Brave Afghan Vet Demands Answers from Congress
From the Testimony Today, 4.23.09, by the Soldiers of Today, on Afghanistan! Brave New Foundation weaves one soldiers opening remarks with the opening remarks, in Congress, of a brother 'Nam Soldier from our Years Past and another Congressional Hearing!
Thanks to your efforts, we were able to bring Rick Reyes, a veteran of both Iraq and Afghanistan, to Congress's attention. A former Corporal in the US Marines, Reyes was powerful and truthful as he told Senator John Kerry and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, "I urge you on behalf of truth and patriotism to consider carefully and rethink Afghanistan. More troops, more occupation is not the answer."
Reyes's testimony raises critical concerns that Congress must address before approving a massive supplemental war funding bill in the next few weeks. Let's work to halt this war funding bill by calling our Representatives, and urging them not to vote for it until all the questions raised in these hearings have been answered.
Senate Foreign Relations Cmte. Hearing on Soldiers' Stories from the Afghan War earlier today 4.23.09
If you don't want to watch/listen in to the full testimony, link directly above, at least watch/listen in to the opening statements, or read them from the links below {PDF}:
Senator Kerry's Opening Statement
Senator Lugar's Opening Statement
Witnesses Opening Statements:
Andrew Bacevich
Colonel, U.S. Army (Ret.)
Professor of International Relations and History
Boston University
Boston, MA
Genevieve Chase
Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army Reserve
Recipient of the Purple Heart
American Women Veterans
Alexandria, VA
Christopher McGurk
Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army (Ret.)
Recipient of Combat Infantryman’s Badge,
two Bronze Stars and the Purple Heart
New York, NY
Westley Moore
Captain, U.S. Army (Ret.)
Washington DC
Rick Reyes
Corporal, U.S. Marines (Ret.)
Los Angeles, CA
Feingold Questions Cpl. Rick Reyes on Afghanistan
Rick was born May 3rd, 1980, and grew up in the Boyle Heights area of East Los Angeles. Reyes joined the Marine Corps in 2000, and signed up to be an Infantry Rifle Man in the Marine Corps while serving in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan in 2001 and Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. I support his testimony, will you?