military and law enforcement
DUck and cover - the continuing dangers of Depleted Uranium
Our exposure to Depleted Uranium is posing a danger that is being wilfully downplayed and ignored. John Couzin investigates
A new report has found that during the ‘Shock and Awe’ campaign in Iraq, radiation levels in Britain quadrupled, leading to fears that Depleted Uranium weapons used in the desert state may have affected most of Europe.
GI opposition to the Vietnam War, 1965-1973 - Howard Zinn
Historian Howard Zinn on the opposition to the Vietnam War by American soldiers. For a fuller introduction we recommend our article 1961-1973: GI Resistance in the Vietnam War
[2,200 words]
Armed forces rank and file demand union
Amidst equipment shortages and failures, the rash of court martials in Iraq, misgivings over new deployments of 4000 troops to Afghanistan in the spring, bullying, and the fall in recruitment and retention of soldiers, rank-and-file members of the Armed Forces have started calling for a union.
As well as the discontent within regular soldiers, part-timers in the Territorial Army, due to differences in contract, have often stayed in Iraq longer than their full-time counterparts due to shortages of personnel. Many have been on active duty for more than 6 months, and in some cases been sacked by their employers upon their return, with only £1000 fine the maximum penalty for employers.
Mutiny in Banja Luka, Bosnia - ICG
As our text on the war in Yugoslavia and the struggles taken up by the proletariat against the permanent degradation of their conditions of life went to press mutinies broke out in certain sectors of the Serbian army, confirming that even in the worst situation of counter-revolution our class continues to be the only viable alternative to the horrors of capitalism.
From Communism #9, September 1993
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1968-1972: Harass the Brass: Some notes toward the subversion of the US armed forces
With updates in 2001, this article outlines the story of the widespread resistance and near-mutiny within the US Army, Navy and Air Force during the Vietnam War. This resistance was a major factor in the eventual withdrawal of US troops.
1963-1974: The Olive-Drab Rebels: Military Organising During The Vietnam Era by Matthew Rinaldi
This article is a detailed account of soldiers' and sailors' resistance to the Vietnam War in the 1960s and 1970s.
It particularly concentrates on the organising efforts of left-wing groups both civilian and within the military.
For a more general overview of resistance, we recommend our article GI Resistance in the Vietnam War, 1961-1973.
Introduction
Quiet Fronts in the Spanish Civil War - Michael Seidman
QUIET FRONTS IN THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR.
Author/s: Michael Seidman
Issue: Summer, 1999
US snipers see trouble brewing
"The reason why they're fighting us is not Osama bin Laden. They're fighting us because we're here. . . . They don't want us here. They just want us to leave."
"I guess that would be a victory for them,'' he said. "As far as I can see there's not going to be any victory for us."
By Tom Lasseter
1967-1973: GI resistance in Vietnam - a personal account by Dave Blalock
Vietnam veteran Dave Blalock was one of the defendants whose Supreme Court legal challenge overturned Pres. Bush's law prohibiting the burning of the U.S. flag. The following piece details his experiences in Vietnam.
Ain't Marchin' Anymore:
GIs Revolt in Vietnam
by Dave Blalock
