'Active-Duty Troops Launch Campaign to Press Congress to End U.S. Occupation of Iraq'

This is serious. And unprecedented.

For the first time since the U.S. invasion of Iraq, active- duty members of the military are asking Members of Congress to end the U.S. occupation of Iraq and bring American soldiers home.

Sixty-five active-duty members have sent Appeals for Redress to Members of Congress. Three of these people (including two who served in Iraq) and their attorney will speak about this on Wednesday, Oct. 25 at 11 a.m. EDT.

Under the Military Whistle-Blower Protection Act (DOD directive 7050.6), active-duty military, National Guard and Reservists can file and send a protected communication to a Member of Congress regarding any subject without reprisal.

What: Three active-duty members of the military and their lawyer, a retired U.S. Marine Corps JAG, make comments and take questions from the media.

When: Wednesday, Oct. 25, 11 a.m. EDT

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The Republican-controlled congress is sinking like a concrete block and this move by these members of the military will have GOP congresspeople with their backs up against the wall this close to the election. They'll be stuck between Iraq and a very hard place if they choose to ignore those military voices who represent those who are killed and wounded on a daily basis and stick with their unflinching president who refuses to listen to any criticism. Will they choose to support the troops, as they claim to, or will they prove that their only loyalty is to Bush - troops be damned?

On a broader note, I have to say that I'm quite surprised by the inability of the Republican election machine to actually move their agenda this time around. Rove seems AWOL and the GOP has had to play continual defence throughout this fall campaign. It seems the only hope the Republicans have of staying in power is through the use of those Diebold voting machines that have once again proven to be easy to hack into to change the results. Paper. Pens. Mark an X. What is so wrong what that simple system?

The American people have spoken continuously via polls that show that two-thirds of them are against the Iraq war. Will they take that sentiment to the ballot box with them or will they simply place their party loyalty (to the GOP) above the lives of their countrymen fighting in that war - again?