In the wake of quick visits to Iraq by both George Bush and Hillary Clinton, another group of Americans is paying a visit to that war-torn nation. This is a 10-person delegation of veterans and military families with loved ones serving in Iraq. Organized by the San Francisco-based human rights group Global Exchange, the delegation offers a unique opportunity for Americans to get an unfiltered view of how Iraqis and US troops are faring under the occupation.

"Both George Bush and Hillary Clinton have a hidden agenda. They are both using their trips to Iraq to better position their political parties in the upcoming elections," said Michael McPhearson, one of the delegates who is a Gulf War veteran and has a son serving in the military. "The only agenda of our delegation is to uncover the truth."

"Our mission is not photo ops," said delegate Fernando Suarez, whose son Jesus was a Marine who died in combat in Iraq. "Our mission is talking to ordinary Iraqis and US troops, figuring out why things have gone so terribly wrong and what we can do to stop the violence and bring the troops home." Mr. Suarez is also bringing thousands of letters of peace from children in the United States to the children of Iraq, as well as medical supplies for hospitals.

"As far as I know, this is the first time in history that US military families are venturing into a war zone to seek answers," said delegation leader Medea Benjamin, whose group Global Exchange organized the trip. "These remarkable people are putting themselves at risk to show their concern for their loved ones, all the troops, and the Iraqi people. It is an extraordinary act of courage and compassion."

The delegation is leaving from various airports in the United States on November 29, and meeting up in Amman, Jordan. Unlike US politicians, they have no US military plane to escort them into Iraq, and there are no commercial flights either. So they will have to endure a 12-hour overland trek across the desert to Baghdad, passing through the dangerous Sunni triangle.

"I know it is very risky trip, but I feel compelled to go there," said Anabelle Valencia, a military mother and school teacher traveling with the delegation. "I want to see my son and daughter and talk to the other troops. I want to talk to the Iraqi people, especially the women. And I want to talk to the US authorities and ask them when they are going to send our troops home and allow the Iraqis to run their own country."

Trip participant Mike Lopercio, a businessman from Tempe, Arizona whose son is stationed in Iraq, also has a lot of questions. "I have never been so completely confused by conflicting reports about an area that has been so extensively covered by the media. I want to ask Iraqis how they feel about our presence and if they understand and agree with our objectives. I want to find out if the current attacks on our troops are acts of a small minority or supported by most of the population. As a father and a US citizen, I need answers to these questions."

The delegation is anxious to get many points of view. With the help of their members of congress, they solicited meetings with Coalition Provisional Authority Administrator Paul Bremer and Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez, but have not received a response. The group will meet with representatives of the Iraqi Governing Council, human rights organizations, and womenıs groups. They will also meet with Iraqis who have family members injured, killed or detained by US forces.

Upon their return, members of the delegation have requested meetings with U.S. and U.N. policymakers, including President Bush, National Security Advisory Condoleeza Rice, U.N. Secreatry-General Kofi Annan, and U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. John Negroponte.

The organizations sponsoring the delegation are Global Exchange and the International Occupation Watch Center. Global Exchange is a human rights group based in San Francisco that sponsors educational trips to such countries as Afghanistan, Vietnam, and Israel/Palestine. The International Occupation Watch Center was established in July by international peace groups to monitor and report on the occupation of Iraq.

Andrea Buffa works for the human rights organization Global Exchange. Medea Benjamin co-founded Global Exchange and is leading the military families and veterans delegation to Iraq.

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