Civil Liberties Articles & News - Veterans For Common Sense

Veterans for Common Sense (VCS) was formed in August 2002 as a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization by war veterans who believe that we, the people of the United States of America, are most secure when our country is free, strong, and responsibly engaged with the world. Our mission, based on the pragmatic ideals of the American patriot Thomas Paine, is to raise the unique and powerful voices of veterans so that our military, veterans, freedom, and national security are protected and enhanced, for ourselves and for future generations.

"We owe a debt to all who served and when we repay that debt to those bravest Americans among us, then we are investing in our future."
~ Barack Obama, August 3, 2009

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Disabled Iraq War Veteran with Service Dog Beaten by McDonalds Employee

October 30, 2009, Brooklyn, New York (Courthouse News Service) - A disabled Army captain who was wounded in Iraq claims McDonald's employees beat him with garbage can lids after he brought his service dog to the restaurant. Luis Montalvan says the attack came as he was photographing the restaurant after he repeatedly complained about the treatment he received there.

Deployment at All Costs: Military Arrests Mom, Sends Child to Protective Serivces

Soldier mom refuses deployment to care for baby

November 16, 2009, Savannah, Georgia (Associated Press) – An Army cook and single mom may face criminal charges after she skipped her deployment flight to Afghanistan because, she said, no one was available to care for her infant son while she was overseas.

Fort Hood Fallout: Camp Lejeune Whistle-Blower Fired

A psychiatrist who tried to prevent Fort Hood-style violence among Marines about to "lose it" instead loses his job

November 16, 2009 (Salon) - Last April, two Marines at Camp Lejeune predicted to a psychiatrist that some Marine back from war was going to "lose it." Concerned, the psychiatrist asked what that meant. One of the Marines responded, "One of these guys is liable to come back with a loaded weapon and open fire."

New York Times Profiles VA and Secretary Shinseki

No Longer a Soldier, Shinseki Has a New Mission

November 11, 2009 (New York Times) - It was a sad homecoming of sorts. On Tuesday, Eric Shinseki, the secretary of veterans affairs, returned to Fort Hood, Tex., where he was a division commander in the mid-1990s, to pay tribute to two veterans affairs employees who died in the shootings there last week.

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Civil Liberties Articles & News

Veterans for Common Sense (VCS) posts articles, news and other related items about Constitutional civil liberties. This section focuses on torture, rendition, domestic spying, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), and other Constitutional issues, most often involving the Department of Justice (DoJ), yet sometimes involving the Department of Defense (DoD), Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and other agencies.

Learn about VCS's FOIA requests here.

Blackwater Mercenaries Paid $1 Million to Stop Iraq War Murder Probe

Written by New York Times

Tuesday, 10 November 2009 22:39

Blackwater Said to Pursue Bribes to Iraq After 17 Died

November 11, 2009, Washington, DC (New York Times) — Top executives at Blackwater Worldwide authorized secret payments of about $1 million to Iraqi officials that were intended to silence their criticism and buy their support after a September 2007 episode in which Blackwater security guards fatally shot 17 Iraqi civilians in Baghdad, according to former company officials.

Democrats: CIA Lied Five Times to Congress

Written by Jason Leopold

Saturday, 31 October 2009 11:47

October 28, 2009 (TruthOut) - Democratic lawmakers said Tuesday that the CIA misled and/or lied to Congress about its intelligence programs at least five times since 2001, including one previously alleged instance in which the agency failed to disclose to top members of the House and Senate intelligence committees that the CIA tortured war on terror detainees.

Written by New York Times

Monday, 26 October 2009 14:29

Editorial: The Cover-Up Continues

October 26, 2009 (New York Times Editorial Board) - The Obama administration has clung for so long to the Bush administration’s expansive claims of national security and executive power that it is in danger of turning President George W. Bush’s cover-up of abuses committed in the name of fighting terrorism into President Barack Obama’s cover-up.

Written by AP

Thursday, 22 October 2009 20:58

Army: Troop Use After Alabama Shootings Broke Law; Investigation Concludes Soldiers Should Not have been Sent to Help

October 19, 2009, Samson, Alabama (AP / MSNBC)- An Army investigation found that soldiers should not have been sent to man traffic stops in a small Alabama town after 11 people were killed in March during a shooting spree.

Written by Jason Leopold

Sunday, 18 October 2009 06:03

Obama Administration Attempts to Scuttle ACLU - VCS FOIA Lawsuit

October 17, 2009 (TruthOut) - The Obama administration will likely drop its Supreme Court petition challenging the release of photographs showing US soldiers abusing prisoners in Iraq and Afghanistan now that lawmakers are set to pass legislation authorizing the government to continue to keep the images under wraps.

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