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Five Years of the Iraq War: The Winter Soldier Returns to California

Dick-Price.gif By Dick Price
Northeast Democratic Club of Los Angeles

In 1971, a group of veterans—current Massachusetts Senator John Kerry prominent among them—staged a protest called “Winter Soldier” that helped end the Vietnam War but that also unfairly saddled the Democrats with a “soft on defense” label that dogged the Party for decades.

Today, a new generation of antiwar veterans similarly hopes to help end the Iraq War with its own Winter Soldier protest. But with “Certified War Hero” John McCain heading the Republican presidential ticket, the question already arises whether Democrats will once again suffer at the polls for years to come for ending another unjust, unwise, and immoral war.

Tim-Goodrich.gifIn his first-time political campaign for a city council post in a suburb south of Los Angeles, Iraq War veteran Tim Goodrich (pictured) might help answer that question.

A Family Tradition

As nationally known voice on veterans affairs and cofounder of the Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW), Goodrich’s Torrance City Council race promises to shed an authentic light on what might be the single most important issue—how we got into Iraq and what we do about it now—affecting the presidential race and the Democratic Party’s hopes for solidifying its gains in Congress in next November’s elections.

Following in his family’s footsteps, Goodrich joined the Air Force straight out of high school in Buffalo, New York. "One grandfather fought in World War II, the other grandfather in Korea, my uncles in Korea and Vietnam, and even now I have cousins serving in Afghanistan and Iraq. It’s in our blood,” he says. “Some of them disagree with the stand I’ve taken against this war, but they respect and support my positions. It has created some funny family relations.”

Based twice in Saudi Arabia and once in Oman for Afghanistan, Tim served three tours in the Middle East where he maintained electronics on the Air Force’s AWACs airborne radar systems used to monitor “no fly” zones before the Iraq War began in earnest.

“Six months before the invasion, President Bush kept saying we were trying diplomacy, but I knew it wasn’t true,” he says. “Bombing was up by at least 500% and the world didn’t really know.”

As with many soldiers in Vietnam, the reality Tim saw firsthand turned him against the war. “I knew it was wrong from the start,” he says. “The threat wasn’t real. We didn’t feel threatened by Saddam Hussein at our base in Saudi Arabia, so how could America be threatened?”

Once out of the service, Tim returned to Baghdad on a fact-finding tour in January 2004. “I was one of the few veterans to return as a civilian to see what was really going on.” That experience led to IVAW’s founding, which Tim started in July 2004 with seven other veterans—a number that has grown to 1,000.

How Will That Play in Peoria?

Torrance seems an odd place for arguments about the Iraq War to play out. Home to several major aerospace defense plants, it features neighborhoods that could have been plucked from small-town Iowa or Downstate Illinois.

Sitting between the hard-bitten streets of South Los Angeles on the north and east, the luxurious hills of Palos Verdes to the south, and the Santa Monica Bay to the west, this older, established 100,000-person enclave was once considered “white flight” territory, with a police force—in the past, at least—known to take a hard line with blacks and browns who might venture west to the big Del Amo Mall, the Redondo Pier, or Torrance Beach. Its city council is dominated by Republicans and its congressional representative is centrist Democrat Jane Harman, who beat back a primary challenge from Progressive Democrats of America founder Marcy Winograd last time around.

“But this election is about potholes, not bombing runs,” says Goodrich, who is now an organizer for the California Association of Professional Employees (CAPE), representing Los Angeles County employees at safety and benefits hearings. He feels we need to build a new generation of leaders who will stand up for people's needs, and he wants to be part of that. “Our council has only two Democrats—and one of them is leaving office—so it needs a progressive voice. Also, it used to be that 75% of elected officials were veterans. Now, it’s 25%, so we need more veterans in government.”

As a follow-on to his antiwar work with the IVAW, Tim founded the Iraq Veterans For Progress (IVFP) political action committee. “We supported five Congressional candidates around the country in the last elections—Jerry McNerney here in California, plus Sherrod Brown and Victoria Wulsin in Ohio, Bruce Braley in Iowa, and Patrick Murphy, the only Iraq War veteran serving in Congress, in Pennsylvania,” he says. “We were successful in all but one of those races—Wulsin lost with 49% of the vote.”

A Sincere Question

John McCain and his fellow Republicans are sure to make “Victory in Iraq” a central campaign plank in the coming elections. They have little choice. A few of them may have criticized the Bush Administration’s typically miserable execution of the war, but they overwhelmingly supported the original invasion and have fought back every effort to bring it to a close, instead wholeheartedly supporting the current escalation.

Last spring and summer, when the situation in Iraq had descended into chaos, with dozens upon dozens of American soldiers and hundreds of Iraqi civilians dying every week, the American public clearly had its fill. But Democrats in Congress lacked the mettle or the means to curtail funding for the war when they might have had the chance, just as they have lacked the will or the way to impeach any of the Bush Administration’s many miscreants for cooking the books and duping the establishment press to get into a war we had and have no business fighting.

A friend from church who recently recruited me to join a Vietnam veterans association has asked several times publicly and privately, “Why do Democrats want to lose in Iraq?” It’s a sincere question and it deserves a sincere answer.

My answer is that we need to elect Democrats with the spine to say that the invasion of Iraq was wrong from the start, was undertaken with dishonest and deceptive motives, and needs to end as quickly as possible. Only then can the Iraqi people sort out their own affairs and can the American people stop throwing trillions of dollars down the rat hole, instead using our wealth to rebuild America’s education system, its health system, its roads and dikes, and its economy.

From March 13 to 16, Tim's IVAW confederates have held its Winter Soldier hearings in Silver Spring, Maryland, just outside Washington D.C., while Tim is pounding on doors and walking precincts here.

Maybe Tim has spine enough.

Dick Price is the corresponding secretary for the Northeast Democratic Club, edits the Club's "Northeast Democrat" newsletter and maintains its Webpage. He is a publishing executive for the IEEE Computer Society and long-time magazine editor. With his wife Sharon, he publishes several print and online newsletters on political and social justice issues.

Posted on March 17, 2008

Comments

I do respect the service of all who serve their country. So many here bad mouth our nation yet don't even come close to serving the nation, let alone via military service.

I must point out the photo used here to buttress your point of veteran status has issues. Being a ground crewman at a distant base from the front lines launching E-3 AWACS radar surveillance aircraft is a role critical to mission success but is not near being in any combat capacity. Nor would that entitle any claim to "first hand" knowlege of anything outside of his area of expertise behind the lines.

John Kerry served a LOT SHORTER time in the military, especially in-country in Vietnam. He was probably one of the extremely few servicemembers to take his own Super 8 movie camera into war to "document" his service!

If Kerry's service is so great, why did he NOT ALLOW the release of his military service record, DD-214 Form, which would show what type of discharge he had from the service along with ANY RESERVE COMMITTMENT he was required to perform after returning from Vietnam? Perhaps because he DID NOT serve out/finish his military obligation but committed acts worthy of Courts Martial instead?

Hmmm...

Perhaps a comparison of Tim's service with John Kerry would be counterproductive even if it is perceived as "romantic" by the left longing for the good 'ole days...

Posted by: Jay Gould at March 17, 2008 09:39 AM

Jay,

Thank you for your comments.

Your comments about John Kerry's possible illegal acts are, as you know, pure baseless and mean-spirited speculation that say nothing about Kerry but speak volumes about you.

Unlike so many chest-thumpers demanding that we "support the troops," Kerry and Goodrich did serve in combat (Tim flew some missions over Iraq) where their country put them.

From my experience, honorably discharged Vietnam combat vets were not required to serve active reserve duty after returning home, but instead were put on inactive reserve status. That's what happened to me and others I knew.

You're right that none of my fellow infantry soldiers carried video cameras, though some a had other cameras. Sometimes I wish I had a photo or two from those times.

Those are the "good ole days" you refer to, right?

-- Dick

Posted by: Dick Price at March 17, 2008 12:06 PM

Dick,

Thanks for your reply here.

AWACS aircraft (a converted 707 airliner), with their long range radar AND relative vulnerability to enemy air defences (fighters, SAMs, AAA) verses strike or bomber aircraft are positioned far from any potential rounds being fired at them. They employ no weapons themselves.

They are very expensive aircraft too. Their mission is critical to the success of the big picture. Those who serve in them served well with the team.

But lets not say they were exposed to any significant combat risk when they were/are not. That would lessen the risk others took in comparison who were shooting and being shot at.

As far as Kerry is concerned, show me his Form DD-214 as he WOULD NOT. That fact speaks loudly about Kerry. Once Kerry shows all his DD-214 then I won't have a leg to stand on would I? But since he wouldn't produce it running for president, I think it unlikely he will suddenly do so now...

Jay

Posted by: Jay Gould at March 17, 2008 03:51 PM

Jay,

I couldn't tell you why Kerry didn't release his military record, if he did. Nonetheless, your jump from that to accuse him of acts worthy of a court martial is a giant and scurrilous leap.

Again out of my experience, it seemed to me that the great bulk of American soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen -- and coast guardsmen -- serving in Vietnam were not in a great deal of danger. But they served, often honorably, where their country put them to fight that war, just as Tim did in his.

-- Dick

Posted by: Dick Price at March 17, 2008 07:04 PM

Jay,

I couldn't tell you why Kerry didn't release his military record, if he did. Nonetheless, your jump from that to accuse him of acts worthy of a court martial is a giant and scurrilous leap.

Again out of my experience, it seemed to me that the great bulk of American soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen -- and coast guardsmen -- serving in Vietnam were not in a great deal of danger. But they served, often honorably, where their country put them to fight that war, just as Tim did in his.

-- Dick

Posted by: Dick Price at March 17, 2008 07:05 PM

Dick,

I again appreciate your dialog.

But lets stop the spin for just a sec.

Kerry DID NOT release his DD-214. Period. You have one, I have one and so does Tim. Everyone leaving active duty gets one. Kerry chose to keep his a secret for reasons only known to him, the man who could have been president.


So if there is speculation of possible Courts Martial material in there or even treasonous activities, (Kerry being subject to the UCMJ at the time?) it is legitimate speculation as Kerry will not officially and very easily refute them by producing his DD-214 for scrutiny.

In fact, the official number of decorations received by him would ALSO be there. Recall the controversy of just HOW MANY Purple Hearts Kerry is alleged to have received? It would all be in his DD-214...

I do agree wholeheartedly with your last paragraph in your last post.

Jay

Posted by: Jay Gould at March 17, 2008 07:43 PM

Jay,

"Stop the spin" from you? That's rich!

You're the one speculating about treason and you're the one demanding Kerry release some document while you imagine out of thin air why he doesn't want to do it. You're inside a box talking to yourself.

Since you were in the military, you must know that the record keeping there is less than ideal. I know from my own case I was told I had received a couple medals -- including another Purple Heart -- only to learn later, after I had gotten out of the hospital for other wounds and was back training troops, that the medals weren't in my records.

So who gave a rat's ass, right? Except 40 years later somebody like you'd want to dog me about it because I probably told some drinking buddy or barmaid at the time that I had an oak leaf cluster when it turns out I didn't.

-- Dick

Posted by: Dick Price at March 17, 2008 10:06 PM

Dick,

Now who is speculating?

Release of Kerry's DD-214 would answer the qustions once and for all would they not?

Kerry's record could be a perfect document noting all his achievements perfectly OR a piece of toilet paper that does not...

But the man who would be president didn't let the public see it for themselves. THERE LIES THE ISSUE.

I'm not "demanding" he release anything. That he chose NOT TO speaks for itself.

Stop the spin?

FACT-Kerry DID NOT allow the release of his Form DD-214 or supply his own copy for public scrutiny which would list all his decorations, classification of discharge from the armed forces and any remaining reserve military obligation he had upon release from active duty.

You assumption of nothing important in what the document may say is the antithesis of what my assumption says it might or might not say as well.

Guess it depends on the brand of kool aid you drink to make your own assumptions with...

Enjoyed the dialog! Lets talk with that barmaid sometime and swap stories over a beer. I would like that.

Jay

Posted by: Jay Gould at March 18, 2008 11:05 AM

Jay,

I agree that John Kerry not releasing his war records -- I'm taking your word that that's what he did -- doesn't look good. It would certainly look better if he did or had released the documents. But to jump from there to charges of treason is that long, unconscionable leap I cited.

I'd enjoy talking with you, too -- we live in the Mt. Washington neighborhood of Los Angeles -- but after celebrating 27 consecutive years of a strict ice tea diet yesterday, I don't think my sponsor would approve of the "beer" part.

But here's a question for you. You spend an awful lot of time going after Kerry, who did certifiably serve in combat in Vietnam, Super8 camera or not, and has boatmates all these years later who back him up as an honorable guy.

Yet, you're backing an equally certified pompon-twirling, coke-snorting, duty-dodging goldbrick in the White House who has surrounded himself with a boatload of others like him -- Wolfowitz, Pearl, Cheney, Bolton... -- who did everything under the sun to avoid putting their asses on the line in Vietnam at a time when the front lines could have used a few more white faces.

What gives with that?

-- Dick

Posted by: Dick Price at March 18, 2008 05:05 PM

Dick,

Sorry about the no beer diet...

You said,

"Yet, you're backing an equally certified pompon-twirling, coke-snorting, duty-dodging goldbrick in the White House who has surrounded himself with a boatload of others like him..."

I thought at first you were talking about Bill Clinton! But reading further the other names tipped me off that you ment Bush...

I never said I was a supporter of Bush. I find things I disagree with him all the time. Funny, when folks don't outright agree with folks, the assumption is they are hard over for the other side politically...

Approaching the last election I read that book on Kerry's Vietnam experiences which "coincidentilly" came out during the primaries. To be fair, so did McCain's book in 2000. (The Kerry author was the Ambrose protege down in New Orleans, Douglas Brinkley. I believe it was titled "Tour of Duty".

That book was a terrible read. Why? Everyone and I mean EVERYONE was screwed up according to Kerry except himself and Admiral Zumwalt, the latter had some issues himself.... Regardless, it was not a credible book documenting Kerry's "experiences". Not EVERYONE in the military or in the Navy at ALL levels is screwed up. Lets be serious here.

I also read the book by those hated "swift boaters". I'm being honest when I found their book more credible. It was written by Kerry's swift boat squadron mates, officer peers by and large, who can rate the other small boat skippers in their own units performance better than anyone.

To be fair, I know some of Kerry's crew members spoke well of him, specifically at the convention. But, none of them wrote a book for any in depth scrutiny either.

Kerry's book, his word (via the author) against everyone elses.

Swift boaters: A LOT of credible contributors listed by name, rank, title/position who would KNOW.

As a military member, you know how you can just tell the truth from the BS on military issues, etc.. Or at least where the majority of both lie.

The terms "Swift-Boating" or "Swift-Boated" is often used by the left as sorta underhanded politics. Well, perhaps it was effective because it was protrayed as quite believeable truth...folks can sense the truth as they are all not merely stupid sheep...

Lets be honest, a persons politics can cloud their vision of what they want or NOT want to see, regardless of where you sit, left or right or in the middle.

Plus, Kerry did toss his medals over the fence. Then "took them back" later when it was more politically expedient to do so.

Is he proud of his service with fellow servicemembers or not? He did bad mouth them while many were still in Vietnam in combat too.

If Kerry spoke I'll of the military effort during the war, ESPECIALLY while still technically in the military (where is the DD-214?) it could be classified as treason...

But our country is out of the treason mode. Example: The American Taliban shoulda been charged with treason and probably executed vice only 25 years in the pen, a slap on the wrist for what he did...

Not backing Bush. His service wasn't much. But he did strap his rear end to the ejection seat of a supersonic aircraft quite a few times which isn't the safest sort of thing to do in the military. It wasn't close to combat, either.

I would like to see Bush's "missing" guard records just as much as I would like to see Kerry's DD-214, etc.

But President Clinton? Not only didn't serve, he avoided it and actively bad mouthed the military (remember his letter to the ROTC?). Some of his bad mouthing was while he was safely overseas (Britain) while his country and peers were at war, too.

We gotta do better than that...

In fact, I don't think even one of the democratic candidates in the primaries had ANY military service, did they?

So. now I've gone full circle. Is it important to have served in the military or not to be president?


Jay

Posted by: Jay Gould at March 18, 2008 11:39 PM

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