NATIONAL ARCHIVE PROTEST

Norman Scarth, a World War 2 veteran with five medals, made this
comment on the story to follow:

"I would hope you might include the Blair/Brown Administration in
Britain as War Criminals. "-
From Norman Scarth, World War II Veteran.

Chris and Mary Fogarty commented:

"Read this to note that our military doesn't lack patriots! As the one
vet said; 'Either we are a nation of law or we aren't.'"
Chris and Mary

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For Immediate Release - November 15, 2008
CONTACT:  Mike Ferner  240 274-9785,
Elliott Adams 518 441-2697,
Ellen Barfield 410 948-8023,
Tarak Kauff  845 249-9489
Kathleen Hernandez (L.A.) 310-339-1770

Photo opportunities: *  Two banners, each 450 sq. ft., hung on 90-ft.
scaffold againstthe National Archives Building*  Eight veterans, one
military mother occupying scaffold

VETERANS OCCUPY NATIONAL ARCHIVES BUILDING

"Our goal is to have the Bush administration tried for warcrimes no
matter how long it takes.  There is no statute oflimitations on war
crimes," vets say.

Washington  - On Saturday, November 15, at 8:00 am, at theNational
Archives Building on Connecticut Ave., eight military veterans and a
military mother climbed a 9-foot retaining fence andoccupied a ninety-
foot high scaffolding to raise two 450 square footbanners stating,
"DEFEND  OUR CONSTITUTION. ARREST BUSH AND CHENEY:  WAR CRIMINALS!"
and "WE WILL NOT BE SILENT."

The same message will also be displayed at demonstrations in Santa
Monicaand Long Beach, California on Saturday. Members of Veterans for
Peace (VFP) chose the Archives for theirnonviolent protest because it
is symbolic of their military oath to"defend the Constitution of the
United States against allenemies, foreign and domestic."

In September they occupied the Archives for 24 hours, and plan to stay
longer this time. "The offenses of Bush, Cheney, and their accomplices
areappalling," said Kim Carlyle, a VFP member and Armyveteran.  "Their
misdeeds have killed or maimed more than amillion people American
soldiers, innocent civilian children, women,and men.

They have displaced almost five million people, with millions seeking
refuge in other countries. Their total disregard for international
agreements has severely tarnished the reputation ofAmerica in the
world. Their unlawful wars have  squandered billions of dollars that
could have bolstered a troubled economy."

The veterans are demanding Bush administration be tried for warcrimes,
crimes against humanity, and crimes against peace; asking the media to
clearly inform the public of the administration's crimes; and
encouraging citizens to take similar nonviolent actions.

(more) Veterans pg. 2 According to Tarak Kauff, a VFP member, "People
say Bush and Cheney will be gone soon so what's the point?  The point
is, there is no statute of limitations on war crimes, and if not held
accountable, criminality will continue regardless of who is in
office.  We either are or we are not a nation of law." Six of those on
the scaffold are members of Veterans For Peace, one isfrom Military
Families Speak Out, and one is a member of  Iraq Veterans Against the
War:

Elliott Adams VFP: 61, Sharon Springs, NY, VFP President and former
Army paratrooper, Viet Nam
Ellen Barfield VFP: 52, Baltimore, MD, former Army Sgt.
Kim Carlyle VFP: 61, Buncombe County, NC, former Army Spec 5
Doug Zachary VFP: 58, Austin, TX, VFP staff, former USMC Lance Cpl.
Tarak Kauff VFP: 67, Woodstock, NY,  former PFC, Army Airborne
Will Covert VFP: 63, San Diego, CA, VFP lifetime member, former E4
Navy
Elaine Brower MFSO: 54, Staten Island, NY, Military FamiliesSpeak Out,
National Steering Committee, mother of USMC Sgt. James Brower on third
tour in Iraq
Matthis Chiroux IVAW: 24, Army Sergeant, served in Afghanistan,refused
deployment to Iraq

Providing support on the ground:
Mike Ferner VFP: 57, Toledo, OH, former Navy corpsman
Debbie Tolson VFP: 52, Potomac, MD, associate member of VFP
Michelle White MFSO: 24, Clarksville, TN, Military Families Speak Out,
wife of Iraq war vet currently serving in Afghanistan
Michael Marceau VFP: 59, Rockville, MD, VP VFP Chapter 16, former
Army, Viet Nam
Bruce Berry VFP: 62, Minneapolis, MN, former SPC 4 Army, Viet Nam
Fred Nagel VFP: 65, Rhinebeck, NY, former SPC 4 Army Jay
Wenk VFP: 82, Woodstock, NY, former rifleman, 90th Infantry Div.,
WWII
Anthony Teolis VFP: 42, Fairfax, VA, US Army Field Artillery,Gulf War
Founded in 1985, Veterans For Peace has 120 chapters throughout the
country and has actively protested the Afghanistan and Iraq wars
sincetheir inception.

Membership includes men and women veterans of all eras and duty
stations spanning the Spanish Civil War, WWII, Korea,Vietnam and
Iraq.  VFP is an official Non Governmental Organization (NGO)
represented at the UN.

Military Families Speak Out is an organization of people opposed tothe
war in Iraq who have relatives or loved ones currently in themilitary
or in the military since the fall of 2002.  Formed by two families in
November of 2002, MFSO  membership now numbers over 3,400 military
families, plus contacts throughout the U.S. and other countries.

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Charles Douglas Wehner