Meet Matthis Chiroux of Iraq Veterans Against the War

US Iraq War veterans protest at Fort Hood
Published 31 August, 2010, 03:49

http://rt.com/Top_News/2010-08-31/iraq-war-veterans-protest.html#

Four US military war veterans and a military spouse blocked a public street near the Fort Hood military base used by the US Army for mass deployments.

Propeller The military convoy was stopped for only about 10 seconds while authorities removed them from the road.

However, the activists have called their protest a "success" and are planning to continue to block the road as an impediment to military deployments in the future.

Matthis Chiroux of Iraq Veterans Against the War took part in the protest and said it was intended to send a message to soldiers that they are taking part in an ‘illegal war’ and committing war crimes against the people of Iraq.

Chiroux said it was a great success since they managed to infiltrate the secure zone the convoy was traveling in and peacefully stop the convoy for a period of time.

“Despite the fact that they moved this deployment back nearly 14 hours to try and in essence wait us out until four in the morning and indeed most of our large demonstration that we had did have to go home, we still adapted as a group and we responded to the military and we still got them. I mean, we managed to be on site the exact moment the busses were pulling off base to go to the airport, get in the streets, get our banners unfurled,” said Chiroux.

He explained that the protest was a success because they were able to get their message out to the solders headed to Iraq, essentially being the last thing they see before getting on a plane.

US President Barack Obama said we are at the end of combat operations in Iraq, however, Chiroux said it was merely rhetoric.

“I myself, after getting beaten out of the street by police and soldiers using riffles and dogs, did in fact see combat soldiers deploying to Iraq. Clearly Barack Obama’s rhetoric is as hollow as George Bush’s was,” said Chiroux.

He later added, “This war’s not over. Because Barack Obama or Joe Biden says combat in Iraq is over does not mean soldiers are going to stop dyeing, it does not mean they are going to stop killing people. The bloodshed will continue until we withdraw. And that’s the only way this is going to end.”