[Peace-discuss] In Breach Of Military Law, Soldiers Secretly Become Pacifists

[David Johnson via Peace-discuss]

  In Breach Of Military Law, Soldiers Secretly Become Pacifists

1vfpuk
Resist! <http://www.popularresistance.org/category/resist/> Peace 
<http://www.popularresistance.org/tag/peace/>, Veterans for Peace 
<http://www.popularresistance.org/tag/veterans-for-peace/>, Wars and 
Militarism <http://www.popularresistance.org/tag/wars-and-militarism/>
By Mark Nicol, www.dailymail.co.uk 
<http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2644857/Soldiers-secretly-join-pacifist-group-forbids-bearing-arms-remarkable-breach-military-law.html>
June 1st, 2014
   Powered by Translate <https://translate.google.com>
1 
<http://www.popularresistance.org/in-breach-of-military-law-soldiers-secretly-become-pacifists/#>
Print Friendly 
<http://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.popularresistance.org%2Fin-breach-of-military-law-soldiers-secretly-become-pacifists%2F>

Above photo: Easter Sunday launch of UK Veterans For Peace,IndyMedia 
<http://www.indymedia.ie/article/101705>.

Serving members of Britain's Armed Forces have secretly joined a 
pacifist organisation directly opposed to war and the carrying of 
weapons, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

In a remarkable breach of military law, members of the Army, Royal Air 
Force and Royal Navy have joined Veterans For Peace UK, which campaigns 
against armed conflict.

It also campaigns to stop the UK Government 'intervening in the internal 
affairs of other nations' and has organised protests at the Cenotaph on 
Remembrance Day as well as visits to schools to teach pupils the 'true 
nature' of armed conflict.

Last night there were calls for the Ministry of Defence to launch an 
investigation over fears the group's members will seek to undermine 
discipline in the Forces.

Veterans For Peace UK founder Ben Griffin, 36, refused to name the 
troops because they would face disciplinary action if their identities 
were known. Mr Griffin, who resigned from the Special Air Service (SAS) 
in protest over its role in secret US operations in Iraq, said: 'While 
retired troops are free to declare their membership, those in uniform 
are not. They would almost certainly face official sanction, and perhaps 
personal reprisals that may threaten their safety.

'These men have taken the brave step of joining us because they have 
come to the conclusion that war is not the answer to our problems.

'Given the issue with Queen's Regulations and membership of political 
organisations we were not actively seeking to recruit serving troops. 
But we were not going to turn them away and will not do so in future.'

Under these regulations, regular troops are forbidden to play an active 
role in political organisations. But Mr Griffin confirmed the troops had 
done so.

In the past year, the group -- which was founded in the US by veterans 
of Vietnam and has 120 UK members -- has undertaken fasts in solidarity 
with prisoners at Guantanamo Bay and highlighted 'lies' told by the Army 
in recruitment campaigns.

The troops, who are believed to include soldiers who saw frontline 
action in Iraq and Afghanistan, have agreed to abide by the group's 
principle of non-violence and to increase public awareness of the costs 
of war. Veterans For Peace UK also obliges its members never to carry 
weapons of any kind.

The former commander of British Forces in Afghanistan, Colonel Richard 
Kemp, said: 'The authorities should investigate the group to ascertain 
whether they are encouraging servicemen to break the law by joining.

'It is also wrong for the taxpayer to be paying wages to people whose 
principles do not allow them to do the job.

'These troops should undergo disciplinary procedures and either sever 
their association with the group or cease to serve in the Forces.'

Last night an MoD spokesman said: 'If an individual's beliefs were 
incompatible with their commitment to the Army then both the Army and 
the individual would need to consider whether it was appropriate for 
them to continue serving.'


      Related Posts:

  * Don't Believe The Hype Pentagon Plan: A Few Less Troops, Same Old...
    <http://www.popularresistance.org/dont-believe-the-hype-pentagon-plan-a-few-less-troops-same-old-empire/>February
    26, 2014
  * Philippines Protest Obama Visit, Want US Military Out
    <http://www.popularresistance.org/philippines-protest-obama-visit-want-us-military-out/>February
    26, 2014
  * What's Happening In Eastern Ukraine?
    <http://www.popularresistance.org/whats-happening-in-eastern-ukraine/>April
    19, 2014
  * CIA spied on Senate Committee Writing Damning Torture Report
    <http://www.popularresistance.org/cia-spied-on-senate-committee-writing-damning-torture-report/>March
    6, 2014
  * Shooting At Fort Hood Not A Surprise To This Veteran
    <http://www.popularresistance.org/shooting-at-fort-hood-not-a-surprise-to-this-veteran/>April
    5, 2014

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.chambana.net/pipermail/peace-discuss/attachments/20140602/4f33db57/attachment-0001.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: 1vfpuk-e1401633901673.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 65774 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://lists.chambana.net/pipermail/peace-discuss/attachments/20140602/4f33db57/attachment-0001.jpg>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: google_logo_41.png
Type: image/png
Size: 2357 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://lists.chambana.net/pipermail/peace-discuss/attachments/20140602/4f33db57/attachment-0001.png>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: pf-button.gif
Type: image/gif
Size: 1848 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://lists.chambana.net/pipermail/peace-discuss/attachments/20140602/4f33db57/attachment-0001.gif>