Iraq Veterans Against the War held its first election at the Veterans For Peace National Convention in Seattle on August 10, 2006. Since then several members have joined forces to do a national project of a magnitude never before seen. At Camp Democracy from September 2-21 in Washington, D.C., several IVAW members participated in events such as educating the public on effects of depleted uranium. Four members of IVAW were arrested at the Pentagon on false charges that were dropped. The arrest was an attempt to stop these members from educating people at the Pentagon, who need to know the most, and were arrested simply to hide their truths. Several members of IVAW and VFP spoke at a hearing on the VA budget. They shared their experiences of the VA to people who decide the budget. Four members occupied the office of Congressman DeFazio in solidarity with Suzanne Swift. They left after having staff members initiate an investigation into Suzanne's case.

The IVAW members who were in D.C. secured a donation of a tour bus. Four of these members went on a counter-recruiting tour from September 23- October 29. They were able to talk to thousands of high school, college students and young activists in twenty-seven cities between Washington, D.C. and Chicago. Members then went to a high school in Baltimore and convinced one student not to join the military who was going to sign up in three days. The bus then went to School of the Americas protest. For Thanksgiving, members went to New Orleans to gut molded houses.

The newest bus rotation is currently involved in a West Coast fundraising tour. There were many tribulations getting there, for instance: in Iowa, LA the five members felt that it was necessary, for safety reasons, to cover up the organization's name after a run in with two mechanics who's motives were questionable, and confirmed by a breakdown, followed by nearly a mile's push to an establishment owned by a man named Boudreaux. We're unsure if covering our name had any affect; Boudreaux ought to be canonized, he was willing to fix the bus for free. Much respect. This, along with intermittent electrical issues, has made this trip quite interesting.

The first stop was in Tucson, AZ. There were two events with local activists. The next stop was a meeting for members of San Diego Coalition For Peace and Justice to support Kyle Snyder. Four hours prior to the meeting we stopped for food at a grocery store in Ocean Beach. We didn't leave for two hours. People, from every direction; people, in recognition. We were, and are, amazed and inspired.

In Los Angeles, ten Iraq Veterans Against the War took turns talking to about six different classes. In one class, there was a panel of seven members, including a student, Jabbar MacGruder, who organized the event. Jabbar was attempting to revive Students Against the War. That entire class joined the group. One member left the bus to attend events in Southern California. These events include Arlington West displays in Oceanside and Santa Barbara. He then spoke to a group of local peace activists about reasons that Cheney and Bush should be impeached. There was a rally that marched to the Arlington West display.

The members who stayed on the bus went to Oakland/San Francisco where we participated in "National Days to support G.I. Resistance and GI Rights" which took place on December 8-10th. On the 9th we spoke at the College of Marin before a showing of Ground Truth sponsored by Courage To Resist. This took place first as a forum in the War Memorial Veteran's Building, then as a rally with the bus as our backdrop. Then, in exclamation, we marched to the U.N. Plaza, reversed course towards city hall, and back on to the bus. War resisters included Mike Wong, Doug Zachary, Kyle Snyder, Jeff Paterson, Stephen Funk, Darrell Anderson, Keith (from Sir, No Sir), and other members of Veterans For Peace. Participating organizations were Veterans For Peace Chapter 69, Watada Support Committee, Not In Our Name Bay Area, World Can't Wait, API's Resist, AWE Youth Action Team (High School Youth Activism Program), and of course, Iraq Veterans Against the War. On the 10th we spoke at First Unitarian Universalist Church, where they've told us that they are going to be putting up an anti-war ribbon around the Church in hopes of getting the others to do the same. The members were supposed to speak at Berkeley High School on Monday but spent that time fixing two flat tires. IVAW member Maricela Guzman, Military Families Speak Out's Gayle Greer, and Courage To Resist organizer Lori Hurlebaus spoke at Berkeley High today. Pictures of these events are posted on: http://indybay.org/newsitems/2006/12/12/18337216.php.

Tonight IVAW members will attend San Francisco Veterans For Peace Chapter 69's holiday party and local meeting. Tomorrow, the members will meet with San Francisco Board of Supervisor's member Chris Daly, an anti-war Supervisor, which is the equivalent of a city council member. Wednesday December 13, the members will speak at New College Cultural Center in San Francisco. Finally, on Friday, the members will attend a meeting with Senator Boxer's staff. Then they will head north to Mendocino to attend an event with IVAW member Dave Bishcel. On December 18, the bus members will meet up with local L.A. members to give out care packages in 29 Palms. The care packages will have IVAW flyers and Sir, No, Sir DVD's. On December 21, IVAW members will celebrate Solstice with a ceremony on Huntington Beach, then move to an art gallery for a fundraiser. They will participate in Santa Monica's Arlington West on Christmas Eve. The official start of the tour will be at a New Year's Eve Party in San Diego. From there the bus will head north to Fort Lewis for LT Watada's pre- trial hearing. We would like to have a convoy of vehicles follow us. We will stay there to fight for LT Watada so that they will drop the charges on him. If his court martial begins on February 5, 2007, the bus will make its way back down the west coast, and this time, focus strictly on counter-recruiting.

The website has just been put up, www.ivawdeployed.org. Damon is working as I am typing this to post a detailed calendar of our events. I will also continue to e-mail the updated schedules to our supporters. This is a general progress report. We will still make the San Diego event on January 20, and will hold a solidarity rally in the Fort Lewis area for the January 27th rally in D.C. If anyone wants to have us speak during the encampment, we made need the hosts to provide a bus, train, or plane ticket. We will post a general schedule of the tour back down south shortly, as well as all of the finer details of the events leading up to LT Watada's Solidarity Camp. Thank you all for your support.

www.ivawdeployed.org
Michael Cuzzort 504-427-0938
michaelcuzzort [at] hotmail [dot] com
www.myspace.com/ivawbus