Dear Battalion and Home Guard,

On January 4 it will be 11 months since the Court of Appeals of the Armed Forces (CAAF) heard oral arguments on a single and simple question regarding the case of Army Spc. Michael New.  The question before the court is a profound one, but not a difficult one.  "Is a defendant in a military court entitled to all the elements of a defense?"  In other words, was Michael New entitled to introduce evidence in defense of his own contention that the order to wear a United Nations uniform was illegal?

Yes, it's an important question.  But it could have been answered in 24 hours by this Court.  A ruling against Michael New is probable at this point, and that's apparently why they are so reluctant to release it.  Because they know we'll immediately proceed to the Supreme Court, where the Army is going to lose on this question.

But it avoids the more important questions that Spc. New and his attorneys have raised.  Among them are these: Which is probably why CAAF is stalling.

In your spare time, would you be so kind as to drop a line to President-elect George W. Bush, and politely request that he inquire into why the Court of Appeals of the Armed Forces is not doing their job?  He's successfully avoided this question for four years, so now he gets the privilege of answering it.  (We would like to see his reply, if it has any substance.)

A few questions, well placed, may just rattle the cage of the Court enough for us to move on to the next stage.  A lot of folks in uniform are waiting on this question to be settled.  Careers are hanging in the balance.

Write to:        President-elect George W. Bush
                     211 East 7th Street Suite 620
                     Austin, Texas 78701
____________________________
The Free American is one of those magazines you can't recommend to everyone.  If you want your analysis sugar-coated and your issues pre-digested through a politically correct process, you won't like it.  Editor Clay Douglas will strike you at first as a rough character.  The first impression is deceptive.  He's a lot rougher than he looks.  But he writes some good stuff, and he doesn't pull punches, and he's a journalist of the old school, not really having enough sense to care that some of the articles he writes are going to cost him advertisers and subscribers.

So, why mention him here?  Because he not only supports Michael New with articles, he offered to put his money where his mouth is.  Any of our friends who subscribe to his monthly magazine for the standard rate of $40 a year will get the magazine, and we'll get a $10 contribution from Clay.  But you have to tell him, otherwise he won't know.  (If you can't afford the magazine, consider selling the TV and using the money to subscribe for two years! Or, if you don't have time to read Clay's usually excellent and often controversial articles, you could just send us the $10 direct and save $30!

Here's his website.  Check him out.
http://www.freeamerican.com/
_____________________________

I remind you that the book, MICHAEL NEW -- Mercenary...or American Soldier, is not only still in print (3rd edition) and available for donations of $5 or more, but every time someone sends $5, it enables us to send a FREE copy to a soldier or sailor, etc.  We are getting requests on our website for free books, now from several different countries.  This imposes a postage problem, which we always attempt to pay.  

Also, if you haven't ordered a case of books (50 books for $50), then you haven't gotten serious about spreading the word.  If you can't afford $50, then sell the Game Boy.  Then sell ten books for the cover price and you have 40 books left over to give away.  Or, sell them all, get $250 in your pocket, and consider it a new part-time income!

We get letters from soldiers which say, "I thought Spc. New was wrong, but someone sent me this book, and I read it to prove him wrong, and now I understand.  There's NO WAY they will ever make ME wear a blue beret!!"  That's what makes it worth it all.  But most men in the military haven't seen the book.  It's a zone defense, people.  Order enough to send to every person in uniform that you know.  Put them in local libraries and especially give them to high school and college students.

_________________________________
Trip to Italy -- In early December it was my privilege to address a conference of Libertarians from all over Europe, meeting in Milan, Italy.  I took Son #2 with me -- Gabriel -- as bodyguard and Student of Liberty.  It was an outstanding experience.  We not only got to listen to outstanding speakers from Great Britain, Germany, Switzerland, France and Italy, (with headphones providing translations), but to see the world through their eyes, which is not always the same way Americans see things.  The communist street demonstrators outside, along with a corridor of police with shields and batons, provided an ambience of special European flavor!
_________________________________


How YOU can help
One of our biggest problems is that most Americans think the case of Michael New was long ago buried in the court system, and that it's all over.  But it isn't all over, and with the change of administration, we may also see a new legal environment whereby the case can finally advance.

If you were to write a letter to your local newspaper and explain that the case is still alive, still pending in the Court of Appeals of the Armed Forces, and will be an issue in the 107th Congress, it seems to us that one letter published in a local newspaper will alert people and keep the case alive in a manner that will be more effective than anything we, as a family, can possible do.  If you get published, please let us see a copy, by mailing it (along with date and name of paper) to our address in Texas.

Sample letter, upon which you will surely improve:
To the Editor:

Many people think the issue of Army Spc. Michael New has long since died, but it promises to be a defining issue with a new administration.

Michael New was the first, and only, American soldier ever court-martialed for wanting to serve his own country, exclusively, and thereby refusing to serve as an involuntary mercenary under the United Nations military.  His court-martial is still on appeal.

Currently pending before the final military court, the Court of Appeals of the Armed Forces, I have been keeping up with this issue by going to the website http://www.mikenew.com/ where updates are regularly posted.  I encourage this newspaper (name of paper) to keep the many veterans and families of active duty military personnel informed of breaking events in this very important issue.

If American soldiers can be forced to serve in any army other than the USA, then we have lost our national sovereignty.

(signed)



We wish a very blessed "New" Year to you and yours.

Daniel & Suzanne New
Michael & Claudia New
Gabriel New
Gamaliel New