I was one of the first soldiers to go public with their resistance to the Iraq War. Iraq Veterans Against the War formed in July 2004 which was the same month I was told I'd be going to Iraq. I became an IVAW member some months later. Although I was one of the first members and one of the few veterans of color in the group I was kicked out for expressing my opposition to reactionary conservative members who didn't like my support of Iraqi and Afghan people to fight the US imperialist military. Ironically they have banned the first soldier from Austin is UNinvited from attending the convention. Their opposition to the self-determination of oppressed people under US occupation is hypocritical. IVAW supports members that deploy and yet denies support to their victims when they fight these invaders. That's RACIST! It was this racism that drove Dahlia Wasfi from her position as an adviser to the group. The ONLY Arab American associated with the organization! How could this brave Iraqi American woman not express support for her own people.