On January 26, New Mexico’s Republican Gov. Susana Martinez was dealt a serious blow by her state’s Supreme Court, when it ruled unanimously that Governor Martinez had violated the state Constitution when she prevented a rule that reduced carbon pollution from being published as codified state law. The lawsuit was filed by the nonprofit group
Military sexual abuse ‘staggering’
In part two of our series, Al Jazeera examines the often hidden world of rape and abuse in the US military. In fact, due to raw demographics, one can roughly surmise that most victims of sexual abuse in the military are male. Regardless of gender, reports of victims of military sexual assault have been increasing.
Rape rampant in US military
Statistics and soldiers’ testimonies reveal a harrowing epidemic of sexual assault in the US military. Sexual assault within the ranks of the military is not a new problem. It is a systemic problem that has necessitated that the military conduct its own annual reporting on the crisis. A 2003 Air Force Academy sexual assault scandal
Military Neglecting Fort Hood Soldiers’ Medical Needs
At least 50 soldiers from Fort Hood who have medical profiles that should prohibit them from military training have been sent to the National Training Center (NTC) at Fort Irwin, California, regardless of their conditions. Truthout spoke with some of these soldiers on June 7, before they were to fly back to Fort Hood the
PTSD Soldier Punished by Army
Iraq war veteran Eric Jasinski, after seeking treatment for his post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), is being punished by the Army. Jasinski turned himself in to the Army late last year, after having gone absent without leave (AWOL) in order to seek help for his PTSD. Help, he told Truthout, he was not receiving from the
US Navy Veterans Continue to Seek Justice for Israeli Attack
The Israeli military has attacked a flotilla of international peace activists, killing as many as 19 innocent civilians while they were carrying ten tons of aid to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza. This is not the first time the Israeli military has attacked a nonthreatening entity in international waters. On June 8, 1967, while
Soldier Jailed for Rap Lyrics Is Discharged
Until April 17, US Army Spc. Marc Hall sat in a military brig at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, facing an imminent court-martial for challenging the US military’s stop-loss policy in a song. Sunday morning, Spc. Hall was granted a discharge by the military. On December 17, 2009, Hall was jailed for writing a song about the
Iraq Vets: Coverage of Atrocities Is Too Little, Too Late
The WikiLeaks video footage from Iraq taken from an Apache helicopter in July 2007 showing soldiers killing 12 people and wounding two children has caused an explosion of media coverage. But many Iraq vets feel it is too little and too late. In contrast to most of the coverage that favors the military’s stated position
Soldier of Conscience Granted Clemency, Released
Last August, Travis Bishop refused to serve in Afghanistan. Having filed for Conscientious Objector (CO) status, Bishop, based at Fort Hood, Texas, in the US Army’s 57th Expeditionary Signal Battalion, was court-martialed and sentenced to 12 months in a military brig. He was released from the brig today. Bishop served his time in Northwest Joint
Army Soldier Jailed for Rap Lyrics to Face Court-Martial in Iraq
US Army Specialist Marc Hall, jailed for writing a song about the personal impact of being forced to remain in the military, including lyrics the Army claims are veiled threats of violence, will face a military trial in Iraq instead of in the US. Attorneys for Hall – whose current whereabouts remain unknown – say