... a U.S. anti-war group. The group describes itself as
a women-initiated grassroots peace and social justice movement working to end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, stop new wars, and redirect our resources into healthcare, education, green jobs and other life-affirming activities.It was founded in 2002 by Jodie Evans, Medea Benjamin and of the other usual antiwar suspects. Its website lists hysterical allegations of US war crimes, and states that thousands of civilians were killed in Fallujah in 2004. Maybe it was millions. Benjamin was a 2000 candidate for the U.S. Senate on the Green Party ticket. She lost...
stood up during Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Tuesday to loudly express opposition to the ongoing aerial campaign against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, repeatedly interrupting senators and panelists and driving Democratic chairman Carl Levin
...Democrat Senator-for-Life from Michigan. He has been in the Senate since 1979. Prior to that he was president of the Detroit city council and Mayor Coleman Young's right-hand man. He is currently the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services...
up the wall.
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Martin Dempsey had just walked into the hearing room when protesters clad in pink and holding anti-war slogans crowded just behind the panel. "No more war!" they chanted, their voices mingling chaotically.
Levin allowed the protesters about a minute to vent before the gavel came down. "The committee will come to order, and we're asking all in the audience now to either take their seats and be quiet, or please leave," the Michigan senator said.
After another exchange, one woman was undeterred, alternating between "no military solution to this" and "no more war!"
"You're acting very warlike yourself," Levin said angrily, asking the protester to leave. She was escorted out by Capitol police.
Twenty minutes later and another interruption prompted a frustrated Levin to rap his gavel. "Thank you, would you please leave!" he shouted. "Would you please leave the room now! Look, we're asking you nicely would you please leave the room!"
"We would ask all of you to avoid these kind of outbursts," he said following another woman's departure. "They're not doing anybody any good, including hearing what this testimony is. And they're not doing you, and whatever your cause is, any good either."
But still more outbursts followed, with one woman telling Senator
John MaverickMcCain
... the Senator-for-Life from Arizona, former presidential candidate and even more former
foot soldier in the Reagan Revolution...
, "Senator McCain, you have no authority to speak out on this issue!"
"Will you please be quiet!?" an exasperated Levin said, repeatedly slamming his gavel down. "Please remove the lady from the room."
"I always appreciate special attention from this group, Mr. Chairman," McCain quipped.
"I don't think she voted for you, John," another senator laughed.