Call to Resist from SNAFU to U.S. GIs

Sisters and Brothers in the Armed Forces: Resist! Organize! Refuse to
participate in war crimes. Join us in taking action to stop the war.

May 8, 2004—Recent revelations, including hundreds of photos, numerous
military reports, and testimony from military and civilian officials
reveal the true nature of this war. The torture, abuse, and rape of
Iraqi prisoners and civilians is not work of a few individual soldiers.
It is the direct result of the Bush Administration’s decision to wage a
racist colonial war against an entire people. The demonization of the
Iraqi people by the Bush Administration and its accomplices in the media
make this sort of brutality inevitable. George W. Bush, Dick Cheney,
Donald Rumsfeld, and the rest of the Administration must be held
accountable for their crimes.

In speaking of crimes, we do not speak only of individual acts of
torture. The entire process of planning and executing this war is a
criminal act, as clearly defined by the Nuremburg Principles and other
international laws. The planning of a war of aggression and waging war
against a civilian population are clearly illegal.

Under both international and U.S. law, members of the Armed Forces are
required to disobey illegal orders. Orders to engage in torture, or to
attack civilian targets, or to participate in wars of aggression, for
example, are illegal. Soldiers are obligated to disobey these orders and
to report those that give the orders.

Therefore, we call upon members of the Armed Forces to: Refuse to
torture prisoners in violation of International Law. Refuse to obey
illegal orders. Refuse to commit atrocities against an innocent
population. Join with the people of the world and take action now to
stop the war, and do everything within your power to resist and expose
the crimes being committed by the U.S. government. We offer our support
and solidarity to all who choose to follow their consicence and take
action.

No enlistment contract will excuse you from your right and obligation to
follow the dictates of your conscience. No oath will excuse criminal
acts committed against innocent people.

History will condemn George W. Bush as a liar and murderer, who was
willing to cause the deaths of thousands of people for the profit of
Wall Street. Will you stand with the war criminal Bush or will you
choose to stand with the millions of people who oppose his fantasies of
global empire? Don’t let those monsters in Washington DC turn you into
something less than human. Don’t let them deceive and pressure you ino
committing acts that will haunt you the rest of your life. Turn against
the war criminals and take a stand with humanity.

The resistance of soldiers helped bring an end to the war in Vietnam. It
was soldiers, participating in the Winter Soldier Investigation, who
documented the war crimes committed against the people of Vietnam.
Soldiers in Vietnam helped stop the war by deserting, refusing to go
into combat, and committing other acts of resistance. By 1970, the Army
had 65,643 deserters, roughly the equivalent of four infantry divisions.
The war stopped, in part, because soldiers forced the war criminals in
Washington to stop.

Join us in stopping this criminal war.

Veterans, military personnel, and military families—to endorse this
statement, send an email to resist@join-snafu.org .

Download pdf flyer (see www.iacenter.org and look for call)

SNAFU, is an organization that works for the rights of working people in
uniform. It provides discharge counseling, educates military personnel
about their rights, and supports members of the military who wish to
take a stand against war. SNAFU’s website (www.join-snafu.org) has
comprehensive information on discharge procedures and other military
regulations.