At home and abroad, American democracy is at a crossroads

On Tuesday, I urged serious attention to Naomi Wolf's warning that if citizens don't act we could be a facing the End of America. Today, I want to highlight the warnings coming from career government servants who left the US government in protest at the beginning of the Iraq war. Several of those servants contributed to a recent anthology, Dissent: Voices of Conscience, edited by Col. (ret.) Ann Wright and Susan Dixon.

The anthology includes essays, resignation letters and documents compiled over the last five years by former career diplomats, military dissenters and other high ranking officials in the United States and United Kingdom who argued that the 2003 invasion of Iraq was illegal, unjustified and ill-advised.

Col. (ret.) Ann Wright In the foreword, Daniel Ellsberg, the Vietnam-war era whistleblower responsible for the public release of the Pentagon Papers, expressed the hope that the book would spark more disclosures of government wrongdoing:

If you who are fortunate to hold this book in your hands do not
yourself hold office in the "national security apparatus" if you lack
guilty national secrets, if you have no safe in your office filled with
documentary evidence of governmental crimes and lies (like the Pentagon
Papers I belatedly revealed) do you know someone, a friend or relative,
who does? I urge you to share this book with them, your own copy
after you have read it or a new one; I don't count on their choosing to
pick it out themselves. And, then, keep after them to read it....

Wright, who explains what led her to trade a lengthy and successful diplomatic and military career for a life as an antiwar activist, called the book a "tribute" to the colleagues who joined her in protest:

Because of the Bush administration’s highly successful propaganda
campaigns and a huge media failure in the United States, most Americans
didn’t realize until recently how often the Bush administration has
violated domestic and international law. The lack of independent,
credible information in America’s mainstream media came about, in part,
by the administration’s punitive stance toward those who disagree with
or criticize its policies. Since 9/11, the Bush administration has
treated speaking out as unpatriotic, if not treasonous. Many of those
who have dissented have faced the administration’s wrath and
retribution.

Despite this, people within our government did speak
out. Susan Dixon and I wrote Dissent: Voices of Conscience as a tribute
to these government insiders and active-duty military personnel who
exposed our leaders’ illegal actions, or resigned rather than accede to
the actions, or refused to fight in what they considered an illegal
war. Their loyalty to the Constitution and the American people
transcended partisan politics.

On OpedNews, Margaret Bassett called the book "a treat:"

The book is a carefully documented
account of conscientious citizens of the United States and elsewhere
who put their lives and livelihoods on the line for the sake of
principle.

Rachel attended one of Wright's speaking engagements and reports that peace activists face an ongoing battle. For example, Wright, she said, cited an American attorney who faced disbarment for protesting torture.

Wright says the retribution against her includes being denied entrance to Canada along with other peace activists, as she details in this Truthout article. Despite the hardships, Wright continues to speak out on this and other issues. For example, she has noted a suspicious pattern of violence against US women in the military.

In their resignation letters, Wright and many of her fellow dissenters predicted in 2003 that the invasion of Iraq would do damage to America's standing in the world, particularly in Muslim countries. In a recent speech, international affairs expert Patricia Kushlis cites research that bears out Wright's prediction:

The Iraq War not only solidified anti-Americanism in the Arab Middle
East but it also extended it as far east as majority mainstream Muslim
Indonesia and into Turkey, a US NATO ally, whose moderate Muslim
population had been pro-American prior to 2003....

Kushlis says that restoring US standing in the world requires the US to renounce torture, close prisons such as Guantanamo, and reconsider many of its aggressive and controversial anti-terrorist actions. Whether Kushlis or whistleblowers such as Wright will be taken seriously remains to be seen. Still, their call to conscience and their considerable expertise deserves the serious attention of citizens and voters in the US and throughout what used to be called "the coalition of the willing."

Submitted by Kim Pearson (view blog

) on Sun, 07/13/2008 - 19:15

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What scares me more is how little reaction
these postings get

You don't seem to be either upsetting people or getting people worried when this is BIG STUFF...bigger than how bitchy Clinton is or is Obama rascist...this is big shit...

and you add stuff like this that barely gets a whisper in main stream media...

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/13/opinion/13rich.html?hp

BUSH staff warned not to leave the country due to war crimes charges.....

Look for me at http://crunchycarpets.com or check out the ladies at www.wetcoastwomen.com

Submitted by Crunchy Carpets on Sun, 07/13/2008 - 16:59

What will bring more attention to these
issues?

Thanks so much for YOUR reading and commenting. When I sat down with this book, along with Naomi Wolf's, I was stunned by the accumulation of evidence that the rule of law is being challenged in our country in fundamental ways. The NYT column that you pointed to further supports that perception. Then consider the changes being proposed for the War Powers Act, which currently requires the President to seek Congressional approval before deploying troops in combat. I plan to write about that for Tuesday. Big issues indeed that can only be resolved by an informed electorate that demands respect for the law, even for the the executive branch.

Kim
BlogHer Contributing Editor|Professor Kim|

Submitted by Kim Pearson on Sun, 07/13/2008 - 17:54

Bone Rattling Stuff Is Hard To Write About

I read Prof. Kim's first post on Naomi and then went to see the video and read a chapter of the book. I'd would be shocked if this was brought up on Charley Rose, Tavis or Bill Moyer's Journal (well maybe Bill would do it)

But M$M news? No, because the first words out of their mouths would be "controversial" new book and then spend time questioning motives and not the content of just what has been done to the country.

This will have to be a bottom up education process and we better move fast.

Gena - Out On The Stoop

Submitted by Gena Haskett on Mon, 07/14/2008 - 04:33

Totally worried

Like you, Crunchy Carpets - I immediately thought of Frank Rich's Op-Ed this morning. And I am upset but I don't know what to do.

As Rich points out too many Americans seem content to return to our focus on superficial, trivial gossip and not deal with complex, painful issues. And even when people do hear wake up calls it seems that too often we learn the wrong lessons.

Bush and the Republicans have done such a good job of controlling the discussion and framing any questioning or dissent as unpatriotic I wonder how we can get to a complex discussion without smearing the messengers.

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Submitted by Maria Niles on Sun, 07/13/2008 - 17:44

Excellent Article

How do you motivate a people? Or more appropriately, how do you manipulate them? You lead them without them knowing they have been led. Particularly :

"the Bush administration has treated speaking out as unpatriotic, if not treasonous. Many of those who have dissented have faced the administration’s wrath and retribution."

I hope more pay attention to topics like this one. The tactics of fear and intimidation have already silenced too many.

Submitted by adodom on Sun, 07/13/2008 - 18:03

Support truth

As individuals, we have to support the people who tell the truth and boycott the people who lie. That means no more Fox News--listen to Counter Spin instead. That means no more MSN--listen to Democracy Now instead. That means don't vote for someone who sounds like he wants to start a war in Iran. That means turn off Entertainment Tonight and read Dissent instead.

http://www.webteacher.ws/
http://first50.wordpress.com/

Submitted by Virginia DeBolt on Mon, 07/14/2008 - 07:54

Numbed

I have been reading "The Culture of Make Believe" by Derrick Jensen -- in which he talks about (among other things) the process of numbing-down in America over the past 2 hundred years or so. We have become so numb that we do not even register the most horrible atrocities. I also wrote a piece about how i believe the online community has created an illusion of activism. No one commented on that post either. Although there may be (and should be!) agreement for what you say, it is as though some nexus for organizing is just gone.

~~ Contributing Editor, Mata H. also blogs right along at Time's Fool

Submitted by Mata H on Mon, 07/14/2008 - 10:19

I remain hopeful and prayerful...

This is an amazing time. This is where if we push forward and own up to some stuff we could come out on the other side as a stronger and more perfect union. The time now is not for the wringing of hands because it is hard. The way forward is with a broken heart. More folks have to be apart of the dialogue. Even if thery are ignorant and biased and predjudiced and just plain stupid there is a window here to make sweeping changes. N. Wolfe is amazing, but I think Marrianne Williamson in her book, "The Healing of America captures the spirit of what needs to happen moving forward. "Our Challenge is to speak up for heart, with heart.

Dr. King said "True peace is not merely the absence of negative force--tension, or war; it is the presence of some positive force--justice, good will, and brotherhood". I would add Sisterhood!

Love,

Babz

Submitted by Lovebabz on Mon, 07/14/2008 - 10:44

'LEFT' out

I am still amazed at the hatred directed towards Bush and those
serving the government. I have some issues with Bush myself, but this
talk of how we've turned everyone against us since invading Iraq is
amazing. Hello...We've had terrorists after us since the days of Jimmy
Carter in the White House. Our barracks in Lebanon were blown up in the
1980s, long before Bush. The TWA hijacking was long before Bush. The
first WTC bombing was before Bush. The U.S.S. Cole attack predated
Bush. The idea that invading Iraq in 2003 turned the entire Muslim
world against us is nuts. These people (obviously the radicals, not the
majority of good, honest people).... Muslim, Arab, etc. have long hated
the West and what we stand for. I am also amazed how many women crusade
against what we're doing in the Middle East. Last time I checked, girls
in Afghanistan were able to go to school, something they could not do
under the Taliban. Women in Iraq are no longer being kidnapped off the
streets and brought to Saddam and his 2 sicko sons for their pleasures.
Are things perfect in Afghanistan and Iraq? Heck no. Do we have a lot
of work to do? Heck yes. We can argue until pigs fly whether or not it
was the right thing to do - invading Iraq. We're there, we need to
leave it in a better place than it would be under the terrorists, and we
will continue to be the lone superpower in the world. I hear too that
Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, etc. publically decry our moves in the
Middle East in regards to Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, etc. I think it is
safe to say...what they say privately is entirely different.

Regards,

Dave

San Diego

gocalifornia.blogspot.com

Submitted by davet. on Wed, 07/16/2008 - 21:26

It Is Very Simple - He Lied.

Bush lied. The Administration lied and the world long decided that there are limits to inhumane treatment of prisoners of war. America violated and continues to violate the Geneva Convention.

There is no argument. It was the wrong thing to do. Um, there are a lot of other countries that decry what we have done.

Yes, now we've got to clean up the mess that America created.
On that we agree.

How that happens I suspect we'd disagree.

Gena - Out On The Stoop

Submitted by Gena Haskett on Thu, 07/17/2008 - 04:51

Great post!

Great post! Thanks Kim, thanks Virginia, thanks all people who posted about the politician people...they're a scandalouse liars!

Submitted by osoleomar48 on Thu, 07/17/2008 - 00:18

Great ! LOVEBAZ!

Great ! LOVEBAZ i crying now on reading your post...i kiss u

Submitted by osoleomar48 on Thu, 07/17/2008 - 00:30

YES i think so!

Yes GENA , i think so too, that's a just way, that one is a only human thing

" Um, there are a lot of other countries that decry what we have done..."

Submitted by osoleomar48 on Thu, 07/17/2008 - 08:01

other countries cry out

gena,

yes, we do respectfully disagree on this subject. i hate
to sound like the typical arrogant american...but i'm not too worried
about what other countries think. i'm more concerned with things here
at home. we delivers BILLIONS in aid all around the world each year and
still people despise us. we kept a number of european countries from
speaking german for decades and decades, and yet they thumb their noses
at us. we helped bring down the soviet empire which had bad intentions
in many places around the world. i could go on and on and on. this
country is far from perfect and every administration since washington
has done good and bad. i once again go back to the fact that many of
these countries that reportedly despise us publically say something
entirely different in private. saudi arabia, egypt, turkey, pakistan
etc. have their own problems at home. the last thing they want is for
muslim extremists to overtake their countries.

Submitted by davet. on Thu, 07/17/2008 - 08:18