Military Support Group Decries 'Leftist' Tour of Iraq
By: Administrative Account | Source: CNSNews.com
December 9, 2003 11:32AM EST

By Susan Jones
CNSNews.com Morning Editor
December 09, 2003

(CNSNews.com) - The Blue Star Mothers of America -- a military support group -- is blasting what it calls a "leftist-led" tour of Iraq by the parents of some U.S. service members.

"Operation Iraq Watch and Global Exchange are anti-American leftist groups that are cynically exploiting the fears and concerns of families in order to achieve their goal of undermining morale and bringing about the defeat of America in the War on Terror," said the Blue Star Mothers in a press release issued Tuesday.

Blue Star Mothers of America is a congressionally chartered veterans support group, which includes parents of active-duty military or honorably discharged veterans.

The group specifically objects to the recent tour of Iraq by a delegation of U.S. military families, who went there to "express their concern about the occupation and see first-hand the reality being faced by U.S. troops and Iraqis," according to the Global Exchange website.

Global Exchange, a human rights group based in San Francisco, organized the Iraq tour, wich began on Nov. 29 and ended on Dec. 8. Global Exchange also sponsors educational trips to countries such as Afghanistan, Vietnam, and Israel/Palestine, it noted on its website.

A second group involved in the Iraq tour - the International Occupation Watch Center - says it was established in July by international peace groups to monitor and report on the occupation of Iraq.

Blue Star Mothers said it shares Global Exchange/Occupation Watch's concerns about the safety and well-being of U.S. troops. But Blue Star Mothers said it believes the best way to ensure the swift and safe return and their sons and daughters is to give full support to the U.S. mission.

"Anything less plays into the hands of our enemies and gives aid and comfort to those who are targeting our troops for maiming and death with IEDs, RPGs, [and] car bombs," the Blue Star Mothers said.

One of the military mothers who went on the recent Global Exchange tour of Iraq was quoted as saying she felt "compelled" to go there: "I want to see my son and daughter and talk to the other troops. I want to talk to the Iraqi people, especially the women," Anabelle Valencia, a military mother traveling with the delegation, was quoted as saying on the Global Exchange website.

"And I want to talk to the US authorities there and ask them when they are going to send our troops home and allow the Iraqis to run their own country."

Global Exchange said some members of the delegation, upon their return to the United States, will try to meet with U.S. and U.N. policymakers, including President Bush, National Security Advisory Condoleezza Rice, U.N. Secreatry-General Kofi Annan, and U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. John Negroponte.

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