Post by Steve Gardner on Jan 20, 2008 22:10:01 GMT
This soldier's account reminds me of comments made by Vincenzo Vinciguerra, one of the 1972 Peteano car bombers, speaking after Operation Gladio* was made public. He said that he was required to “attack civilians, the people, women, children, innocent people, unknown people far removed from any political game [in order to force] the public to turn to the state to ask for greater security.”
* Operation Gladio was conceived by Allen Dulles and consisted of a number of NATO-backed stay behind armies that were scattered across Europe after WWII, their purpose being to help train locals to combat the spread of Communism. 'Combat' in this sense meaning to do pretty much anything legal or otherwise.
The Strategy of Tension was a ten year + terrorist campaign, carried out by Gladio units in collaboration with in-country secret services. It was CIA-backed and the operatives were CIA-trained. The worst atrocities were committed by Gladio in Itay between 1969 and 1980. They were blamed on the Communists in order to stop the Italian Communist party participating in a coalition government. They were committed against both civilian and non-civilian targets. They included the 1969 Piazza Fontana bombing, the 1972 Peteano car bombing, the attempted assassination of former Interior Minister Mariano Rumor and the 1980 Bologna massacre.
Source: News 10 Now
* Operation Gladio was conceived by Allen Dulles and consisted of a number of NATO-backed stay behind armies that were scattered across Europe after WWII, their purpose being to help train locals to combat the spread of Communism. 'Combat' in this sense meaning to do pretty much anything legal or otherwise.
The Strategy of Tension was a ten year + terrorist campaign, carried out by Gladio units in collaboration with in-country secret services. It was CIA-backed and the operatives were CIA-trained. The worst atrocities were committed by Gladio in Itay between 1969 and 1980. They were blamed on the Communists in order to stop the Italian Communist party participating in a coalition government. They were committed against both civilian and non-civilian targets. They included the 1969 Piazza Fontana bombing, the 1972 Peteano car bombing, the attempted assassination of former Interior Minister Mariano Rumor and the 1980 Bologna massacre.
Source: News 10 Now
1/19/2008 5:10 PM
By: Brian Dwyer
WATERTOWN, NY - "I was messed up in the head. It was okay for me. I laughed afterwards. We all did. It's just the way things go."
Iraq war veteran Jon Turner said it was almost expected of him to pull the trigger on people who didn't need to die. So he did.
"It was my decision," Turner said. "I made it. Now I have to live with the fact I see someone's eyes screaming at me after I shot them."
But Turner says it wasn't his choice to be encouraged to do it from higher ranking officers. He and three other veterans speaking out Saturday at the Different Drummer Cafe in Watertown said committing war crimes is not only the way things go, but it's unofficial policy.
"The killing of innocent civilians is policy," veteran Mike Blake said. "It's unit policy and it's Army policy. It's not official policy, but it's what's happens on the ground everyday. It's what unit commanders individually encourage."
The group, part of the national organization called Iraq Veterans Against War are planning an event to be held in Washington, D.C. this coming March called "Winter Soldier" that will have veterans all speaking about war crimes they committed or witnessed during their tours of duty.
"These decisions are coming from the top down," veteran Matt Howard said. "The tactics that we use. The policies that the military engages will create situations, create dynamics, create, ultimately, atrocity."
IVAW hopes to have 100 veterans speak at the event. Once it ends, they'll document the testimony and package it for Congress.
IVAW says it expects a number of veterans from Fort Drum to be at the event and it is hoping to get more veterans to attend and speak at the event and will help pay for any active duty soldier who wants to go and listen.
