Yearly Archives: 2008

The Whistleblower Who Tried to Prevent the Iraq War

September 25, 2008 – Of course Katharine Gun was free to have a conscience, as long as it didn’t interfere with her work at a British intelligence agency. To the authorities, practically speaking, a conscience was apt to be less … Continue reading

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Group of Veterans Call for Bush Impeachment

September 23, 2008 –  Five war veterans have begun a 24-hour hunger strike at the National Archives to protest what they call President George W. Bush’s violations of the Constitution. Members of Veterans For Peace climbed a nine-foot fence early … Continue reading

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VA Secretary Establishes ALS as a Presumptive Compensable Illness

September 23, 2008 – Veterans with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) may receive badly-needed support for themselves and their families after the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced today that ALS will become a presumptively compensable illness for all veterans with … Continue reading

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AFGE Urges Congress to Pass Veterans Health Care Budget Reform Act

September 18, 2008, Washington, DC – The American Federation of Government Employees, (AFGE), which represents 180,000 employees throughout the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), today criticized the current discretionary VA funding process and urged Congress to move on the Veterans … Continue reading

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Lawmakers Move Forward on Veterans Bills

September 23, 2008 – Congress is moving closer to passing a package of veterans’ benefits improvements before adjourning for the year, but final details remain unclear. The House of Representatives approved the Senate-passed Veterans’ Benefits Enhancement Act on Monday, as … Continue reading

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Sep 24: VCS Urges VA to Notify Veterans Impacted by New ALS and TBI Regulations

September 24, 2008 The Honorable James B. Peake, M.D.Secretary of Veterans AffairsDepartment of Veterans Affairs810 Vermont Ave., NWWashington, DC 20420 Dear Secretary Peake: Veterans for Common Sense thanks you for your decision to use your rule-making authority and grant service-connected … Continue reading

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Editorial Column: Our Generals Almost Cost Us Iraq

September 24, 2008 – The dominant media storyline about the Iraq war holds that the decisions about how to conduct it pitted ignorant civilians — especially the president and secretary of defense — against the uniformed military, whose wise and … Continue reading

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Veterans for Peace Occupy National Archives, Call for Arrest of Bush and Cheney for War Crimes

“Arresting Bush and Cheney for war crimes will honor our oath to the Constitution,” veterans say. September 23, 2008 – On Tuesday morning, September 23, 7:30am, at the front of the National Archives Building on Constitution Ave. in Washington, D.C., … Continue reading

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Study: VA Doctors Offer Veteran Patients Scant Empathy During Exams

September 22, 2008 – During an appointment with his doctor, a man diagnosed with lung cancer sounded dispirited when talking about what cigarettes had done to him. “I was always told I had a good strong heart and lungs. But … Continue reading

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VA to Increase Disability Payments Benefits for Mild Brain Trauma

September 22, 2008, Washington, DC – The government plans to substantially increase disability benefits for veterans with mild traumatic brain injuries, acknowledging for the first time that veterans suffering from this less severe version of the Iraq war’s signature wound … Continue reading

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