Graduados de West Point Contra la Guerra

West Point Graduates Against The War: Now Is The Time
by James Ryan

Cry "Havoc!" and let slip the dogs of war,
That this foul deed shall smell above the earth
With carrion men, groaning for burial.
Julius Caesar

Why?

We members of West Point Graduates Against The War stand appalled at
the deceitful behavior of the government of the United States and, in
particular, its widely known malefactors. Their lying, cheating,
stealing, and rendition of evasive statements not only has demeaned
these deceivers and our country, but they have placed vast numbers of
innocent people in deadly peril as a direct result of their deceptions.
We will not serve these lies, that is, we will not work for, be a
servant to, provide for, assist, or promote the interests of this
dishonorable administration. By remaining silent we tacitly serve; we
are no longer silent.

The illegal assault and occupation in Iraq has killed tens of thousands
of innocents, both American, Iraqi, and others, causing incalculable
damage to Iraq and the Iraqi people, as well as the reputation and honor
of the United States of America.

The behavior of this administration is particularly odious since it
makes mockery of the code of conduct instilled in us at West Point. "A
cadet will not lie, cheat, or steal, or tolerate those who do." This has
provided us with a lifelong respect for the truth, and a sense of
responsibility to do the right thing, even if that means admonishing our
country's leadership.

Our position may be counter to the opinion of many of our fellow
graduates. Our views are most probably not the views of the official
institution that is West Point. It does its work, we ours. Yet, we are
undeniably full-blown products of that place, trademarked by the West
Point way of behavior. "Duty, Honor, Country," the motto of the Academy,
our watchwords, as well. And we express our views as an organization of
graduates, as retired generals of similar pedigree express their own.
The difference? There are more of us than there are generals.


What?

Admiral John Paul Jones, the father of the American navy, said it best.
"I would lay down my life for America, but I cannot trifle with my
honor." This administration has done neither. Chicken hawks in wolves'
clothing, they have been derelict in duty, honor, and country.

Consider their sending under-equipped troops into battle under false
pretenses, the widely-known ignoring of Second Amendment protections of
the Constitution, the "quaintness" of the Geneva Convention, or Colin
Powell's ill-starred, mendacious UN presentation. Their lies and
misleading statements, detailed in so many places, have become epic.
They tried to make their case. They failed. Facts and time have proven
these people untrustworty and incompetent. They lied, tens of thousands
died, and that is a moral tragedy.

Shamelessly, the president of the United States mocks his own deceitful
behavior at White House Correspondents' Dinners. People have perished
from his infamous words, and he and his ilk, and the ilk of journalists,
all guffaw and wink and preen. Duty, Honor, Country? Be serious.


Who?

We are graduates of the United States Military Academy at West Point,
New York who are against the war in Iraq, and any other future wars
similarly premised. Our ranks include sons, daughters, and spouses of
deceased graduates. All of us stand in common cause against the
deceitful policies and lies of the Bush administration. We are heartened
by supporters from all over the world, but particularly the American
taxpayers who gave and maintain the life of the institution that bore us
into the adult world of service to our country. And, in that spirit, we
now act.

We are not politicians, professional media pundits, retired generals,
peace-at-any-price activists, conscientious objectors, Communists or
traitors. We seek to overthrow nothing. Except the pattern of deceit by
this administration that has so sorely damaged this country, its
standing in the world, and the world itself.

We have no historic legacy of public life that we are out to maintain
because we have had no public life. We are ordinary people, forged by
one unforgettable unifying experience - West Point. We studied there, we
trained there, we were inspired there. We are the voice of a growing
band of men and women, graduates of West Point, not perfect people, but
honorable. And we speak for the many who, because of their circumstance,
are reluctant or unable to speak.

We call likeminded graduates of West Point to stand with us and speak
out against the deceitful policies of this administration, and the
resulting destruction of the honor of the United States, and the
dissipation of its military.


Alarum and call to action

Say no to preventive war. Heed President Eisenhower's words. "When
people speak to you about a preventive war," he said, "you tell them to
go and fight it."

Say no to torture. Demand that the United States government respect the
conventions of war. We must lead by example, preserving some aspect of
humanity in the carnage and devastation. Today, we gaze into the abyss
of perpetual war. Be aware, as Nietzsche warned, "If you gaze into the
abyss, the abyss gazes also into you."

Say no to the trashing of the honor of our country. Stay the forked
tongues of this deplorable administration.

This is not a partisan issue. Both sides of the legislative chambers
have aided and abetted this corrupt administration. We exhort everyone
to stand with us and to write to their political representatives. We
will do the same. Tell them that you don't appreciate their silence on
these vital issues. Tell them to support and defend the Constitution as
they have sworn to do. Demand honorable behavior from all public
officials. Tell them how you feel about what THEY have allowed to happen
to our country. And tell them that we, West Point Graduates Against The
War, sent you. Tell them that we stand with you. It's the truth!

"Now is the time!" Martin Luther King said long ago. Indeed, NOW is the
time.

We live on the precipice of yet another "arranged" war. This time it's
Iran. As in Iraq, the demonization is well underway. The dogs of war are
foaming and gnashing. Deja vu all over again, or, as we used to say at
West Point, S.O.S, "Same Old Stuff," or words to that effect.

And all this in the name of homeland security. Please be serious. As
Dwight Eisenhower said, "If all that Americans want is security, they
can go to prison. They'll have enough to eat, a bed and a roof over
their heads. But if an American wants to preserve his dignity and his
equality as a human being, he must not bow his neck to any dictatorial
government."

Today, we have clear intimations of just such a government. We think
that Americans are not so easily cowed, and that the vast majority
demands far more than a diet of false statements, and confinement in
endless, immoral wars.

New voices can change the world. They always have. Stand with us!
James Ryan

Cofounder: West Point Graduates Against The War
(http://www.westpointgradsagainstthewar.org/)