Homer Alaska - Letters

What's life like in Iraq after eight years of our occupation? More than a million Iraqis are dead, more than 50,000 veterans of these wars have killed themselves, 4.5 million Iraqis were displaced, depleted uranium covers the land to kill and deform for centuries, 50,000 U.S. troops remain, re-named "advise and assist troops." But they are still killing and dying in Iraq, and the American media has left. But we brought them freedom.

The Iraqi government routinely tortures prisoners with the full complicity of U.S. forces. Journalists are detained and beaten, and women now have fewer rights than under Saddam Hussein. 10 years after Bush began our "global war on terror," the U.S. is still bombing/killing, thousands of civilians in Afghanistan in the past year. Mostly women and children. These wars continue with Obama. Obama's military is increasing conventional bombings and drone strikes against Pakistan and Afghanistan. Congress is not saying no. People standing up in determined, prolonged protest and fearlessly telling the truth is important to help stop these wars.

Rev. Richard Olson