IVAW members approaching the U.S. Capitol in double file.
LISTEN TO MAGGIE MARTIN AND JOSH STIEBER HERE
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October 7th marked the beginning of the tenth year of the invasion and occupation of Afghanistan, the longest ongoing war in U.S. history. The date also marked Iraq Veterans Against the War ‘s launch of Operation Recovery: Stop the Deployment of Traumatized Troops. IVAW members began the day by laying a rose for each year of the Afghanistan war outside of Walter Reed Medical Center, a military base which serves wounded soldiers.
IVAW member Maggie Martin being interviewed outside Walter Reed Medical Center
As she walked, Maggie Martin said, “It was important for us to come out on the ninth anniversary of the war in Afghanistan, going into the tenth year, and ask the question, When is enough, enough? How much more are we going to ask our troops to sacrifice? And what is it all for?”
The six miles was nothing unusual for Josh Stieber. Upon returning from Iraq, Stieber walked and biked across the country in order to spread the word about the true impact of the U.S. occupation of Iraq. Stieber said, “I thought I could be making the world a better place by going to fight in these wars. It took going there and seeing that played out first hand to realize that nation building and winning the hearts and minds of a people really doesn’t go hand in hand with violent conflict.”
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