Families with Loved Ones at War Condemn Obama’s
Acceptance of Nobel Peace Prize
Military Families Available for Comment
December 11, 2009 – Nationwide
Members of Military Families Speak Out (MFSO), the largest organization of military families speaking out against wars in the nation’s history, are available to comment on President Obama’s acceptance of the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize.
MFSO Board member Kerri Wheelwright of Fort Jackson, South Carolina explained:
As the wife of an Army Captain recently back from a 15 month deployment in Iraq and preparing to serve another deployment in Afghanistan, I am extremely disturbed and puzzled that Barack Obama is the recipient of a Nobel Peace Prize. Escalating military operations in Afghanistan and Pakistan, while maintaining the war in Iraq, which he promised to end, mocks the very idea of peace. For those of us military families with no peace in our lives, who are living with war and its after-effects in our very own homes, this is an insult. President Obama has a lot to live up to if he is to ever be deserving of this award. As of now, it is a slap in the face to both the people of these war torn countries, and to military families truly seeking the wars’ end.
MFSO Board of Directors member Lisa Leitz of Greenbrier, Arkansas said:
As the wife of a Navy pilot who is flying daily missions in Afghanistan on his third deployment in as many years, I was particularly saddened to hear the President invoke “just war theory” to justify his decision to escalate the war in Afghanistan. There is no military solution in Afghanistan. Escalation of this war just means more deaths of our loved ones and the people of Afghanistan. Despite President Obama being the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, we sadly see him now as a war president.
Members of Military Families Speak Out, including families with loved ones currently in Afghanistan or those facing deployment or redeployment, along with members of Gold Star Families Speak Out whose loved ones have died as a result of these wars, are available for interview.
To arrange for an interview, contact Deborah Forter at Military Families Speak Out, 617-983-0710 or press@mfso.org
For more information about Military Families Speak Out, see http://www.mfso.org; for more information about Gold Star Families Speak Out see http://www.gsfso.org.
