the panels as well as sharing organizational responsibilities for the event.


Robert S Lowden
LA 2009