GI Special is an online publication at <http://www.militaryproject.org>. It reports resistance events, especially those within the US armed forces. Green Left Weekly's Niko Leka spoke with GI Special editor Thomas Barton.
What started you off?
Before the Iraq war began, a comrade, Pham Binh, and I began thinking about how to reach out to soldiers. It seemed evident that if Bush went to war, that would become important work to do. We both were aware of the role the rebellion in the armed forces had in stopping the war in Vietnam. Traveling Soldier (<http://www.traveling-soldier.org>) came from those discussions. It's mailed out to bases in the USA and overseas. After the invasion, GI Special also seemed necessary.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand that any politician who doesn't want to bring the troops home now does want more dead US troops and more dead Iraqis. GI Special will not betray troops or military families by endorsing, supporting or campaigning for any candidate for public office opposed to the immediate, unconditional withdrawal of US armed forces from Iraq, otherwise known as "bringing the troops home now".
When GI Special began, there were people who said it would take years for troops to turn against this war. Admitting that US forces in Vietnam had rebelled against that imperial war and stopped it, they said "in those days there were movements, like the civil rights movement, that inspired soldiers to rebel".
How could they overlook the millions and millions all over the world who acted publicly against this war? — the people the New York Times called 'the second superpower', and who are still acting against this war?
Members of the armed forces figure things out very fast indeed. No election stopped the Vietnam War. Nixon didn't want to stop the Vietnam War. Massive movements against the war at home and in the armed forces stopped the Vietnam War. Movements stop wars. Because movements stop wars, that's where our work will get results.
A constantly growing number of Americans agree that the war is for shit and all troops should come home now. Our work is to increase that number and make it so. Not another day, not another dime, not another life. Nothing less.
What keeps you going through the dark patches?
The best is hearing from somebody serving in the armed forces, or who has a loved one doing so, and sometimes being able to help in one way or another. The worst part is the stories from hometown papers about somebody killed or severely wounded. Their high school clubs, their jobs, their loves and often their children left behind.
When and how do you think reality will impose its own "exit strategy"?
If the imperial politicians do not soon devise one, the troops will devise one at some point that seems best to them, in a way that will be unmistakable.
From Green Left Weekly, May 4, 2005.
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