Veterans Tour Against Climate Change

Christian Hauser (10/12/2009)

Veteran members of Operation Free are embarking on a 21-state tour to talk to citizens and local community leaders about the looming crisis over climate change and national security. The tour is making stops in Missoula, Helena, and Billings today.
Operation Free veteran Aaron Bailey recently joined Senator John Kerry in unveiling legislation to combat climate change, saying: “There are threats we don’t hear about so often. That’s why we’re here, to bring attention to the double-threat of America’s reliance on fossil fuels, and the national security consequences of climate change that dependence on fossil fuels creates.”
Operation Free is a coalition of veterans and national security groups working together to raise public awareness about national security threats posed by climate change and our reliance on fossil fuels. Its goal is to support climate and energy policies that cut carbon pollution and develop clean energy incentives.
In the words of Operation Free veteran and campaign manager Alex Cornell du Houx: “Our dependence on oil forces our commanders to use troops for securing the convoys of fuel instead of using those same troops for counterinsurgency missions. It stretches our forces and results in higher casualties.”
Group officials say the US spends $1 billion a day buying crude oil from other countries. That puts money into the hands of countries that don’t support us and increases the dangers to our troops overseas. The US military and various national security agencies such as the CIA have warned about grave dangers associated with climate change in the years ahead. Many countries will be unable to cope with a rapidly changing climate, resulting in more unrest and fueling the growth of terrorism.

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