Last December, Suarez's father, Fernando, ventured to the place where his son was killed. At the site where Jesus died, Fernando placed a crucifix in the ground and scooped up some dirt. He said he was going to take the soil home to his wife so she could plant a flower in memory of Jesus. Then Fernando broke into tears.

Fernando's journey to Iraq was organized by Global Exchange as part of a delegation of military families and veterans. The trip participants are part of a growing tide of disquiet among military families. As casualties mount and the rationales for war are revealed as lies, more and more military families are beginning to question—and actively oppose—the U.S. occupation of Iraq.

In his halting English, Fernando Suarez recently told a reporter for Newseek : "Mr. Bush lie and who die? ... My son."

Since the September 11 disaster, the Bush Administration has taken a brutal "you're-with-us-or-you're-against-us" posture. This translates into the notion that if you oppose the Iraq war, you're acting against the soldiers there. In response, Global Exchange and other voices within the peace movement have suggested that the best way to support the troops is to get them out of harm's way by ending the occupation.

That point of view is gaining new legitimacy as an increasing number of military families demand that the troops come home. An group called Military Families Speak Out is organizing the relatives of U.S. servicemen and women opposed to the war. Representing spouses, siblings, and parents, the organization offers a mutual support system while providing opportunities—such as Congressional briefings—to make their voices heard.

So far, more than 1,000 people have joined Military Families Speak Out. As the evidence builds that there never was any real evidence that Iraq posed a threat to the United States, support for the group is growing. Every day more people are saying they feel betrayed by the Bush Administration. "The sacred trust that I, my husband, and all Americans had with our government has been destroyed," reads a letter from a reservist's wife on the Speak Out website. "This is just another lie," says Joe Werfelman, whose son is a reservist.

The GX military families delegation was determined to find the truth of what is really happening in Iraq. During the trip, Suarez and the other delegation members—including three other military parents and three veterans—met with a wide range of Iraqis and U.S. officials. The group had the opportunity to talk with ordinary Iraqis who lost loved ones during the war, members of the Iraqi governing council, and even Ambassador Paul Bremer. The families delivered to U.S. soldiers letters pleading for peace written by schoolchildren in the U.S., and gave clothing and toys to a Baghdad children's hospital.

To better understand the reality of Iraq, and to share their findings with a wider audience, the group prepared a report on their experiences. The delegation concluded that:

• Money for rebuilding should not go to foreign companies like Halliburton and Bechtel but to the appropriate Iraqi ministries and to Iraqi companies.

• Security issues need to be addressed by Iraqis with the backup of a truly international force not under the control of the U.S.

• Iraqi civilians who were mistakenly hurt by U.S. forces must be compensated for their losses in a timely manner.

• The transition to Iraqi self-rule cannot be done by military forces occupying the country. There must be a schedule for the withdrawal of U.S. troops, and a more neutral, international force such as the United Nations should oversee the transition to self-rule.

The delegation found that, yes, Iraqis are more free than they were under Saddam Hussein. But that does not mean they have been liberated. As long as a foreign army controls their fate, the Iraqi people remain a subjugated people.

It's that feeling of subjugation and humiliation which feeds the ongoing insurgency. To date more than 500 U.S. soldiers have died in Iraq, as well as countless Iraqis. Thousands of U.S. personnel have been wounded, many of them crippled for life.

The best way to stop this bloodshed is to bring the U.S. troops home as soon as possible.

"Dad, they hate us here," Anthony Lopercio, a son of one of the delegation members, said. "They think of us as occupiers and want us to go home."

Bring Fernando Suarez to Your Community

After losing his son in Iraq, Fernando Suarez has become a powerful voice for peace. Bringing Fernando to your community offers a tremendous way of raising public awareness about the reality in Iraq. To host an event for Fernando, please contact the GX Speakers Bureau at 415-575-5550 or speakers@globalexchange.org

If you know of someone who has a relative in the military, please encourage them to connect with Military Families Speak Out: