aa000203 - The American Legion Digital Archive

.,
..,
"'"'"
..,'"o=
..,
0;
~
Q.
~
o
(.J
_ _
~(
I
I
)l----
THE WAR ON TERRORISM
'"
'"
'"
.,.
.
N
u
E
V>
NATIONAL HEADQ!}ARTERS
Preamble to the Constitution of
The American Legion
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Resolution No. 1()9
For God and Country
We associate ourselves together for the following purposes:
To uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of
America;
to maintain law and order;
to foster and perpetuate a one hundred percent Americanism;
to preserve the memories and incidents of our associations in
the Great Wars;
to inculcate a sense of individual obligation to the community,
state and nation;
to combat the autocracy of both the classes and the masses;
to make right the master of might;
to promote peace and good will on earth;
to safeguard and transmit to posterity the principles of justice,
freedom and democracy;
to consecrate and sanctify our comradeship by our devotion to
mutual helpfulness.
A Message from the Commander
Terrorist Acts Against th e United States
A natolllY oj' Resolutioll 1()9
The War's Rationale
15
Impact of 9-11
15
Saddam Ilussein: Terrorist
17
Voices
lk
Responsible Protest in Time of War
21
Building Public Support
23
Key Message Points on Resolution 169
25
Resources on the Web
A Guide to Building Public Awareness
EIGHTY-NINTH NATIONAL CONVENTION
OF
THE AMERICAN LEGION
RENO, NEVADA
AUGUST 28, 29, 30, 2007
"I wish there was not a war, and 1 wish our
young people did not have to fight and die. But 1
cannot wish away evil men like bin Laden and
al-Zarqawi. These men are not wayward children who have gone astray; they are not great
men who are simply misunderstood. They are
cold-blooded killers, and they will kill you, me
and everyone we love and hold dear tf we do
not kill them first.
"You cannot reason with these people. You cannot negotiate with them. And this war will not be
over until they are dead. That is the ugly, awful
and brutal truth . .. The last thing we need here
in Iraq is an exit strategy or some damn time
table for withdrawal. Thank God there was no
time table jar withdrawal after the Battle qf the
Bulge or Iwo Jima . Thanle God there was no exit
strategy at Valley Forge. Freedom is not easy,
and it COlnes with a terrible price.))
-
Col. Brett Wyrick, surgeon deployed in Iraq, 2005
Resolution No. 169: Support For The War On Terrorism
Origin: National Executive Committee
Whereas, The Ameri can Legio n is an organi zation of wartime veteran s created by an act of the United Stales Congress in 1919; and
Whereas, The Am eri ca n l.egion's membership is composed of veteran s of
all W;lrs, the rnajority of whi ch are Vietnam veterans w ho have enduredlhe
con sequences of a nation di vided in tim e of war; and
Whereas, Warriors, above all other people, pray for peace, for they lllu st suffer and bear the deepest w ounds and scars of war; and
Whereas, Because of the ve ry nature of war, the warrio r cannot be sep arat ed from the war it self; and
Whereas, Til e United States of Ameri ca wa s suddenl y, and without provo cation , atta cked by terrori sts on September 11, 2001 , reS Ulting in the d eaths of
thousa nd s of innoce nt ci vilians and members o f the military of the United
States; a ncl
Whereas, Thi s tragi C event does not stand alo ne, but is a continuation of
a long seri es of unprovoked terro ri st attacks aimed at destroying Am eri can
li ves, and the very basic core values of freeciom, democra cy and respect for
human life; :lI1d
Whereas, Tn res po nse to thi s d es picable act of cowa rdi ce, a unit ed Congress
in ;1 biparti san manner authori zed the use of armed force again st the global
an-nics of terrori sm no matter where they res ide; and
Whereas, Recogni zing that the global w ar on terro ri sm is as deadly as any
w ar in w hi ch the Unit ed States ha s bee n previou sly eng:lged , th e President
and Congress did authori ze military ;Icti o ns in hoth Afg h;lI1i stan ;lI1d Iraq;
and
The American Legion - Resolution No. 169
A G1Iide to BlIilding PlIblic Awareness
1
Whereas, The global wa r on terro ri sm is a ju st wa r, aimed at pro tec ti ng the
very fo unda tions o f freedom and freedom-loving people everyw here; and
A MESSAGE FROM THE COMMANDER
Whereas, The A meri ca n Legion ag rees w ith o ur Commander in Chief th at
the acts o f terrorism mentio ned heretofo re were aimed at "th e hea rt and soul
o f the civili zed worl d , and the worl d has come together to Ilght ~I nevv ~In d
different wa r, the Ilrst, and we hop e the onl y one, o f the 21" ce ntury-a wa r
aga inst all those w ho seek to expo rt terro r, and a wa r aga in st those govern ment s th at suppo rt or shelter them "; and
Whereas, The National Exec uti ve Committee meeting in pre-Conventio n session on August 22, 2005, in Ho nolulu, Hawa ii , adopted thi s resoluti on and
recommend ed th at the 87,11 Na tiona l Convention meeting in IJ ono lulu , H ~ I ­
wa ii , August 23, 24, 25, 2005, adopt thi s resolution; now, therdore, be it
Resolved, By The American Legion in National Convention assembled in Reno, Nevada, August 28, 29, 30, 2007, That The American
Legion fully supports the President of the United States, the United
States Congress and the men, women and leadership of our armed
forces as they are engaged in the global war on terrorism; and, be it
further
Resolved, That The American Legion urges all Americans and
freedom loving peoples everywhere to stand united in their support
of the global war on terrorism, and united in their support of the
troops who are engaged in protecting our values and way of life;
and, be it finally
Resolved, That the National Commander be, and is hereby authorized,
to use whatever means at his disposal to disseminate accurate information about this war on terrorism, and to engage whatever means
necessary to ensure the united support of the American people.
Marty Conatser- National Commander,
Th e American Legion
The meaning of Resolution 169
During the Vietnam Wa r President Ly ndon John son fa mously sa id "If I lost
(Wa lt er) Cronkit e, I lost middl e A meri ca." Now, 30 yea rs later we are en gaged in ano ther wa r, o ne that is far more impo rt ant than the thoughts o f
an anti -w,lJ" anchorm an. The Ameri ca n Legion, th rough Resolution 169, is
commilledto ensuring that no future president has to S,ly, "I lost the wa r
and I lost all o f Ameri ca. "
Make no mi stake about it, Ameri ca is at stake and Iraq is a ce ntral front in
the Glo bal Wa r on Terrori slll. But don't take my word ro r it. Here is w hat alQaeda's Iraq chief Abu I-i amza al-Muh ajer reportedly posted o n the Intern et
in 2006: "We announce today the end o f a ph ase o f the jih ad and the start
o f a new one . .. to usher in the p ro ject of an Islamic ca liph ate and restore
Islam's g lory" ,We swea r not to rest from our jih ad ... before blow ing up the
Il lthi est ho use, dubbed the W hite I lo use."
Despit e w hat seemed like high suppo rt fo r the wa r on terror in the days
fo llow ing 9/ 11, many Ameri ca ns beli eve th e my th th at Iraq is somehow isolated from th ose w ho p erp etrated the worst terrori st att,lci< in hi sto ry. Yet its
m ~l s te rmind , Osa ma bin Laden proc laimed that "the third world wa r is raging in Iraq . The wa r is fo r you or ro r us to w in. If we w in it, it mea ns your
defea t and di sgrace fo reve r."
2
The A m erican Legion - Resolution No. 169
A Gu ide to Building P1Iblic Awaren ess
3
To insist th at tbe United States sbo uld onl y worr y about the 9/ 11 plo tt ers
is not o nl y na'ive, it is dangerous. II is to compl etely di sregard the M arin es
killed in Beirut, the airmen killed at K ho bar Towers, the Arst Wo rld Trade
Ce nter allack , the USS Cole bo mbing and the hundred s o f o ther A meri ca ns
w ho were killed by the atrociti es doc umented in thi s booklet.
Resolution 169 is not w itho ut controversy. Ma ny w ho rca lly do not un derstand The A meri ca n Leg io n tw ist the contex t anel mea ning o f Resolutio n
169. W hen you cut th rough the w hereas ancl resolved clauses, Resolutio n
169 simpl y says "we support the wa r and we suppo rt o ur wa rri o rs."
Isn't th at w hy we have an A meri ca n Legio n
Yet supporting the missio n o f th e wa r o n terro r is o nl y half the purpose o f
Resoluti on 169. As impo rtant as it is to suppo rt thi s wa r, it's just as impo rtant
to suppo rt its wa rri ors.
'
For God and country,
I have vi sited Iraq and have seen th e o utstanding men and women w ho are
defending not o nl y Iraq 's freedo m but the liberti es we enjoy everyday. I have
seen the fruits o f their commitment and skill as they bring stabilit y to unstable arcas, rebuild sc hools, train po lice o ffl cers and o pen m edi ca l clinics.
The heroic men and women serv ing in Iraq , Afgh ani stan and elsewhere in
thi s g lo bal wa r deser ve ever y th ank you, ever y ca re pack age, eve ry program
and every bene At th at The A meri ca n Leg ion t~lmil y ca n deli ve r.
'Suppo rt the troops' sho uld no t be an empt y sloga n . It ca n be demonstrated
throug h Ilcrocs to Ilo metow ns, the Fa mily Suppo rt Network , a strong VA
and militar y hea lth system , genero us di sabilit y compensa ti o n, empl oy ment
o ppo rtuniti es fo r returning ve terans, Blue Star Sa lutes and the many o ther
acti vities and poli cies that The A meri ca n Leg io n champio ns.
When veterans returned from Wo rld War II , they ,vere we lco med w ith
ticker-tape pa rades and the G I Bill , w hi ch was w ritten by A meri ca n Legio n
Past Natio nal Comm and er H arr y Colmer y. Sadly Korea n Wa r ve terans we re
trea ted indifferently by m any A meri ca n s and Vietn am veterans were o ft en
treated scornfull y by an ung rateful public. The later two ex peri ences were
m ajor factors in The A meri ca n I.eg io n's passage o f Reso lutio n 169.
Neve r aga in w ill A meri ca n heroes be t<lrred as " ba by- killers" or di srespec ted
by an ungrateful seg ment o f soc iety. Never aga in w ill U.S. ser v icc mc mhers
be reluctant to wea r their unifo rm s in public. Never again w ill VA hospit als
dete ri ora te to the po int w here the sick would rath er stay ho me.
Now these are ambitio us promises but w ith nea rl y fo ur milli o n members of
The A meri ca n Leg io n t~lmil y, we ca n do it. Rea d thi s booklet. EduGll e yo ur
fri ends. W rite len ers to t he ed itor.
W hen a se nato r says " We los t the wa r," ca ll him o n it . W hen a p resid enti al
ca ndida te ca lls the wa r o n terro r "a bumper stickcr," ask bim how m any
p cople are k illed by paper and g lue. W hen protes to rs ca ll o ur troops crimi na ls, remind them w ho it is th at ma kes it possibl e fo r them to spo ut such
fool ish ness.
4
The American Legion - Resolution No . 169
Marty Conatser
Natio nal Comm ander
"War is an ugly thing, but n ot the ugliest cf things. The decayed and degraded state 0/ moral and patriotic'/eeling
which thinles that nothing is worth war
is much worse. A m an who has nothing / or which he is willing to./ightnothing he cares about more than his
own p ersonal sa./ety - is a miserable
creature who has no chance C!l being
./j'-ee unless made and kept so by the
exertions C!l better men than hinlse?f"
- John Stuart Mill
A Guide to Building Public Awaren ess
5
TERRORIST ACTS AGAINST THE UNITED STATES
1979:
Irani an students seize rhe U.S. Embassy in Tehran and ho ld ca pti ve
approximately 70 A m eri ca ns. Some are released , but 52 remain to r
444 days.
1983:
Six ty- three are kill ed when :1 bo mb-laden trllck cra shes into th e
Embassy in Beirut, Lebano n.
u.s.
1983:
A 12,000-pound tru ck bomb destroys a Marine barra cks in Beirut ,
killing 241 America n ser vicemen .
1984:
A suicide bomb attac k on the U.S. Emba ssy in East Beirut kil ls 23.
1985:
A TWA flig ht is hijacked en route to Rome from Athens. Eight crew
members and 145 pa sse ngers are held 17 days. A U.S. Navy di ve r is
murdered .
1985:
1986:
Palestini an Liberati on Fro nt terrori sts se ize Italian crui se ship Achille
f.a uro. Ameri can pa ssenger Leon K lingho ffer, confined to a w heelchair, is killed and hi s bod y is thrown overboard. Terrori sts escape
days later. Ringl eader Abu Abba s is ca ptured in 2003 by U.S. to rces
in Iraq .
Two U.S soldiers are kil led and 79 servicemembers are injured in a
Libyan bomb att ack o f a nightclub frequ ented by U.S. milit ary members in West Berlin , West Germany.
1988:
Marine Lt. Col William I-l iggin s is kidnapped and hanged by Hezbo ll ah terrori sts, w hile ser ving w ith the United Natio ns .i n Lebanon.
1988:
A Pan Am Boeing 747 is blow n up over Loc kerbi e, Scotland . A bo mb
is believed to ha ve bee n placed on the plane by two Libyans at
Frankfurt Airport in German y. A ll 259 p eopl e on th e :Iircra ft , inclllll ing 189 Ameri can s, are killed .
.
1993:
A massive truck bo mb exp lodes in a World Traci e Center ga rage in
New York , killing si x and injuring more than 1,000. Six Islamic extremists arc later convicted o f the crim e.
1993:
Iraqi intelligence se rvice att empt s to assassinat e Pres id ent George
II.\X/ Bush during a visit to Ku wa it.
1996:
Terrorists detonate a truck bomb ncar a U.S. Air f orce housing arc:1 in
Dh ahran, Saudi Arabia , killing 19 servicem embers ancl injuring 385.
1997:
Fo ur U.S. auditors fro m Uni on 'Iexas Petroleum Corp. :lI1d their P;lki-
6
The American Legion - Resol1ltion No , 169
stani dri ver are sho t to dea th in K arachi, Pakistan. Radical group
A imed Kilufi a Ac tion Commill ee cl aims respo nsibilit y.
1998:
1998:
U.S. Emba ssies in Na irobi ,
Kenya, ancl Dar-es-Sa lem,
Tanza nia , are heav il y damaged in bomb at tac ks. I ntelligence offi cials li nk Osama
bin Laden to the art ac ks.
Yemeni mi litant s kidn:lp a
group o f Western touri sts,
including 12 Brit ons, two
Ameri ca ns and two Australians. Four victims are killecl
cluring the resc ue attempt.
"We do not differentiate
between those dressed in
milita1Y un?/onns and
civilians; they are all
targets in th is fatwa. ))
-
Osama bin Laden
2000:
A dinghy packed w ith ex plos ives ram s th e USS Cole, killing 17
U.S. sa ilors in a Yemeni po rt , Supporters o f Osa m,1 bin I.aden are
susp ected.
2000:
A bo mb explodes at the U.S. Embassy in Mani la, injuring nine. The
Moro Islamic Liberati on Front is believed res po nsibl e.
2001:
Two hijacked airliners crash into tlte tw in towers o f the World Trade
Center. Shortl y after, a third crashes into the Pent agon and a fourth
in a fi elcl in Penn sy lva ni a. Approx imately 3,000 Ameri ca ns and o th er
nati onals are kill ed , a death to ll higher by nea rl y 600 than the attack
on Pea rl Harbo r th at sent the United Stat es int o World War II. AI Qaed a, led by O sa m<l bin Laden, is w idely believed to be resp onsible
and later claim s responsibilit y.
2001:
H.icharcll{eid , a member o f a racli ca l mosque, is ove rpowered by
passengers on an A meri ca n Airlines flig ht to Mi ami for attempting to
detonate a "s hoe- bo mb" t hat w o uld ha ve ki li ed hundreds.
2002:
Al Qaed a member Jose Padill a is arrestecl in Chicago, w here autho ri ti es believe he was pl anning to detonate a nu clea r "d irt y " bomb.
Dozens of Americans have been taken hostage and some murdered,
in separate kidnappings by Islamic radicals throughout the 1980s
until the present day.
A Guide to Building Public Awareness
7
ANATOMY OF RESOLUTION 169
Whereas, T he Am eri can Legion is an o rganization of wartime veterans
created by an act of the United States Congress in 1919; and Whereas,
The American Legion's membership is composed of veterans of all wars,
the majority of which are V ietnam veterans w ho have endured the consequences of a nation divided in time o f war; and
Tocb y's U.S . soldiers fi g ht terro ri sts, insurgents and crimin als half a world
away They ri sk their lives in a harsh, foreign environment to delive r freedo m
and stabilit y to an oppressed p eople and to prevent future attacks agai nst
America. T heir cha llenges and goa ls closely resembl e those t~lCed by veterans of past America n wa rs, particul arly the Vietnam War, w here bartle- hard ened enemy combatants we re o ft en indi sting ui shabl e from civilian s.
Al so like the V ietnam Wa r, today's soldiers serving their country in the M iddle
East do so aga inst the backdrop of a small antiwa r movement at home that
has generated w idespread international publicity Such publicit y can be dea dly Intense media coverage of anti wa r demo nstrations conveys confid ence to
the enemy and hope that continued pressure - in Iraq 's case a lengthier in surgency - w ill defeat a u.S. military affected by home-front divi sio ns.
Ho Chi Minh openly used u .S. war protests in the 1960s to demoralize
America n POWs and to bo lster the ho pes of hi s army To day, O sa m a bin
Laden and his al-Qaeda terrori sm network li kewise see and use the new antiwar movement in America as a p syc ho log ica l weapon aga inst the U.S. lIlilitary and soldi ers in it. I ntense media empha sis on antiwar demo nstrati o ns,
in the absence or at the exc lu sion of similar demonstratio ns in support of
the troops and the wa r, ca n have a nega ti ve impact o n 1110ral e. Furtherm o re,
such portraya ls are an inacc urate refl ec tio n of the wa r and the many positi ve accompli shments of the world's most fo rmidable fighting fo rce. Enemy
confid ence and altered troo p morale, however, ca n be ~ lethal combination,
lengthening th e wa r, ca using mo re casualti es over time, w hi ch was the net
effec t and lesson of the Vi etnam War protest move ment.
Troops at wa r need to know America stands behind them and behind the
ca use fo r w hich th ey are ri sking their li ves - freedom. The privations o f wa r
and threats o f enem y atta ck are strenuo us eno ug h w ithout ho me-front protes ts that sy mbolica ll y impugn bot h th e wa r and the wa rri o r.
The soluti o n is not to stifle ho nest public di ssent, but to challenge w ar opponents to exercise their freedom res po nsibl y in the arena o f ideas and not in
ways th at threa ten o r h arm u.s. troops fulfilling their duties.
8
The American Legion - Resolution No , 169
As a counter-measure to the antiwar movement, Americans who suppo rt the
troo ps ;mcl the cause o f freedom must bui ld public awa reness o f the enemy's
nature and the justness of the w ar. [ l ome-front support ca n be rendered
through public displays, rallies, parades, letters and e-mails to the troops,
public fo rum s, Web sites, funcirai sers to r troops and their t~Hnili es, communica tions w ith elected offi cials and candidates; and by using key ho lidays and
anniversa ri es such as Memorial D ,l y, Flag Day, Inclependence Day, Patrio t Day
(Sept. 11), Veterans Day and Pearl Harbor Day as opportunities to assure the
public that the troops and their cause are supported by the majority at ho me,
Whereas, Warriors, above all ot her people, pray for peace, for th ey must
suffer and bea r the deepest wounds and scars of wa r; and
Si nce 1979, tho usa nd s of Am eri ca n troops have been kill ecl and tens of thousands wounded - from Beirut to th e Khobar Towers , from the USS Cole to
the slum s of Mogadishu , the Philippines, Afghanistan ancl Iraq - at the hands
of o ur terrorist enemies. Soldiers to day, like veterans w ho fou g ht betore
them , know the suffering ancl brutality th at ca n come of W'lr. Veterans also
know th at the pri ce of rewa rd s like freedo m , independence and sec urity is
o ft en paid in Am eri ca n blood . A ll w ho ser ve in th e u.s. military are keenly
aware of the stakes .
Those who apprec iate the comfort and securit y of li ving in a well-protected ,
free nati o n mu st never forget the human sacrifi ces necessary to get here. The
least we can do i s ho nor our troops by acting in suppo rt of th em. That is
w hy The Am eri ca n Leg io n ha s launched The America n Legio n Legacy Sc ho larship f und fo r the children of those w ho have fall en in o ur defense since
Sept. 11 , 2001. That is w hy The Am eri ca n Legio n ha s developed the TS2
(Troop Support Services) program to comtort those who are deployed and
to ass ist th eir t~lmili es at ho me. T hat is w hy The Am eri can Legion rev ived
Blue Star banners to proud ly recog ni ze famili es w ho have loved ones at wa r.
And that is also v'v' hy The A meri ca n Legion implemented it s Ileroes to lIometow ns progr;ll11 to help wound ed wa rri o rs transition back to civilian life.
America's commitment to thi s ju st wa r sho uld no t be mi staken to r insensiti vity
to the plight of our troops or the bu rd ens their families bea r. We stand, in spirit
and in practice, alo ngside the troops and their t;lmilies, bound by the sa me desire to successfu lly complete the mi ssion as quickl y and safely as possible.
A Guide to Building Public Awareness
9
Whereas, Beca use of the very nature of wa r, the warri or ca nnot bc
sepa rated from the wa r itself; and
To support the soldier is to suppo rt the cause fo r w hich he fi ght s. In the
wa r aga inst terrori sm , traditio nal ba nle lines and definiti ons are blurred, but
the connectio n is clear between the fi ghter and the fight. As mo re Na tio nal
Guard and Hese rve citi zen soldiers are deployed and see th eir deployments
extended , the warrior is also mo re o ften than before a co-worker, a neighbor, a fath er or a mo ther in a loca l community.
Whemas, The United States of Amcri ca was suddenly, and w ithout
provoca tion, attacked by terrorists on Sept. 11, 2001, res ulting in the
deaths of thousands o f innoce nt civili ans and members of the militar y
o f the United States; and
The event s of Sept. 11, 2001 , distingui shed thi s war from most others in history
because it cla imed thousa nd s of America n civilians' li ves. Terrori sm, by clefInition, teeds on successfull y frightening and harming the people - not the armi es
- of its enemies. Bin Laden once sa ici th at al-Qaeda does not "ciifterentiate betwee n those dressed in military unito rm s and civilians; they are ali targets."i
The wa r aga inst terrori sm is, th eret-ore, a wa r to r the securit y and sa tety o f
innocent, free peop le around the planer w ho, through th eir electeci o ffI cial s,
have su mmoneci their militari es to conqu er terrori sm and regim es that provid e safe have n I'o r its existence.
Whereas, This tragic event docs not stand alone, bur is a continuation
of a long seri es of unprovoked terrori st attacks aimed at destroying
Ameri ca n li ves, and the very ba sic core va illes of freedom , democracy
and resp ect to r human life; and
While it is diffIcult ro pinpoint the exact clare thi s wa r bega n - some ex pert s
say 1979, w ith the arra ck o n the U.S. Emhassy in Tehran; o thers say 198:3,
with rh e allack on the Marine barra cks in Beirut - America 's terrori st enemi es have been at work to r many years. It ali came home on Sept. 11 , 200l.
A nd rega rdl ess o f the banners under w hi ch they wage their wa r, they share
a common goa l to destroy the Unit ed States. (See "Terrori st Acts Aga in st the
United Stares" page 6)
10
The American Legion - Resolution No. 169
Whereas, [n response to this despicable act o f cowa rdi ce, a united Cong ress in a biparti san manner autho ri zed the use of arm ed force against
the global armies of terrori sm no matter w here they reside; and
On Sept. 14, 2001 , Congress au thorized the president to usc "ali necessa ry
and appropriate to rce aga inst those nations, organization s, or persons he
determines planned, auth ori zed , committed or aid ed the terrori st :mack s th at
occ urred on Sept. 11, 2001 , o r harb o red such orga ni zations or persons, in
ord er to prevent any future :Icts of internati onal terrori sm aga inst th e United
States by such nations, orga ni za ti ons, o r persons." Soon aft er, President
George W. Bush concluded: "An y nation th at continues to harbo r o r support
terrori sm w ili be rega rd ed by th e United States as a hostile reg ime."
The preSid ent's position was shared by British Prime M ini ster Tony Blair,
w ho ohse rved, "Those rh eH harbor o r help (terrori sts) have a choice: either to
cease their protecti on o f o ur c nemies, or be trea ted as an enemy. " [n 1998,
Presid ent Bill Clinton made th e sa me pOint: "Countries th at persi stent ly host
terrori sts have no right to be sa fe ha vens."
Whereas, Recog ni zing that the globa l wa r on terrorism is as dead ly as
any wa r in w hich the Unitcd Srates has been prev iously engaged , the
President and Congress did authorize military actions in both A fghani stan and Iraq; and
In A(g hanistan, the presicient acteciunder the Sept. 14,2001, resolution, and aft er
the 'Taliban government o f A(ghanistan refused to turn over Osa ma bin Laclen
and elemcnts of tbe al-Qaeda tcrror network , Presicient Bush ordered U.S. torces
to destroy bin Laden 's rerror sa nctu aries and remove the T~l li ba n government.
The presid ent sought a sep:mll c rcsolUli on to authorize the use of military
force in Iraq; he received that authori za tion on Oct. 11 , 2002. Thc Iraq wa r
resolutio n passed the Senate 77-23 and the lIouse 296-13:3.
Whereas, The globa l wa r on terrorism is a just wa r, aimed at protecting the
very fOundations of freedom and freedom-loving peoplc everywhere; and
'i'oday's wa r is no less a fight fo r our civili zatio n anci way o f lite than were
the struggles aga inst Nazi Germ any and Imperial Japan , or the lo ng Cold
A G1Iide to Building P1Iblic Awareness
11
Wa r aga inst the Soviet Union. OS<l ma bin Laden has promi sed to wage wa r
against all unbeli evers "in every part o f the world ," to overthrow Islamic and
A rab governm ents that oppose hi s radica l view of Islam and to create a new,
pan-I slam ic power th at would dom in ate much o f the eastern hemisphere. 2
Bin LIden has cond emned the United States fo r not "ruling by the shariah o f
A lia h" a nd fo r sepa rati ng "rei igion from you r po l icies."\
Whereas, the National Executive Committee meeting in pre-Conve ntio n
session o n August 22 , 2005, in Ilonolulu, 11 awa ii , adopted this resolution and recommended th at the 87th lational Convention meeting in
IIonolulu , Hawa ii, Augu st 23, 24, 25, 2005, adopt thi s resolutio n; now,
therefo re, be it
Resolved, By The Ameri ca n Legio n in Na tional Convention assembled
As one H arva rd Uni versity professor has observed , ''The ultim ate objective
is to 'purify' the 'world - replacing the 'new world ordcr' w ith a ca liphate o f
terror based o n a t~lI1tas i zed simpler, purer pa st.'" Such a visio n is no t hlr removed fro m Hitler's promised "Thousa nd-Year Reich" and Japan's "Co- Prosperit y Sphere."
Wherea!>~ The American Legion agrees with our Commander in Chief
th at the acts o f terrori sm mentioned hereto fo re were aimed at "the hea rt
and soul of the civili zed world, and the world has come together to fI ght
a new and different war, the fIrst, ancl w e hope the o nly one, o f the 21st
century - a wa r against all those who seek to export terror, and a wa r
aga in st those governm ents that support or shelter them"; and
Ju st as 9/11 was no t the beg inning o f thi s w ar, the overthrow of the Taliban
government in A(ghani stan was no t the encl .
Soon after the att acks o f Sept. 11, President Bush braced the nation fo r "a
ver y long and diffIcult struggle." LikeWise, President Clinto n wa rn ed in the
19905, ''Thi s w ill be a long, o ngoing struggle betwee n freedom and fanati cism. " Sir Michael Boyce, Chi ef of the British Defense Staff, predicted the
ca mpaign aga inst terrori sm "may last 50 yea rs. '"
The fai lure o f many governm ents in the lslam ic world to address the underly ing ca uses o f terrori sm indi ca tes this struggle w ill no t be short . As a co nsequ ence, the A meri ca n people mu st summo n the sa me tenaCit y, fo rtitud e ~ Incl
endurance they di splayed in waging and w inning the Co ld Wa r. The A llleri ca n Leg ion ca n help steel the resolve o f the Am eri can people by sharing in fo rmati on about the w ar, supporting the troops and promo ting U.S. int erests
and va lues to offset the voca l mino rit y o f the anti wa r move ment.
in H onolulu, H awa ii, on August 23, 24, 25, 2005, That The Ameri can Legion full y supports the President of the United States, the United States
Congress and the men, women and leadership o f our armed fo rces as
they are engaged in the global wa r on terrori sm ; and , be it further
T his is not a marter o f p o litics; it is a matter o f national sec urity. The Ameri ca n Legion is a nonpartisan organi za ti on, and during thi s wa r - if it lasts as
lo ng as o ur enemies see m prepared to fIght - tile White HOllse and Congress
w ill pass betwee n both major p olitica l parties several times. Nor does thi s
resoluti on call o n I.egionn aires to blind ly support rhe president and Congress
in every matter. Instead , it asks the Leg ion famil y to support the preSident,
Congress and our arm ed fo rces as they prosec ute the w ~lr on terro ri sm .
Resolve d, Th at The Ameri ca n Leg io n urges all Ameri ca ns and freedomloving p eoples everywhere to stand unit ed in their support of the globa l
\va r on terrori sm , and unit ed in their support o f the troops w ho are en gaged in prot ecting our va lues and way of li~e; and, be it fIn all y
Th e A meri ca n Leg io n stro ngly beli eves in the right to free speech, eve n
in tim es of wa r. As ve terans o f military se rvice, Leg ionnai res know that
freedo m o f speec h, freedom o f assc mbl y ~ Ind the many o ther freedo ms enshrined in o ur Constitlltio n are to be treasured and protected - and somet i mcs defended by force o f ~ IrI llS.
I.egion mcmbers il ~ I\ ' c sce n fIrstha nd the a",oful consequ ences of governm ent
unchec keci ~ lJlcl IIn c h ~ lll e n ge ci . We h:lve he lrd th e siren song o f peace in our
time, of p e~ l ce at any cos t. We kno',\' w il ~ lt it cos ts to liberate and defend
pl ~lCes and peo ple unw illi ng o r un ~lbl e to fI ght fo r their ow n freedom. As
Pres iden t Cl int on ex plained in 1998, "No ca mpaign fo r p eace GIn succeed
w ithout a determin ati on to fI ght terrorism ."
Resolved, Th at the National COlllm ander be and is hereby aut ho ri zed
to use w hatever means at hi s disposa l to disseminate acc urat e informa tion about thi s wa r on terrori sm, and to engage wh atever mea ns necessa ry to cnsure the united support of the A m eri ca n people.
12
The American Legion - Resolution No, 169
A G1Iide to Building P1Iblic Awareness
13
Legio nnaires recognize th al in a country as diverse and as free as ours, there
are differences o f opinion about the wa r. A s the great American war correspond ent Edward R. Murrow once obser ved , "We must not confu se dissent
w ith di sloya lty. "
The wa r protester has a ri ght to speak aga inst this war, but he mu st do so
responsibly. And he mu st know th at the sa me First Amendment w hich protects hi s ri ght to protest thi s wa r was brought to him by men and women
who gave their li ves for our country. Further, that same First Amendment
also pro tects our ri ght to support the wa r, to speak, to share inform ation , to
assemble, to organize, and to ask the protester what mo ti va tes him and to
explain vV'hat mo tivates us.
All Legionnaires clnd , ind eed , all A meri cans have an important role to play
in protecting the ho me front , and perh aps most important of all , in suppo rt ing the men and women who defend us.
THE WAR'S RATIONALE
On Ocr. 11, 2002 , Congress passed a biparti sa n resolution authori zing mi li tary action
in Iraq. The Senate voted 77-23 in fa vor. The
HOllse approved it 296-133. Among o ther
points, the resoluti on:
•
Recalled that Iraq entered into a ceasefire ag reem ent w ith the United Na ti ons
and promised to eliminate its nuclear,
biologica l, and chemica l weapons programs, and to end its support fo r int ernational terrorism ;
•
D etai led how Baghdad was " in direct
and fl agrant vio lation o f the ceasenre, attempted to thwart the effo rts of wea pon s
in spec tors to id entify and destroy I raq 's
wea p o n s -ot~ ma ss- de s t ruct ion stockpi les
and development capabilities, whi ch
nna ll y res ult ed in the withdrawa l o f inspectors from Iraq on Ocr. 31 , 1998";
•
Reca ll ed how Congress (on Aug. 14,
1998) urged Presiclent Clinto n "to take
appropriate action , in accordan ce with
the Constitution and relevant laws o f the
Unit ed States, to bring Iraq into compli ance w ith its int ernati onal obliga tio ns";
•
Concluded that Iraq posed a continuing threat to the na tional sec urity o f the
United Stat es and internati ona l peace
and sec urit y by "continuing to possess
and develop a sig nifiGlI1t chemical and
biologica l wea pons capabili ty, actively
seeking a nuclear weapons ca pahilit y,
and supporting and harboring terro ri st
organi zation s";
•
Noted that Baghdad demo nstrated " its
continuing hosti lit y towa rd , and w ill iI1gness to attack, the United States, including by attempting in 1993 to assass inate
form er Presid ent Bu sh and , on thousands
This resoluti on is a message to those nghting today, that those o f us w ho
fo ught in wa rs pa st won't let the antiwar movement nullify the many
achievements Am eri ca has made in the war against terrorism. Nor w ill Am erica's veterans fail to provide lOO-percent support for toda y's troops and their
fam i lies, and w e will not let the li ves lost in thi s batt le be for naught.
End notes
1
2
As qu()ted h y President Bil l Clint()n , Aug. 20, 199H.
Sec I)aveed (;art enstein- I{oss, "Osalll<l's Big I.ie." Fou ndat ion for th e Ddense of
D em ocracies, I kcemhel' 2004.
OS<lllla hin I.aden letter. Novemher 2()()2, as puhlished h y The OiJsf'I'I 'e l:
.J essica Stern , "Ca liph ;ile o f terror," !-f(ll'/ 'md M ({,!((lz il1 e, .Ju ly-August 200ti .
BBC News, "Wa r on terror may last SO years." news.hhc.co. uk , Oct. 27, 20()].
3
4
5
"(The American antiwar movement) was essential to
our strategy. .. Every day our leadership would listen
to world news over the radio at 9 a .m. t%llow the
growth qf the American antiwar movement. ..
America lost because qf its democracy; through dissent
and protest it lost the ability to mobilize a will to win. "
- Col . Bu i Tin, North Vietnamese Army
14
The American Legion - Resolution No . 169
A Guide to Building Public Awar-eness
15
L-______~~__~==============================~~~====~~====;=~~=========.
o f occas ions, by firing on U.S. and Coa li ti on Armed Forces engaged in enforcing
the resolutions of the Uni ted Nations Security Council ";
•
•
•
•
•
Recogni zed th at members o f al Qaeda
w ere known to be in Iraq and that Iraq
continued to aid and harbor o ther intern ational terrori st organi zations;
Reca lled that "the allac ks on the United
States o f Sept. 11, 2001, underscored the
grav it y of the threat posed by the acquisition o f w eapons of mass destruction by
intern ational terrori st organiza tions";
Noted that Sadd am Hu ssein was in violation o f several U.N. resoluti ons and that
Congress had already authori zed the
president "to use United States Arm ed
Forces pursuant to United Na tions Sec urity Council Resoluti on 678 (1990)
in order to achieve implem entation o f Sec urity Council Resolution 660,
661, 662 , 664, 665, 666, 667, 669, 670, 674 , and 677";
Reca ll ed that the Iraq Liberation Act o f 1998 "ex pressed the sense o f
Congress th at it sho uld be the policy o f the United States to suppor! et~
fo rts to remove from power th e current lraq i regime and pro mote the
emergence o f a democratic governm ent to replace that regime";
Concluded th at "Iraq 's ongoing support fo r intern;llional terro ri st groups,
combined w ith its development of wea pons o f mass destruction in direc t
vio lation o f its o bliga tio ns under the 1991 cease-fire and other United
Nations Sec urity Council resolutio ns, make clea r that it is in the nati onal
sec urity interests of the United States and in furth erance o f the wa r o n
terro ri sm that all releva nt United Na tions Security Counci l resolutions be
enfo rced , i ncl uding through the use o f fo rce if necessary.··
SADDAM HUSSEIN: TERRORIST
Numerous events connect intern atio nal terrori sm w ith the regim e o f Saclclam
Hussein . A mong them, Ilussei n:
•
Made cash payments to the famili es o f Pal estinian sui cide bo mbers
•
Provided terror scho larships that led to 225 murders, incl ud ing 12 A meri ca n deaths
•
Provided sa fe have n to the Palestinian Li beration Front , A rab Liberatio n
f ront , Mu jahedin-e-Khalq , and A bu Nid al O rga ni za tion, w hich supplied
Libya n terrori sts w ith bomb-m aking materi als that brought dow n Pan
A m Flight 103 in 1988, killing 189 A meri ca ns
•
Prov ided a sa fe house fo r Abdu l I~a hm a n , co-conspirator o f Ram zi
Yousef, w ho bombed the World Trade Center in 1995 and ca me to the
United States on an lraq i passp ort ; Ib hm an constructed the bomb used
during the allack
•
Sent an ambassa dor, as far bac k as 1994, to Turkey to meet w ith al -Qaed a operati ves
•
Reached an understand ing, according to a 1998 indictment by the Clinton Admini stration, that al Q aeda and Iraq would work cooperati vely o n
weapons development
•
H ad an Iraq i emi ssa ry escort two o f the Sepl. 11 hijackers in earl y 2000
to a meeting w ith al-Qaeda pl anners in M alaysia
•
Provided med ical trea tment in Ir aq aft er th e Taliban feli , fo r al-Qaeda
terrorist Abu Musab Za rqawi
•
W ithdrew huge S UIll S o f money ju st befo re the Coa lition's altack on
Bag hdad in Ma rch 2003 to fund terrori st attacks in side Iraq
"We praise the AWlerican peace champions.
The movement qf the A 11'zerican p eople to p rotest
against the war qfaggression has really become
the secondfront against the us. imperialists."
-
16
TIJe American Legion - Resolution No. 169
Vietnam News Agency, 1966
A Gu ide to B1Iilding Public A waren ess
17
VOICES
'There are innumerable differences between the Iraq and Vietnam exp eriences. But there also are valid similarities - they just aren't the ones the critics cite ... Few military authorities would any longer di spute that the vaunted
Tel Offensive of 1968 was a signifl ca nt military defeat for the North Vietnamese, or th at well into the early '70s the military balance on the ground had
shifted in favor of th e Americans and South Vietnamese. Covering the Tet
Offensive, J, too, was stunned into initially seeing it as a communist triumph.
Traveling the Vietnamese countrys id e in the yea rs that followed, [ ca me to
see th e milit ary prog ress we were making. Bur even as the bal ance of power
on the ground shifted in one direction , the balance of politics at home was
shifting in the other. And so, b y the ea rl y '70s, w ith antiwar protests m ounting in the streets and antiwar sentiment seething in Washington , we <lCceleratecl our military w ithdrawal s, Congress cut o ff military aid to a South Vietnamese government we had committed to support, and the U.S. was left to
negotiate a flg-leaf surrender. We then stood by to wa tch the 1975 collapse of
South Vietnam under a massive North Vietnamese assault. "
- Peter R. Kann, Wall Street Journal, Sept. 8, 2005
"Hey Mom ..
Everything is going fine over here. I don't wa nt you to worry about me.
Can I just ask you a fa vor though;; Obviously this is completely hy pothetica l
and is stemming more so from personal feelings, but if anything ever did
happen to me over here, or anytime in my military servi ce for that matter,
please don 't take Cindy Sheehan's approach and start rall ying against the
governm ent or anything. I 'm proud of w hat L do, and 1 wa nt you (and ;t/l o f
my fa mil y) to support that rega rdless of w hat happens, good or bad. I know
Cindy Sheehan Lost a son in Iraq , but r don 't think w hat she's doing is ver y
respectful. II's her rig ht to speak her mind , but her ca lling fo r the end o f
the wa r in Jraq seem s pretty ridiculou s, especially since, if the troo ps were
ca lled ( home), all the ones w ho have died over there, including her son,
would have died fo r nothing. At least if we fini sh o ur job, they w ill have
died for a good ca li se ..
I.ove, .Jared"
- From an e-mail between a U.S. soldier
stationed in Afghanistan and his mother
"Unfortunately, this war is still very much in progress. If certain p eople in
the legi slative branch are bound and determin ed to lose it , [ 'm sure they' ll be
able to, but it won't be lost by us. While they point fingers and manipulate
public opinion in our name, we are d oing what we came here to do: fight
and win."
-
U.S. Army Sgt 1st. Class Jack Robison, Anbar Province, Iraq
'A ny dangerous spot is tenable,
brave men - will make it so. "
if men -
- President John F. Kennedy, 1961
"My job is mostly to be the driver of my platoon's lead Humvee. I see the missions
our Army is performing, and I interact closely with the Iraqi people. Because of
this, J know how successful and important our work is. My battalion carries out
dozens of missions all over the city - missions that are improving peoples' lives.
We have restored schools and universities, hospitals, power plants and water systems. We have engineered new infrastructure projects and much more. We have
also brought security and order to many of Baghdad's worst areas - areas once afflicted with chaos and brutality. Our efforts to train vast numbers of Iraqis to police
and secure the city's basic law and order are bearing fruit. Our mission is vital. We
are transforming a once very sick society into a hopeful place. Dozens of newspapers and the concepts of freedom of religious worship and expression are flowering
here. So, too, are educational improvements.
This is the work of the U.S. military."
-Joe Roche, U.S. Army, 16th Combat Engineer Batt~llion, Iraq
"T he inaccurate picture they paint ha s di sto rteclt he world v iew of the dail y
rea lities in Iraq. The res ult is a further erosion of internati o nal support fo r
the lJnited States' effo rts there, and a streng thening o f the insurgent s' resolve
anel recr uiting effort s vvhile wea kening o ur own. Throug h their in compl ete,
uninfo rm ed ~lI1d unbalanced reponing, many m embers at th e med ia cove ring the wa r in Iraq are aiding and abetting the enemy.·'
- Lt. Col. Tim Ryan, Commander, Task Force 2-12 Cavalry,
First Cavalry Division, Iraq
18
The American Legion - Resolution No . 169
A Guide to BlIilding Public Awareness
19
______________
RESPONSIBLE PROTEST IN TIME OF WAR
"Ju st like other Legio nnaires, I enlisted , trained and fo ug ht w ith the icl ea l
and w illing ness to p rotect and defend the ri ghts o f all A meri ca ns, no t o nly
those w ho ag ree w ith m e. The A m eri ca n Legion has an obliga tio n to take an
o fficial stand o n iss ues th at affect not o nly veterans, but also all A meri ca ns,
incl uding o ur acti ve- duty ser vice men and women ."
- Bud Beck, veteran, Legionnaire and author
"T he Am eri ca n Legion, it seems to me, was m aking an excellent point. We
have, in thi s country, the mechanism to m ake o ur voices of p rotest known
through o ur elected o ffi cials - quietl y, no n-publicly. We ca n do thi s w hen we
disagree w ith wa r po liCies w ithout proViding public support fo r o ur enemies
- enemies w ho seek to kill as m any A merica ns as possible in the days ahead ,
enemi es w ho seek the w holesale slaug hter o f 'infid els' the w orld over. "
- Joseph Farah, "Between the Lines."
"Among de1rlOcratic nations, the private soldiers remain most like civilians. Upon them,
the habits Clf the nation have the firm est hold
and publiC opinion has the most inJluence. "
- Alexis de Tocqueville
O ur system o f government is built o n the no tio n o f majo rit y rul e and mino rity ri g hts. O ne o f the most impo rt ant o f these ri g hts is th e ri g ht to di s;lg ree
w ith the government , even on iss ll es of wa r ancl peace . As ve teran s, Leg io nnaires know how preciou s are the rig hts to di sagree and to di sse nt. We ha ve
defended them w ith o ur li ves.
Yet we al so know from ex peri ence the impact that w ar protests can ha ve
on troops in th e fielcl. For in stance, tho usa nds o f A meri can s cl emo nstrated
aga in st the Vietnam War, both here at hOlll e and overseas. Those w ho
brand ed Vietn am Wa r ve terans as " baby kill ers" may not have re;tii zed the
lo ng-te rm impact and pain that their word s would ca use many ve teran s, not
to mentio n the sho rt-term pro pagand a va lue th at some o f their antics would
provide the enemy.
In other w ord s, the iss ue o f how to voice d issent in a time o f w:lr is a compl ex o ne. It's complex because the members o f the Legio n t~1I11il y, like most
A merican s, beli eve in freedom just as much as we believe in the men and
women w ho defe nd o ur freedo m . As to lk singer Bob Dy lan once sa id , "J
think o f a hero as someone w ho understands the deg ree o f respo nsibilit y
th at comes w ith hi s freedo m." O ur troops und erstand thi s res po nsibilit y.
Anti wa r g roups bega n demo nstrating again st milit ar y ac tio n eve n befo re
u.s. troops bega n to strike ba ck at o ur enemi es. The anti w ar g ro up Act Now
to SLOp W;lr and End Rac ism actu all y heJd its first anti w ar r:lll y o n Sept. 29,
2001 - before U.S. fo rces beg;ln the liberatio n o f A (ghanistan, before the first
terrori st w as piled at G uantanamo Bay, bdore th e w ar in Iraq, eve n before
the fires sto pped smo ldering in M:lIlh altan .
Beca use o f th eir metho ds, hi story w ill not judge these pro testers kin d ly.
Th ey are no t o nly ca using additio nal p ain and ang uish to Am eri ca's heroes ,
they are al so encourag ing the enem y, thereby leng thening the wa r.
In o ur view, w ar is painful enoug h w itho ut adding ang uish to its ve terans
and their famili es. W hat do we mea n by ang ui sh Walt er Reed Medical Cen'
ter, w here many o f A meri ca's injureci w:lrriors are being treat ed , has been
urgeted by wa r protesters. Some d e mo n s tr ~lt o rs have gone as LIt' as protesting at funerals fo r A meri ca's f~lll e n heroes . Some o ppo nent s o f the wa r have
even ca ll ed the terrorists " freedom fi g hters." These terro ri sts are people w ho
murder rei ig io us pi Igri m s, behead hum an ita rian aid vvurkers, k ill una rm ed
U.N. o ffi cials and bo mb U.S. troops as they rebuild bro ken cities. Simp ly put ,
they are no t freedo m fi g hters. They are killers w itho ut conscience or compunctio n. Th at was o bvio us to most Am eri ca ns o n 9/ 11 , and it rem ain s ob vio us toc];I Y.
20
The American Legion - Resolution No . 169
A Guide to BlIilding P1Iblic Awareness
21
~
-
-
~
-
-
I
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
____________________________________________________________..__
__________________________________________
Ind eed , one of the main reasons the Legion famil y has urged Americans to
sllpf10rt the war eftort is the nature of the enem y and the nature of this wa r:
T he Wa r o n Terrori sm bega n in ea rnest o nl y aft er the U.S. ho meland was
attacked o n Sept. 11, 2001. Thi s undeniable fact m akes the Wa r o n Terrorism
different fro m p rev ious wa rs that drew protests inside the United States, such
as the Gulf War, th e invasions of Panama ;lnd Grenad a, th e Vietnam War, o r
the Korean War. A ltho ug h eac h o f these military actio ns was impo rt ant to
the defense of Ameri ca's natio nal interests, no ne o f them ca me in response
to a direct assault o n A meri ca's ho meland.
Another import ant di fference betwee n thi s war and ea rli er wa rs is the t~1C t
th at the men and women who are waging the Wa r o n Terrorism are all volunteers. Not o ne soldier, sailor, airm an , Marine o r Coast Gu ardsman has
been cklfted into thi s wa r. A ltho ug h there can be little doubt that our troops
would rath er be home than stay o n the frontlines, no o ne ca n say that the
troop s are se r ving againsltheir w ill or being torced to fi ght.
~----------------------------- I
BUILDING PUBLIC SUPPORT
T hi s bookl et arms yo u w ith into rm ati o n to build publi c suppo rt to r o ur
troop s, o ur natio n's ca use in the wa r ;lg;linst terro ri sm and to counter wa r
protesters. Poremost, our troops mu st rece ive a clear message that their
country, espec iall y veteran s of w ars befo re th em , stands squarely behind
thc m and thc ir efto rts. Indi vidu al Leg io nnaires , posts, di stricts and department s C II1 use thi s information to m obili ze communiti es to rally in support
o t. o ur men ;lIlcl women in unifo rm and drown out po liticall y mo ti va ted negalIVe messages ca rri ed by the media , to th e d etriment o f our wa r effort.
Using a number o f proven publi c-relatio ns tec hniq ues , any Am eri ca n Legio n
post c ln ga rn er loca l suppo rt and media attenti o n to the organi za ti o n's positions o n the w ar, the troops and respo nsibilit y o n the ho me front.
1.
dia using the info rm ati o n in thi s booklet and provided message po int s.
Be ava il able to r interviews by news repo rters, both at your post and by
telepho ne. Don't let any nega ti ve into rm Cl tio n go by w itho ut correc ting it.
Anti w ar, anti-troo p messages ca n be count ered w ith voices of ho pe and
support to r o ur arm ed to rces.
No o ne in the Legio n family wan ts to stifl e th e rig ht to public d issent; however, it is fair to ask th ose w ho di sagree w ith thi s wa r to do so respo nsibl y.
Opponents of the War o n Terro ri sm ca n voice their di sse nt in seve ral ways
that are not harmful to tbe troops o r helpful to Am eri ca's enemi es. For examp le, they ca n:
•
Run to r po litica l o ffI ce
•
Vote and ca mpaig n aga inst ca ndid ates w hose po li cies th ey fi nd o bjectionabl e
•
Write newspaper editorial s and letters to the edito r
•
Volunteer in electi on ca mpaigns
•
Contac t their represe ntati ves in Congress
This is the sort of di ssent that is responsible in a time of war. It also happens to
be the sort of political action that has the most impact where it counts - with our
elected officials. Indeed, it's important to note that a majority of U.S . citizens has
already expressed support for the War on Terrorism through the political process.
The War on Terrorism has been the central issue in one presidential election and
three congressional election cycles. Since we live under a representative system of
government, these elections have a significant bearing on the nature and extent of
our nation's involvement in this war.
Resolution 169, which clearly states The American Legion's support for the War on
Terrorism, including U.S . military actions in Iraq and Afghanistan , is an effort to
support the majority of Americans as they support our troops .
22
Th e American Legion - Resolution No. 169
Be vigilant and seek equal time and opportunity when local antiwar demonstrations occur. Respond w ith a press release to loca l me-
2.
Establish a troop-support council in town. In volve loca l elec tecl
o t~
fI cial s, bu siness leaders, churches ancl civic groups. Meet to di sc uss how
your communit y ca n best rall y supr0rt to r the troops and deli ver the
message to them , w herever th ey are statio ned .
3.
Coordinate a community troop-support event using the main
themes in this booldet. I nvo lve sc hools, churches, volunt ee rs, Boy
and C irl Scout s, and o th er o rga ni za ti o ns. I'ost the info rm atio n o n bo th
T he A meri ca n Legio n (www.legion.org) and Defend A meri c l (www.
defendamerica.mil) Web sites.
4.
Establish your post as a news-media resource for interviews
when protests arise. Become the positi ve voice of troop suppo rt in
yo ur community.
5.
Write letters to the editor of the local newspapers. Enco urage everyone to clo the sa me. Use message points provided in thi s book let.
Cite personal exp eri ence, and w rit e fro m the he;lrl , but keep it uncler
2~0 worcl s.
6.
Write a guest editorial for the local newspaper. Contact the o pin io n-page ed itor to find o ut the feasibilit y and th e number of word s the
paper w ill acce pr. Be amenable to editing o f your pi ece as lo ng as the
A Guide to Building P1Iblic Awareness
23
........----~==========~------------.
--------------------------------------------------------~
mea ning is not changeci . Frequent ly, e clit()r.~ :Irc :Ihle to short c il :lI1d
tighten up your eciito ri al. i\ guest eciit ori ~tI en:lbles vou to \\Tit e :1 longer
pi ece than wo uld :1 leLlcr to the cci itor. Frequ ently, new sp;lpcrs wi ll :Isk
to run a pho to o f the w rit er, so it's important to h:lve one readil y avai lable, w ith Legion cap on.
7.
Call into local talk-radio programs and tell them about The
American Legion Resolution 169 initiative. Encourage li steners to
get involved fo r the sa ke o f our troops. Avoid confront ati onal hosts.
8.
9.
Seek out local sponsors to co-host troop-support activities. Consider partnering wit h a local radio stat ion that w ill provide free promoti on of a troop -s upport eve nt. Ask loca l businesses to help cover thc cost
o f the event and provid e hanclouts, giveaways, or ot her materials.
Consider coordinating a pro-troop rally to counter any planned
antiwar demonstrations in the area. Ensure your numbcrs w ill signifi cant ly cxccecl thc oppositi on. Be vocal and pos iti ve in talking w ith
media w hil e emphasizing w hy Ameri ca needs to send our tTOOpS the
message o f support , no t divi sion .
10. Be creative. O rgani ze, coordinate and ca rr y out ra llies, event s,
petitio ns, contests - any thing thm w ill show suppo rt fo r our troops in
the wa r. Use The Ameri ca n Leg ion Public Relation s Handbook. Vi sit
Th e Ameri can Legion Web site and down load publi c rclations prod ucts
that yo u ca n tailo r fo r your 10Gli use: www.legion.org. Callthe publi crelati ons staff for aclvi ce ancl assistance at (317) 650 -1253 or scnd an
. email to [email protected].
ABOVE ALL,
DO NOT LET THE WAR PROTESTERS
GO UNCHA LLENGED.
KEY MESSAGE POINTS ON RESOLUTION 169
The right to protest must be carefully weighed and responsibly exercised to avoid providing enemy propaganda that can harm our troops.
The rig ht to protest was ga ined and maintainecl by American s wi lling to fi ght
and di e fo r it. Ve terans of T he Ameri can Legion do not vvish to see the ri ght
denied to anyone. But The America n Legion implores those w ho oppose the
war to exe rcise their ri ghts resp onsibly, w ithout feeding enemy propaganda
machines and w itho ut jeopardizing troop moral e or safety. Ho Chi Minh
GlUed the U. S. anti wa r movement in the 1960s a second front in the Vietnam
War. Osama bin Laden has made simil ar cla ims, that American public opinio n could and wou ld be turned against the government and the troops.
The global war against terrorism has been a matter of vital national interest accentuated by the terrorist attacks on America on Sept. 11, 2001.
The wa r reached our shores when terrori sts murdered 5,000 civili ans and
military personnel and have since continued to ki ll , in Madrid , Istanbul , Jakarta , Casablanca and Lo ndon. Withdrawal fro m Iraq would leave a fertil e
haven fo r terrori st orga ni za tions that co uld be expected to kill again in their
jihad against Ameri ca.
The war against terrorism and Operations Enduring Freedom and
Iraqi Freedom have proven successful so far.
So far, since the attacks o f Sept. 11, 2001, mo re than 50 million peo ple have
bee n liberated from two o f the world 's most brut al and agg ress ive regimes.
Afghan istan and Iraq bo th are und ergoing massive SOCial, civil and governmental changes that bring new freedoms to women, students, media,
worshipers and democrati call y elected o ffi cials. Thi s development replaces
regimes proven to have cOlllmitted genocide against their own p eople and
publi c exec uti ons o f innocents who defied their oppressors.
Coalition efforts in the war against terrorism have international support.
Approx imately 70 nati ons worldwid e support U.S. effo rt s in Iraq and in the
wa r aga i nst terrori sill . New allies in the effon incl ude Pakistan, Saudi A rabia ,
Yemen and Indonesi,1. Li bya has volunt aril y agreed to end it s weapons of
ma ss des tru ction prog ram since the war began.
Sacrifice is a fact of war.
W hile the death o f any soldier is a tragedy, it is a ri sk ca lculated by all w ho
se rve in an all-voluntecr military. A mo ther n:lmed Tammy Pruett in Idaho
ha s fo ur sons ser ving in Iraq ri ght now wi th th e Ida ho National GU:lrd. Tam m)' says that if something happens to one of her boys, they w ould leave thi s
worl d do ing w hat they believe, w hat they think is right fo r our coun tr y. "A nd
[ guess you couldn 't ask fo r a beller way of life th an giving it fo r something
you believe in ."
24
17Je American Legion - Resol1ftion No . 169
A G1Iide to Building P1Iblic Awareness
25
Progress and success in the war receive little attention compared to
the human cost.
AMERICAN TROOPS IN A JUST WAR
U.S. troops in theater are uni vers:lily astoni shed w hen peopl e at home say
they think the wa r is going poorl y. Images o f blood shed and nghting more
o ft en make the news than less dynamic scenes o f new sc hools, roa d s and
clinics being buill. Ac ti"ities from the wa r showing p rog ress :lI1dthank s by
the Iraq i people are under-report ed .
These photos show how US. troops are having a positive
impact in areas affected by the War on Terrorism. Contrary to
what some believe, US. presence is warranted and welcomed
in these regions.
Home-front support is essential to victory and troop safety.
U.S. fo rces se rving in Iraq :m d A tg h;lI1i sta n are committ cd to co mpl eting
their mi ss ion success full y, transt<:)("ming tyranni es to ci eill ocr:lcies :lJlcl defc:lt ing o rgani zeci terrori sm in pLl ces w here it Ius been ;ll1 o\\,ecit o e:\ i .~ t. Those
U.S. fo rces need to know that most A meri ca ns share their p;lssion to succeed :Ind th at those w ho o ppose the wa r represent :1 med ia-hu ngry mi norit y
w hose effo rt s in spire the enemy. Troops everywhere Illu st know that the
peopl e at ho me support them and their mi ssion. They ca nno t be se parat ed
frolll e<lch other, and support fo r both is th e fas t track to bringi ng our troops
hom e safely. The protest movement , mea nw hile, gives hope to the insurgency, to terrori sts and o ther crimin als around the world , energizing their
campaigns -to destroy A meri ca and <I II it v;liues.
Operation Enduring Freedom
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Ph otos Courtesy DoD
26
The America n Leg io n - Resol1ltion No. 169