Delegation of Military Families Leaves for Iraq

<http://www.commondreams.org/views03...>
Published on Sunday, November 30, 2003
by CommonDreams.org

US Delegation of Military Families and Veterans Leaves for
Iraq

Mission is Not ’Photo-op" But Seeks Answers
by Andrea Buffa and Medea Benjamin

In the wake of quick visits to Iraq by both George Bush
and Hillary Clinton, another group of Americans is
paying a visit to that war-torn nation. This is a 10-
person delegation of veterans and military families with
loved ones serving in Iraq. Organized by the San
Francisco-based human rights group Global Exchange, the
delegation offers a unique opportunity for Americans to
get an unfiltered view of how Iraqis and US troops are
faring under the occupation.

"Both George Bush and Hillary Clinton have a hidden
agenda. They are both using their trips to Iraq to
better position their political parties in the upcoming
elections," said Michael McPhearson, one of the
delegates who is a Gulf War veteran and has a son
serving in the military. "The only agenda of our
delegation is to uncover the truth."

"Our mission is not photo ops," said delegate Fernando
Suarez, whose son Jesus was a Marine who died in combat
in Iraq. "Our mission is talking to ordinary Iraqis and
US troops, figuring out why things have gone so terribly
wrong and what we can do to stop the violence and bring
the troops home." Mr. Suarez is also bringing thousands
of letters of peace from children in the United States
to the children of Iraq, as well as medical supplies for
hospitals.

"As far as I know, this is the first time in history
that US military families are venturing into a war zone
to seek answers," said delegation leader Medea Benjamin,
whose group Global Exchange organized the trip. "These
remarkable people are putting themselves at risk to show
their concern for their loved ones, all the troops, and
the Iraqi people. It is an extraordinary act of courage
and compassion."

The delegation is leaving from various airports in the
United States on November 29, and meeting up in Amman,
Jordan. Unlike US politicians, they have no US military
plane to escort them into Iraq, and there are no
commercial flights either. So they will have to endure a
12-hour overland trek across the desert to Baghdad,
passing through the dangerous Sunni triangle.

"I know it is very risky trip, but I feel compelled to
go there," said Anabelle Valencia, a military mother and
school teacher traveling with the delegation. "I want to
see my son and daughter and talk to the other troops. I
want to talk to the Iraqi people, especially the women.
And I want to talk to the US authorities and ask them
when they are going to send our troops home and allow
the Iraqis to run their own country."

Trip participant Mike Lopercio, a businessman from
Tempe, Arizona whose son is stationed in Iraq, also has
a lot of questions. "I have never been so completely
confused by conflicting reports about an area that has
been so extensively covered by the media. I want to ask
Iraqis how they feel about our presence and if they
understand and agree with our objectives. I want to find
out if the current attacks on our troops are acts of a
small minority or supported by most of the population.
As a father and a US citizen, I need answers to these
questions."

The delegation is anxious to get many points of view.
With the help of their members of congress, they
solicited meetings with Coalition Provisional Authority
Administrator Paul Bremer and Lieutenant General Ricardo
Sanchez, but have not received a response. The group
will meet with representatives of the Iraqi Governing
Council, human rights organizations, and women9s groups.
They will also meet with Iraqis who have family members
injured, killed or detained by US forces.

Upon their return, members of the delegation have
requested meetings with U.S. and U.N. policymakers,
including President Bush, National Security Advisory
Condoleeza Rice, U.N. Secreatry-General Kofi Annan, and
U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. John Negroponte.

The organizations sponsoring the delegation are Global
Exchange and the International Occupation Watch Center.
Global Exchange is a human rights group based in San
Francisco that sponsors educational trips to such
countries as Afghanistan, Vietnam, and Israel/Palestine.
The International Occupation Watch Center was
established in July by international peace groups to
monitor and report on the occupation of Iraq.

Andrea Buffa works for the human rights organization
Global Exchange. Medea Benjamin co-founded Global
Exchange and is leading the military families and
veterans delegation to Iraq.