The Democratic Party ignored IVAW when it held its “Winter Soldier Investigation” in March of this year. For that, they do not have the right to have a convention free from protest actions that question the unity, hope, and change being put forward by the Democratic Party.
Any unity, hope, and change that does not involve IVAW’s demands is a travesty.
The letter is printed in its entirety below.
A Letter to Barack ObamaAugust 25, 2008
Senator Barack Obama
C/O Democratic National Convention Committee
1560 Broadway
Denver, CO 80202
Senator Obama,
In your campaign for the Presidency of the United States of America, you have clearly presented yourself as the anti-war candidate, dedicated to change in trying times. Senator Obama, millions of Americans are looking to you to restore our country’s good name and reputation around the world, beginning with righting the wrongs of the war-driven Bush administration.
Iraq Veterans Against the War is the only organization consisting of active duty service members and veterans of the Global War On Terror committed to ending the occupation of Iraq. We believe that a responsible withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq should include:
1. The immediate withdrawal of all occupying forces from Iraq.
2. Full and adequate health care and benefits to all returning service members and veterans.
3. Reparations made to the Iraqi people for the destruction caused by the U.S. war and occupation.
Senator Obama, we realize that a man in your position has a very tedious schedule during the Democratic National Convention. However, we feel that a Presidential candidate dedicated to an anti-war platform should have no objections to the goals of our organization. Indeed, Senator Obama, in these ominous times, you symbolize the hope for a better America.
Therefore, we request at this time that you endorse the three tenets of Iraq Veterans Against the War if you so wish to represent the anti-war constituency of our country.
Further, in the spirit of grassroots democracy that you praise as the means of change in American society, we will be marching non-violently on Wednesday, August 27. Our march will hold accountable the Democratic Party for their initial and continued support for the illegal occupation of Iraq. We urge you to demonstrate your commitment to change by working with veterans and service members dedicated to ending the occupation of Iraq.
We will await your response to our proposal until 3:00 PM Wednesday, August 27.
Mobilized for Peace,
Iraq Veterans Against the War
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