US soldiers speaking tour of Ireland

national | anti-war / imperialism | press release Sunday February 26, 2006 19:08 by Irish Anti War Movement - Irish Anti War Movement

Stop the US war and torture machine

The Irish Anti-War Movement is pleased to announce a national speaking tour of 18 meetings by two US soldiers - Frank Corcoran (Vietnam Veterans Against War) and Benjamin Hart Viges (Iraq Veterans Against the War). They will address meetings in most major cities and towns as well as every major university in Ireland.

Press release 26.02.06

Irish Anti-War Movement (01) 872 7912 [email protected] www.irishantiwar.org

US soldiers speaking tour of Ireland:

Stop the US war & torture machine tour

The Irish Anti-War Movement is pleased to announce a national speaking tour of 18 meetings by two US soldiers - Frank Corcoran (Vietnam Veterans Against War) and Benjamin Hart Viges (Iraq Veterans Against the War). They will address meetings in most major cities and towns as well as every major university in Ireland.

Benjamin Hart Viges said, "I am a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War and Veterans for Peace. I was with the 82nd Airborne Division as a Mortarman when my unit was deployed to Iraq in Febuary 2003."

"I joined up the day after September the 11th 2001. I saw action in Fallujah and Baghdad. My mortar platoon dropped numerous rounds on the town of Samawa during the start of the invasion. I don't know how many innocents I killed with my mortar rounds."

"I was so disgusted by the war that after we came home in January 2004, I filed for Conscientious Objector status and received CO status in December 2004. I'm a Christian, what was I doing holding a gun to another human being?"

Frank Corcoran served with the Marines in 1968 in Vietnam. He said, "I have been a member of Philadelphia Veterans For Peace since 1990, I have also been active in the School of Americas Watch campaign for 10-12 years. I am a cancer victim because of exposure to Agent Orange while in Vietnam. I am an elementary school teacher for the past 20 years. I'm a Iraq Veterans Against War (IVAW) board member and a volunteer staff member for IVAW for the past year and a half."

"I wasn't long in Vietnam before my two best friends were killed. It was a long time before I could talk about what happened to me in Vietnam. But now I want to tell his story has much as I can."

"In 2000 I travelled to Iraq to help repair a water treatment plant destroyed by US bombing. I regularly speak at schools to help convince American children

not to join the army when they are older."

This national tour is part of the build-up to the international peace protest on March 18th 2006. On that day every capital city on the planet will hold a demonstration against the US led war and occupation of Iraq. In Ireland the anti-war movement will also be calling for an end to CIA torture flights through our airspace and an end to the use of Shannon Airport by the US Military. This year alone over 300,000 US troops have passed through Shannon Airport. The March 18 demonstration in Ireland will take place at 2pm from Parnell Square, Dublin.

For interviews with our guest speakers please contact Donal Mac Fhearraigh at 0876838746

Tour dates:

Monday February 27

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8.30pm Monday 27th February, Imperial Hotel, Dundalk

Contact: Dave McGaughan 0871215344 for more information

Tuesday Feb 28

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1pm Room 4050 Arts Block Trinity College Dublin

Contact Tommy Williams 0876890086 for more information

7.30pm Tuesday 28th February, Genoa Cafe, Costume Place, Athlone

Contact Dave McKay 0872034150 for more information

Wednesday 1st March

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1pm Theatre E Science Block University College Dublin

Contact Alan Byrne 0877750238 for more information

7pm ATGWU Hall 35-37 Middle Abbey St, Dublin 1

Contact Donal Mac Fhearraigh 0876838746 for more information

Thursday 2nd March

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1pm Thursday 2nd March, Room 211 Peter Froggatt Centre Queens University

Contact Sean Mitchell +44 771 7123462 for more information

7pm Thursday 2nd March, Transport House, High Street, Belfast

Contact Sean Mitchell +44 771 7123462 for more information

Friday 3rd March

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5pm Friday 3nd March, Badgers Bar, Orchard St, Derry

Contact Goretti Horgan +44 797 3528772 for more information

Saturday 4th March

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Sligo - Contact Cllr Declan Bree 071-9145490 for information

7pm speaking at Marxism 2006 conference, Arts Block, Trinity College Dublin

"Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran: Resisting the American Empire". Other speakers include: Sami Ramadami (Iraqi Democrats against Occupation), Roudabeh Shafie (Action Iran) and Richard Boyd Barrett (Irish Anti-War Movement)

Monday 6th March

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6pm Limerick City, venue tbc

Contact Mala O'Donohue 0877997506 for more information

Tuesday 7th March

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6pm National University of Ireland Galway

Contact Kiran Emlich 0868443695 for more information

8.15pm Tuesday 7th March, Menlow Park Hotel, Galway

Contact Niall Farrell 0879159787 for more information

Wednesday 8th March

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1pm University College Cork

Contact Gavin Ryan 0871305878 for more information

8pm Wednesday 8th March, An Spailpin Fanach, South Main Street, Cork

Contact Joe Moore 0872994796 for more information

Thursday 9th March

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8pm Thursday 9th March, Grand Hotel, Tralee

Contact Kieran McNulty 0876716009 for more information

Friday 10th March

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8pm Friday 10th March, The Granville Hotel, Waterford

Contact Deccy Cheasty 051852047 for more information

Saturday 11th March

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Screening of film 'Hearts and Minds' about the Vietnam war, introduced by Frank Corcoran, 12 noon Dublin in the Irish Film Centre, Eustace St, Dublin 2

Contact Jim Roche 0876472737 for more information