True Patriotism... LTC (Mary) Ann Wright
This past Sunday, April 9, 2006, I was invited by a new friend to attend a meeting where the issues and matters of importance regarding the war in Iraq were going to be discussed. In a small Northwest Indiana town secluded among the National and Indiana dunes and lake shore forest preserves, at a private home, over 60 people gathered to hear some words spoken by someone that had a long record of service on the inside of the federal government. There were members of the Vietnam Veterans Against War (VVAW), Veteran's Against War (VAW), as well as ordinary citizens from Northwest Indiana, Chicago and the Calumet Region.
The guest keynote speaker was LTC (Mary) Ann Wright. a retired Army officer, and an established Foreign Service Diplomatic Corps officer. Wright has served 13 years on active duty and rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. She then served 16 more years in the Army reserve and retired in the Retired Ready Reserve, which means that she can be called back to active duty at the age of 59. During her tour of duty as the senior most Diplomatic Corps officer while re-establishing a US Embassy in Mongolia, Wright began to have some difficulty dealing with the rising tide of messages, cables and diplomatic communiques that indicated that the US planned to invade Iraq without UN authority or a specific warrant authorization from the UN Security Council. She was privy to intelligence and situation reports for the entire Asian arena and knew that much of the information being presented to the publuic was entirely inaccurate, false or misleading. She reports that she began to have major signs of stress over the ethical dilemma and cognitive dissonance that she was experiencing.
Before continuing with the details that led her to make a moral decision, let us take a pointed look at Wright's career. She was a trained and decorated soldier, with a record of achievement, as indicated by her rank (O-5) and her eventual acceptance in the Foreign Service Diplomatic Corps. In the military, especially in the Army where there is a tremendous amount of competition for ranked billets, an officer doesn't rise to field grade (04-06: Major-Colonel/LCDR-CAPT) without some record of achievement. Once making the 04 grade (Major/LCDR), an officer does not get promoted up the ranks without demonstrating additional achievement.
Then, of course, is her career in the Diplomatic Corps. According to even the public record, Wright's pattern of achievement continued. Her record of service is one of being totally committed to serving the people of the United States of America. Serving a total of 13 years in the Diplomatic Corps, she resigned when she held the position of Deputy Chief of Mission (FO-01) for the US Embassy at Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. (Wright's Resignation Letter)
Wright is a veteran of the Vietnam Era, with reported service in Vietnam, Grenada, Nicaragua, Somalia, Sierra Leone, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Mongolia as either a member of the US Army or the Diplomatic Corps. Much of this duty occurred during periods of war, conflict, crisis or unrest. She served with the distinct perspective that hers was not the role of policy making, but execution of that policy... until it donned on her that something was wrong at the very top of our government. After almost a month of sleepless nights, and efforts to make sense out of the decision to invade Iraq, Wright wrote a letter to Secretary of State, Gen. Colin Powell. She came to believe that Powell, who owed his position and career to the influence of the Bush family, had sold out the American people in favor of service to the junior Bush.
Wright came to believe that the Bush administration had turned into a "rogue government" that was committing "illegal and immoral" acts, and that it was morally, ethically and legally "critical to stand up against" a government that was so far afield of our Constitution and the founding principles of our nation.
Since her resignation, Wright has become a thorn in the side of the Bush administraion, proudly donning three temporary arrest bands, two for protesting in front of the White House and one for protesting on the road in front of the Bush ranch in Crawford, Texas. She has advocated that we, as proud and patriotic Americans, "have to get this war to end." She advocates rallies, demonstrations and "strong counter-recruitment" efforts in front of military recrutiing stations and depots.
Additionally, Wright reported that there were other resignations from the Diplomatic Corps, the military ranks and other branches of government that have gone largely unreported, unnoticed or spun by the media spin doctors that work for the government. Wright told those of us gathered in front of her that the military was already experiencing great difficulty in meeting recruitment and retention cirteria. She indicated that the military was having a large number of officers and enlisted leave after their first "hitch" and senior officers decide to make a career change and submit resignations.While many may dismiss this as either wishful thinking, conspiracy thinking or "sour grapes" on the part of Wright, the New Times reported that Young Officers Leaving Army at a High Rate and that more than a third of the West Point class of 2000 left active duty after completing their five-year obligation, an unusually high number for academy graduate attrition. According to the New York Times report, there is an increasing leadership gap occurring in the field. Second Lieutenants, First Lieutenants, and Captains--those that lead the troops into actual combat--are leaving as fast as they can, abandoning the typical career officer path to at least the rank of major and then serving in the reserve units.
Wright talked about the continued difficulty in meeting the needs of force readiness, recuritment and retention goals as being an impetus for bringing back the draft. She expressed the idea that nothing would bring this war to an end faster than re-instituting the draft and spreading the war across the demographics of the United States instead of a restricted group of voluntary enlistments and commissions.
Wright also discussed tactics that are being used to pressure conscientious objectors and others into keeping quiet. Troops that have gone "UA" (unauthorized absence" (or AWOL [absent without leave]), or even deserted (unauthorized absence for 30 days or more) are being released with an honorable or general discharge, providing they sign a waiver indicating they will not discuss what they have seen, witnessed or experienced in combat in Iraq. Those seeking conscientious objector status are being granted the status if they agree not to speak out against the war, but those that express a need to discuss the war out of conscience are being denied the CO status.
Additionally, the number of soldiers and marines reporting symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder right out of the field was over 30 percent. Soldiers are reporting nightmares, anxiety attacks, and over-reaction to ordinary events, as well as feeling the need to strike out at somebody or something. It was acknowledged by the veterans attending this event that the number was probably higher because of the internal pressure within the military not to report such symptoms and illnesses (and some of those veterans were experienced medical personnel and/or officers).
Wright also pointed out some of the failures in US policy in Afghanistan. She indicated while serving as a Foreign Service Officer in Afghanistan that the promised resources for rebuilding and restoration was slow in coming or never arrivced. She reported that the opium poppy crop for 2002, 2003 and 2004 were recordbreaking, and the crop for 2005 broke those records as well. She indicated that she, and other Foreign Service Officers, sent communiques back to the State Department and elsewhere within the government seeking aid, money and support that was promised to the Afghanistan government and people... and it never arrived.
Wright pointed to an overall failure of the Bush administration and the current government, indicating that there were serious breaches of principle, ethic and standards under Bush's leadership, including:
Wright has been criticized for being a "nut case", but an examination of the criticism reveals that it is largely emotional tripe based on an entrenched ideological committment without consideration of facts, service and the records, as well as completely dismissing external evidence like the "Downing Street Memos"
When someone with the inside track and inside scoop speaks out in the manner that LTC (Mary) Ann Wright does, we need to ask ourselves why would a career military officer and member of the State Department surrender a lucrative career and record of achievement? What would motivate hundreds of her colleagues to send her e-mails of support... and excuses for why they could not take such bold steps of conscience? Why would a person so committed to service to the people of the United States suddenly turn to an opposite agenda in this case.
Ann Wright is not a nut case. My own training and experience in providing psychiatric assessments and mental health counseling can vouch for her sane condition at the time I met her and listened to what she had to say. Ann Wright is not a liberal extremist. In fact, Wright could be characterized as the epitome of a dedicated solider and government employee. As for her political leanings, she might be classified as a moderate, but could never be characterized as a "leftist." Wright is a person of conscience that understands the Constitution and the principles embedded within our founding document, who is willing to put her heart and soul where her mouth is... she is a patriot that speaks to principle, righteousness and standing up for the tenets of democracy that have made us a great nation.
We should listen to Wright and may others speaking out against the war... especially since the threat of surgical pre-emptive strikes against Iran and possibly even Syria seem looming before us. Despite the denials coming out of the White House, there are too many sources indicating that the military and intelligence communities are gearing up for operations against Iran and Syria, including a few back door sources at the Navy and Army War Colleges. Listening to Wright (et al) may give us a perspective on our current government and leadership that might prevent some future mistakes. We do not have to give Wright our unquestioned devotion or allegiance--in fact she challenges us to test the facts and accounts that she speaks to--but we should listen and weigh the insight she has to offer before committing to supporting any further military efforts.
For my money, I called the invasion of Iraq an illegal and unprincipled action on the part of Bush and his gang when we first made the move toward Baghdad. I have criticized the USA Patriot Act, the NSA warrantless wiretapping programs, and the Bush proclivities for deceiving and manipulating the public from the git-go. Something is wrong in Washington and its name is Bush and the entire entrenched GOP... and the failure of the Democrats to rise up in opposition on the basis of principle.
Other resources:
Source Watch: Ann Wright
Democracy Now: Wright Interview
Ann Wright: Unsung Hero Video
Tom Dispatch: Wright Interview
Wikipedia: Downing Street Memos
911 Loose Change Video (2nd Edition)
Vietnam Veterans Against The War
American Freinds Service Committee
The guest keynote speaker was LTC (Mary) Ann Wright. a retired Army officer, and an established Foreign Service Diplomatic Corps officer. Wright has served 13 years on active duty and rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. She then served 16 more years in the Army reserve and retired in the Retired Ready Reserve, which means that she can be called back to active duty at the age of 59. During her tour of duty as the senior most Diplomatic Corps officer while re-establishing a US Embassy in Mongolia, Wright began to have some difficulty dealing with the rising tide of messages, cables and diplomatic communiques that indicated that the US planned to invade Iraq without UN authority or a specific warrant authorization from the UN Security Council. She was privy to intelligence and situation reports for the entire Asian arena and knew that much of the information being presented to the publuic was entirely inaccurate, false or misleading. She reports that she began to have major signs of stress over the ethical dilemma and cognitive dissonance that she was experiencing.
Before continuing with the details that led her to make a moral decision, let us take a pointed look at Wright's career. She was a trained and decorated soldier, with a record of achievement, as indicated by her rank (O-5) and her eventual acceptance in the Foreign Service Diplomatic Corps. In the military, especially in the Army where there is a tremendous amount of competition for ranked billets, an officer doesn't rise to field grade (04-06: Major-Colonel/LCDR-CAPT) without some record of achievement. Once making the 04 grade (Major/LCDR), an officer does not get promoted up the ranks without demonstrating additional achievement.
Then, of course, is her career in the Diplomatic Corps. According to even the public record, Wright's pattern of achievement continued. Her record of service is one of being totally committed to serving the people of the United States of America. Serving a total of 13 years in the Diplomatic Corps, she resigned when she held the position of Deputy Chief of Mission (FO-01) for the US Embassy at Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. (Wright's Resignation Letter)
Wright is a veteran of the Vietnam Era, with reported service in Vietnam, Grenada, Nicaragua, Somalia, Sierra Leone, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Mongolia as either a member of the US Army or the Diplomatic Corps. Much of this duty occurred during periods of war, conflict, crisis or unrest. She served with the distinct perspective that hers was not the role of policy making, but execution of that policy... until it donned on her that something was wrong at the very top of our government. After almost a month of sleepless nights, and efforts to make sense out of the decision to invade Iraq, Wright wrote a letter to Secretary of State, Gen. Colin Powell. She came to believe that Powell, who owed his position and career to the influence of the Bush family, had sold out the American people in favor of service to the junior Bush.
Wright came to believe that the Bush administration had turned into a "rogue government" that was committing "illegal and immoral" acts, and that it was morally, ethically and legally "critical to stand up against" a government that was so far afield of our Constitution and the founding principles of our nation.
Since her resignation, Wright has become a thorn in the side of the Bush administraion, proudly donning three temporary arrest bands, two for protesting in front of the White House and one for protesting on the road in front of the Bush ranch in Crawford, Texas. She has advocated that we, as proud and patriotic Americans, "have to get this war to end." She advocates rallies, demonstrations and "strong counter-recruitment" efforts in front of military recrutiing stations and depots.
Additionally, Wright reported that there were other resignations from the Diplomatic Corps, the military ranks and other branches of government that have gone largely unreported, unnoticed or spun by the media spin doctors that work for the government. Wright told those of us gathered in front of her that the military was already experiencing great difficulty in meeting recruitment and retention cirteria. She indicated that the military was having a large number of officers and enlisted leave after their first "hitch" and senior officers decide to make a career change and submit resignations.While many may dismiss this as either wishful thinking, conspiracy thinking or "sour grapes" on the part of Wright, the New Times reported that Young Officers Leaving Army at a High Rate and that more than a third of the West Point class of 2000 left active duty after completing their five-year obligation, an unusually high number for academy graduate attrition. According to the New York Times report, there is an increasing leadership gap occurring in the field. Second Lieutenants, First Lieutenants, and Captains--those that lead the troops into actual combat--are leaving as fast as they can, abandoning the typical career officer path to at least the rank of major and then serving in the reserve units.
Wright talked about the continued difficulty in meeting the needs of force readiness, recuritment and retention goals as being an impetus for bringing back the draft. She expressed the idea that nothing would bring this war to an end faster than re-instituting the draft and spreading the war across the demographics of the United States instead of a restricted group of voluntary enlistments and commissions.
Wright also discussed tactics that are being used to pressure conscientious objectors and others into keeping quiet. Troops that have gone "UA" (unauthorized absence" (or AWOL [absent without leave]), or even deserted (unauthorized absence for 30 days or more) are being released with an honorable or general discharge, providing they sign a waiver indicating they will not discuss what they have seen, witnessed or experienced in combat in Iraq. Those seeking conscientious objector status are being granted the status if they agree not to speak out against the war, but those that express a need to discuss the war out of conscience are being denied the CO status.
Additionally, the number of soldiers and marines reporting symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder right out of the field was over 30 percent. Soldiers are reporting nightmares, anxiety attacks, and over-reaction to ordinary events, as well as feeling the need to strike out at somebody or something. It was acknowledged by the veterans attending this event that the number was probably higher because of the internal pressure within the military not to report such symptoms and illnesses (and some of those veterans were experienced medical personnel and/or officers).
Wright also pointed out some of the failures in US policy in Afghanistan. She indicated while serving as a Foreign Service Officer in Afghanistan that the promised resources for rebuilding and restoration was slow in coming or never arrivced. She reported that the opium poppy crop for 2002, 2003 and 2004 were recordbreaking, and the crop for 2005 broke those records as well. She indicated that she, and other Foreign Service Officers, sent communiques back to the State Department and elsewhere within the government seeking aid, money and support that was promised to the Afghanistan government and people... and it never arrived.
Wright pointed to an overall failure of the Bush administration and the current government, indicating that there were serious breaches of principle, ethic and standards under Bush's leadership, including:
- Unnecessary curtailment of civil liberties under the USA Patriot Act
- Deliberately misleading and deceiving US citizens about WMD in Iraq
- Illegally invading Iraq in direct violation of international law, treaties and long-established principles of US government
- Continually funding poorly planned initiatives in the Middle East
- Not listening to the intelligence and assessments provided by field officers
- Conducting an illegal invasion of Iraq
- Violating the Geneva Conventions in terms of treating detainees and POWs
- Failing to adequately respond to the catastrophe created by Katrina & Rita
- Being completely unavailbale to US citizens for redress of grievances
- Manipulating the media to hide facts, events and opposition to the administration
- Leaking information about the identity of field operatives of US agencies
Wright has been criticized for being a "nut case", but an examination of the criticism reveals that it is largely emotional tripe based on an entrenched ideological committment without consideration of facts, service and the records, as well as completely dismissing external evidence like the "Downing Street Memos"
When someone with the inside track and inside scoop speaks out in the manner that LTC (Mary) Ann Wright does, we need to ask ourselves why would a career military officer and member of the State Department surrender a lucrative career and record of achievement? What would motivate hundreds of her colleagues to send her e-mails of support... and excuses for why they could not take such bold steps of conscience? Why would a person so committed to service to the people of the United States suddenly turn to an opposite agenda in this case.
Ann Wright is not a nut case. My own training and experience in providing psychiatric assessments and mental health counseling can vouch for her sane condition at the time I met her and listened to what she had to say. Ann Wright is not a liberal extremist. In fact, Wright could be characterized as the epitome of a dedicated solider and government employee. As for her political leanings, she might be classified as a moderate, but could never be characterized as a "leftist." Wright is a person of conscience that understands the Constitution and the principles embedded within our founding document, who is willing to put her heart and soul where her mouth is... she is a patriot that speaks to principle, righteousness and standing up for the tenets of democracy that have made us a great nation.
We should listen to Wright and may others speaking out against the war... especially since the threat of surgical pre-emptive strikes against Iran and possibly even Syria seem looming before us. Despite the denials coming out of the White House, there are too many sources indicating that the military and intelligence communities are gearing up for operations against Iran and Syria, including a few back door sources at the Navy and Army War Colleges. Listening to Wright (et al) may give us a perspective on our current government and leadership that might prevent some future mistakes. We do not have to give Wright our unquestioned devotion or allegiance--in fact she challenges us to test the facts and accounts that she speaks to--but we should listen and weigh the insight she has to offer before committing to supporting any further military efforts.
For my money, I called the invasion of Iraq an illegal and unprincipled action on the part of Bush and his gang when we first made the move toward Baghdad. I have criticized the USA Patriot Act, the NSA warrantless wiretapping programs, and the Bush proclivities for deceiving and manipulating the public from the git-go. Something is wrong in Washington and its name is Bush and the entire entrenched GOP... and the failure of the Democrats to rise up in opposition on the basis of principle.
Other resources:
Source Watch: Ann Wright
Democracy Now: Wright Interview
Ann Wright: Unsung Hero Video
Tom Dispatch: Wright Interview
Wikipedia: Downing Street Memos
911 Loose Change Video (2nd Edition)
Vietnam Veterans Against The War
American Freinds Service Committee
posted by Jim Downey at 11:59 AM
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