CAN statement on Winter Soldier hearings

The significance of the Winter Soldier Investigation

Winter Soldier, originating in the struggle against the Vietnam War was organized after the Mai Lai massacre cover up by the U.S. media during the Vietnam War. Journalists finally broke through and exposed the massacre. The government tried to silence this by sending one Army Lieutenant to jail. Over a period of a year Antiwar soldiers back in the United States were forming the basic organization needed to hit back to expose the truth. In 1971 the Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW) converged at a Hotel in Detroit Michigan to carry out the Winter Soldier Hearings meant to expose the criminal nature of the U.S. war policy.

Joe Bangert one of those who testified pointed out in the documentary film about Soldiers Resistance during the Vietnam war "Sir, No Sir" that they intended the hearings to go "after the notion that the policies of the U.S. military created things like Mai Lai… it was a policy, both written and unwritten…" that couldn't be explained or written off as it was for a long time as an "isolated instance of abhorrent behavior" by individual soldiers.

Iraq and Afghanistan's Winter Soldier Investigation

It is in this same context that the Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) veterans both from Iraq and Afghanistan will be testifying in the Winter Soldier Investigations being held in Washington, D.C., from March 13—16. This investigation will expose and make the case that orders from the White House for the U.S. Military to carry out an occupation creates the circumstances in which war crimes like those in Fallujah, Abu Ghraib and Haditha are the inevitable outcome.

Our commitment to the Veterans' Antiwar Movement

As part of CAN's ongoing commitment to strengthening the veterans' antiwar movement, chapters are strongly encouraged to organize events that will amplify the voices of the Winter Soldier Investigation. Assuming you don't have Spring Break during the March 13-16th event, a live-feed of the events will be available through www.ivaw.org and could be presented to a public audience on your campus. Chapters should also think about inviting IVAW members to share their testimony in person on campus as a "Report Back" from the proceedings. Organizing such meetings can project CAN and IVAW on your campus and equip students with the knowledge of the reality of the occupation. The more people who know about the Winter Soldier proceedings, the more likely GIs in Iraq and Afghanistan will be confident to stand up to their illegal orders.

Fundraising events

Chapters have organized joint fundraising events with IVAW through RIT, Rutgers University. Both chapters threw house parties and one split the profit with the IVAW chapter, the other chapter gave all the fundraising monies to the local IVAW chapter at both parties CAN worked with IVAW to bring out soldiers they'd met through our events and activity.

Viewing the original Winter Soldier Documentary

Chapters can widely publicize Winter Soldier by doing campus viewings of the original documentary. http://www.wintersoldierfilm.com Chapters can publicize the viewing and or "Report Back" at this movie showing. The University of Illinois at Chicago can be contacted for more information on viewing the film UIC@campusantiwar.net

Live Feed and Simulcast viewings

Chapter not conflicting with Spring break close downs should view the Live Feed or Simulcast through the web. Reserve a room that is accessible to many people with a large enough screen with a projector that has a connection to the internet or TV broadcast. Be sure to open up these viewings by explaining the significance of Winter Soldier and work with IVAW to get soldiers they know from the community and on campus to come. There are a number of ways to watch the proceedings at Winter Soldier. Visit http://ivaw.org/wintersoldier/support

Winter Soldier Report Back Panel

A panel can include a veteran willing to share what he/she testified and a CAN member to speak about the current state of Iraq. Taking what we learned from the Dahr Jamail conference call: the state of the Iraqi refugee crisis, the failure of the troop surge and the brutal conditions of the occupation can help give context to people who come. We should aim this event at drawing out an audience of veterans on/off campus as well as the students that we are meeting. It's even possible to view some of the Winter Soldier hearing which will be made available on the IVAW website in the same event. Building it: circulate a Press Release, regular tabling in high traffic areas like a student union or café as well as leafleting on the campus walkways, dorm storming (walking through the dorms and handing out leaflets) and outreach to other groups.

Spring Conference

If regions can do this, providing they have the resources can collaborate with IVAW to hold a special Winter Soldier investigation panels and viewings at their spring conference. CAN is currently working with many IVAW chapters across the country and should utilize the relationship we have with them. It strengthens IVAW and strengthens CAN when we collaborate.

Please Report on your chapter's plans and how they went CANdiscussion@googlegroups.com

Organizational advice and contact information for nearby IVAW chapters can be obtained through CAN's coordinating committee: contact Ken for chapter development and Tiffany for IVAW coordination national@campusantiwar.net