The author, a veteran of the U.S. military who was sent to fight in Vietnam in the late 1960s, spoke at a March 3 vigil in Philadelphia organized following the sacrifice by active-duty Air Force member Aaron Bushnell a few days earlier. This article is based on Piette’s talk.  Aaron Bushnell

Don’t the Vietnamese, Iraqis, Cubans, Palestinians, Africans — in Sudan, in the Congo, in Niger — people in Korea, the Philippines, people all over the world have a right to defend themselves against [neo]imperialist occupation and exploitation?

I hope Bushnell’s act reverberates within the military and makes other soldiers, sailors, marines and air force members start to question their deployment orders. I hope [that] it breaks down some of the esprit de corps.

The U.S. government is the enemy of the world’s people. The U.S. never, never, never, never sends its military anywhere for the good of the workers in any country. The troops are sent there for the benefit of the corporations who rule the U.S. It is never a force for good.

As Aaron Bushnell said — before he couldn’t say anything anymore — “Free Palestine!” To that, I would like to add: Free the workers anywhere in the world where capitalism and [neo]imperialism exploit and oppress them.

Power to the People, from Palestine to Philadelphia!

(Emphasis original.)