Iraq Vets Returning Medals at NATO Summit in Chicago
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Khalid Mohammed-Pool/Getty Images(NEW YORK) — A protest of Iraq war veterans at the NATO summit being held in Chicago this weekend is intended to send a strong message to Washington and the European alliance.
Some members of the Iraq Veterans Against the War plan to return their medals to NATO generals on Sunday, claiming they were given their honors for bravery or suffering for “a war based on lies and failed policies.”
The group said on its blog the Global War on Terror “has killed hundreds of thousands, stripped the humanity of all involved, and drained our communities of trillions of dollars, diverting funds from schools, clinics, libraries, and other public goods.”
Following the rally, the vets are expected to march to the convention center to give back their medals. If they are unable to meet with the NATO generals, they said they would throw their medals at the building.
About 30 to 50 veterans are expected to participate in the protest.
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