Two Democratic Iraq war veterans are scheduled to participate in a panel discussion about the war at 7:30 p.m. Monday in the Keck classroom of Pettengill Hall at Bates College in Lewiston.

Adam Cote, a former 1st District Congressional candidate, and Alex Cornell du Houx, a candidate for House District 66 in the Maine Legislature, will be joined by Bill Nemitz, a columnist for the Portland Press Herald and Maine Sunday Telegram newspapers.

Cote served in the U.S. Army in Bosnia and Iraq, where he helped rebuild schools, hospitals and infrastructure.

Cornell du Houx served in Iraq as a Marine in 2006, stationed in Fallujah, before returning to Brunswick to complete his undergraduate degree from Bowdoin College.

Nemitz has traveled to Iraq three times since 2004, embedding with units of the Maine Army National Guard and the U.S. Army Reserve.

The event is titled “Revisiting Iraq: Five Years Later” and is sponsored by a student group at Bates. It is free and open to the public.

Women plan rallies for Obama

The group Maine Women for Obama is planning events in Bethel and Auburn in hopes of increasing support for Sen. Barack Obama, the Democratic nominee for president.

In Bethel, a rally is scheduled for 4 p.m. Tuesday on the Common at the Gazebo on Broad Street. Mary Herman, wife of former Gov. Angus King, is scheduled to speak at the event. Participants will then march to L’Auberge for refreshments and a phone bank. In the case of rain, the rally will be held inside L’Auberge. All are welcome.

In Auburn, the Women for Obama event will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the campaign office at 1 Great Falls Plaza. Women of all ages are free to stop by for refreshments and to help with the campaign.

– Rebekah Metzler