[haw-info] HAW Notes (including links to recent articles of interest)

To members and friends of Historians Against the War,

Here are some notes, followed by our regular feature of links to recent HAW-relevant articles that are either written by historians or at least provide historical background on current events. Suggestions should be sent to jimobrien@gmail.com.

1. Iraq Veterans Against the War is circulating a moving "open letter to the Iraqi people" from Josh Stiever and Ethan McCord from Bravo Company 2-16, the company depicted in the Wikileaks "Collateral Murder" video (http://wikileaks.org/). The letter is at http://www.lettertoiraq.com.

2. Fran Shor, who teaches at Wayne State U. and is on the HAW Steering Committee, is involved with a statewide Military Disengagement from Afghanistan Campaign, which plans demonstrations in at least eight Michigan cities on May 4 (the fortieth anniversary of the 1970s Kent State shootings). His e-mail address is franshor@yahoo.com.

3. Kurt Dunbar, a HAW member and college history teacher in Bellingham, Wash., appears in a YouTube video clip on a long-running weekly antiwar vigil in Bellingham, at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJRWkoHPC74. He is holding a large sign saying "Afghanistan, Graveyard of Empires."

Links to Recent Articles of Interest "Death Squads in Afghanistan"
http://www.counterpunch.org/shor04272010.html
By Francis Shor, CounterPunch.com, posted April 27 "Winning All the Battles but Losing the War, Just Like Hannibal"
http://www.hnn.us/articles/125760.html
By Robert O'Connell, History News Network, posted April 26
The author is a history PhD who has had a 30-year career in Army Intelligence

"The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Past & Present"
http://www.hnn.us/articles/125933.html
By Lawrence S. Wittner, History News Network, posted April 26
The author teaches history at SUNY Albany

"Can You Pass the Iran Quiz?"
http://www.countercurrents.org/rudolph240410.htm
By Jeffrey Rudolph, Countercurrents.org, posted April 24A
26-question quiz on Iranian history and society, recommended by Juan Cole in his Informed Comment blog
"The Urge to Stay"
http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/175238
By Tom Engelhardt, TomDispatch.com, posted April 24
On US decision-making on Iraq and Afghanistan, with historical parallels

"Rummaging in 'The Hurt Locker' for the Moral Equivalent of War"
http://www.hnn.us/articles/125503.html
By James Livingston, History News Network, posted April 19
The author teaches history at Rutgers University

"America and Dictators: Diem to Karzai"
http://readersupportednews.org/opinion/124-human-rights/1521-america-and-dictators-diem-to-karzai
By Alfred W. McCoy, ReaderSupportedNews.org, posted April 18 (from Asia Times)
The author teaches history at the University of Wisconsin-Madison

"On Karzai and Unreliable Partners"
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0410/35811_Page2.html
By Andrew Bacevich, Politico.com, posted April 15
Draws sardonic lessons for President Karzai from the contrasting fates of former US clients Ngo Dinh Diem and Chiang Kai-Shek. The author teaches history and international relations at Boston University

"The Pentagon Papers are Public This Time"
http://afterdowningstreet.org/node/51516
By David Swanson, AfterDowningStreet.org, posted April 15
On Daniel Ellsberg and comparisons with the Iraq and Afghanistan wars