Winter Soldier
Winter Soldier Day 4: The Aims of the Global War on Terror
Amy Goodman speaks about the legacy of Winter Soldier and power of the media. The four-day Winter Soldier event in March 2008 brought together veterans from across the country to testify about their experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan and present video and photographic evidence. Panels of scholars, veterans, journalists and other specialists offered context to the testimony. These panels covered everything from the history of the GI resistance movement to the fight for veterans' health benefits and support.
Email this pageWinter Soldier Day 4: Corporate Pillaging and Military Contractors Part Two
Panelists at the Winter Soldier conference in March 2008 speak about the corporate corruption and use of military contractors. Antonia Juhasz is the author of several books about the oil industry and a visiting scholar with the Institute for Policy Studies. Jeremy Scahill is the author of "Blackwater, the Rise of the World’s Most Powerful Mercenary Army." The four-day event brought together veterans from across the country to testify about their experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Winter Soldier Day 4: Corporate Pillaging and Military Contractors Part One
Panelists at the 2008 Winter Soldier Conference speak about the corporate corruption and use of military contractors. Kelly Dougherty speaks about an experience where she was ordered to destory a truck full of food while pointing a machine gun at Iraqis people to keep them away. Captain Luis Montalvan talks about Iraqi corruption that leads to American corruption. The four-day event brought together veterans from across the country to testify about their experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Winter Soldier Day 4: Divide to Conquer: Gender and Sexuality in the Military Part Two
Panelists at the 2008 Winter Soldier event speak about the obstacles that still need to be overcome within the military. Rafay Siddiqui, a Marine veteran of Iraq, says that in the military, “you’re not a man until you’ve taken advantage of a woman.” Wendy Barranco trained as a combat medic. At her request, a surgeon let her work in the operating room, but then he wanted sexual favors in return. Nuclear electronics technician Nathan Peld tells the story of a young woman whose direct superior exposed himself to her. She filed a complaint, but when it reached the senior enlisted commander in Peld’s department, he tried to talk her out of pursuing it, saying the offender hadn’t actually hurt her, and he was just two years from retirement.
Winter Soldier Day 4: Divide to Conquer: Gender and Sexuality in the Military Part One
Panelists at the 2008 Winter Soldier Conference speak about the obstacles that still need to be overcome within the military. Abby Hiser spent eight years in the Wisconsin National Guard. Joe Wheeler landed in Kuwait at the beginning of the war when the Iraqis were firing Scud missiles. Margaret Stevens was a medic in the New Jersey National Guard on 9/11. Jeff Key was a gay reservist. Patty McCann served in Iraq with the Illinois National Guard. The four-day event brought together veterans from across the country to testify about their experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Winter Soldier Day 4: Breakdown of the Military Part Four
Panelists at the 2008 Winter Soldier event speak about the breakdown of the military and the negative impact on soldiers. Former Marine Matt Howard was severely beaten in a hazing incident. The four-day event brought together veterans from across the country to testify about their experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Winter Soldier Day 4: Breakdown of the Military Part Three
Panelists at the 2008 Winter Soldier event speak about the breakdown of the military and the negative impact on soldiers. A supporter of the Iraq War when he enlisted, Lars Ekstrom's faith in the military and the U.S. mission steadily eroded during his training and subsequent deployment to Iraq. The four-day event brought together veterans from across the country to testify about their experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Winter Soldier Day 4: Breakdown of the Military Part Two
Panelists at the 2008 Winter Soldier event speak about the breakdown of the military and the negative impact on soldiers. Kristofer Goldsmith saw the World Trade Center towers collapse on September 11, 2001, enlisted in the Army and went to Iraq in 2005. In Sadr City, he witnessed abuse of Iraqi civilians. The four-day event brought together veterans from across the country to testify about their experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Winter Soldier Day 4: Breakdown of the Military Part One
Panelists at the 2008 Winter Soldier event speak about the breakdown of the military and the negative impact on soldiers. Steve Mortillo speaks about his experiences while serving in Iraq as part of the occupation force. Daniel Fanning served in Iraq with a Wisconsin National Guard transportation unit and speaks about lack of proper armor and training. The four-day event brought together veterans from across the country to testify about their experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Winter Soldier Day 3: Racism and War: The Dehumanization of the Enemy Part 7
March 15, 2008, Dedicated entirely to veteran testimony, this panel covered mishandling and mutilation of the dead, torture, abuse and derogatory treatment of civilians. Christopher Arendt introduces a filmed interview with an Iraqi mother named Um Ahmed, who describes a terrifying raid by American soldiers on her home. The raid turned out to be a mistake: they were after a militia member who lived next door. Verna Avery-Brown speaks with Brian Conely and Anthony Arnove.
