A growing number of active duty soldiers or recent Iraq war veterans are speaking up about the war in Iraq. And with the number of soldiers speaking up about their experiences in Iraq via online forums, blogs and pamphlets, some vets feel it's their duty to let the American public know the truth.
"The honest truth is that if the American people knew what was going on over there everyday, they would be raising their voices too. They would be saying, 'Hey, bring those guys home," Sgt. Selena Coppa said.
Coppa blames lawmakers in Washington for filtering the facts on the war in Iraq. She said there's no real end in sight.
"There is a cost to this war. This war is being paid in American blood, in my soldier's blood. And that is not okay," Coppa said.
"We lost really good friends, really good leaders who died in Iraq. From my perspective, it didn't make any sense, we didn't accomplish anything, and I talked to a lot of other soldiers who feel the same way," Fort Hood soldier Casey Porter said.
He started the local branch of IVAW at Fort Hood.
Porter is spending his numbered days in the U.S. passing out pamphlets before he is redeployed this summer.
He said he feels it's his obligation to his fallen brothers to take action. Local IVAW members are trying to let other soldiers know it's okay to do the same.
"This is well within the rights that service members have, but not many soldiers know that they do have," Fort Hood soldier Ronn Cantu said.
He's also home between deployments to Iraq.
"I honestly thought I might not live through my second tour, so I thought, you know if I'm going to die anyway, I need to say the things I need to say," Cantu said.
Those things are now being said loud and clear.
Sunday, a group took part in what they call a blitz, plastering busy areas of Killeen with informational pamphlets about their mission, and soldiers' rights.
VIDEO HERE; www.news8austin.com/conte...s/default.asp?ArID=200673
War veterans
A group of Fort Hood soldiers are breaking the silence, and making known their opposition to the war in Iraq.
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