Saturday, April 25, 2009

For Mothers Day 2009... No More Victims

Listen to "For Mothers Day 2009... No More Victims"

Maxine Fookson and Ned Rosch are representatives of the Portland, Oregon community of No More Victims, an organization that connects American communities with war-injured Iraqi children and their families.
No More Victims is a citizen's response to war and militarism in the form of a national non-profit grassroots organization that connects American communities with war-injured Iraqi children and their families. Community participants band together to learn how the child was injured, assess the child's current situation, and work to meet the most pressing needs of the child and family.

Nadia McCaffrey is Gold Star parent which means that she has lost a child in an American war. Nadia is mother of California National Guardsman Patrick McCaffrey who was killed in Balad on a US Army base Camp Anaconda in 2004.
Nadia McCaffrey, part of the anti-war community since 2004, is founder of Veterans' Village.

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Afghanistan: a view with trees, art, and culture

Listen to "Afghanistan: a view with trees, art, and culture"

Asma Eschen is a Board Member and Director of Agriculture at Afghans4Tomorrow. She is the Co-founder of the Bare Roots Group and has led 4 delegations to plant and distribute 125,000 trees in Afghanistan since 2005. With her mission to green Kabul's hills, this year Asma and her team planted over 6,000 trees in and around Kabul. She comments on her experiences there this time around.

An excerpt from recent event at San Francisco's Yerba Buena Center called Liminal Spaces, Afghan Culture and the Future of South Asia. A preview screening of Shireen Pasha's movie, Slowly Slowly Mud and Lotus and a four person panel:
Tamim Ansary, author of West of Kabul, East of New York, and born and raised in Afghanistan.
Robert Abdul Hayy Darr, a student of traditional Islamic culture and author of The Spy of the Heart and translator of classic sufi poetry.
Shireen Pasha is a storyteller and film maker, Slowly Slowly Mud and Lotus
Bina Sarkar Ellias is founder publisher, editor and designer of Gallerie, an award winning global arts and ideas journal published in India.
Thanks for Farhat Ashufta, videographer, for sharing the audio for this segment

Sunday, April 12, 2009

"Military Mom" Joan Najbar and Michael William of Coffee Strong on the National Guard

Listen to "'Military Mom' Joan Najbar and Michael William of Coffee Strong on the National Guard"

Joan Najbar's son spent 16 months in Iraq during periods of intense combat. She talks about her family's experiences with "reintegration" from the perspective of a mother and a mental health professional. She also talks about the lack of awareness of colleagues, friends, and the general US population not directly involved in issues of war and peace and who don't make it their duty to learn more.


Michael William in Washington state, is a war resister on the cutting edge of GI supported business. We talk to Michael at his place of Work, Coffee Strong where active duty troops from the nearby military bases come for coffee and mix with veterans, resisters, and their families.
Coffee Strong and GI Voice


Download shorter segments of this show:
Joan Najbar (24:50)

Michael William and Coffee Strong (17:00)

Promo for radio host's book tour (1:20)

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Dr. Bacevich on NATO and Sasha Crowe and Maha on Iraqi Refugees in Jordan

Listen to "Dr. Bacevich on NATO and Sasha Crowe and Maha on Iraqi Refugees in Jordan"

Whither and wherefore NATO? Boston University's Dr. Andrew Bacevich suggests the U.S. exit the North Atlantic Treaty Organization since its primary organizing principle has been fulfilled.

With the situation of Iraqi refugees in the Greater Middle East out of the headlines in the U.S., listeners might believe the problems facing displaced people have been solved. Sasha Crowe and Mahaare based in Amman, Jordan with the organization Collateral Repair Project. They update listeners on the day-to-day realities facing refugees in Jordan.

Collateral Repair Project
CRP Newsletter (pdf)