Letters to the Editor
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Priorities
"...excited about his imminent freedom, the soldier drove back to his house, where he found an Army official waiting on his driveway with orders for him to return for a third tour."
If only Army officials would pursue Osama bin Laden this vigorously.
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"Prosecution is different from persecution"
This quote from the University of Toronto professor ably sums up why these ex-soldiers will have a difficult time making their case. It was their choice to join the military; now they seem to think they're civilians who can simply quit a job they don't like anymore.
Sorry.
As much as I hate Bush's war, and as much damage as he's probably done to the morale of the military, soldiers don't get to quit when they feel like it. They may have had a genuine change of heart now that they've seen mass murder up close. In that case, civil disobedience - and facing its consequences - might be an honorable option. But they get no points for choosing the easy way - taking advantage of the hospitality and relative sanity of our northern neighbor.
Still, it's likely more than a few have fled out of plain old cowardice. They don't mind doing the shooting; they just don't like it when the Iraqis shoot back.
When you join the military by choice, you simply don't get the same sympathy for desertion as someone who was conscripted against his will.
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More power to 'em
Anyone that resists this criminal war is a hero that deserves our support.
As for "soldiers don't get to quit when they feel like it", no one can be forced to engage in a criminal act, I don't care why they joined the military. They certainly didn't join to support a criminal invasion; if only more Americans had the spine to resist the criminality of this assministration the world would be a whole lot better off.
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Thanks for visiting but stay at home
No offence but an American with enough sense to flee a pointless military occupation is still an American. Nice to have as a visitor now and then but not really that great as a neighbour. Stay at home and fight for what you believe in.
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Join up smarter next time
For real, next time VOLUNTEER a little wiser.
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A little lack of history
Canada (or at least Ontario) was effectively created by people fleeing the US. The United Empire Loyalists were driven out of the States after the American Revolution.
Also, from Wikipedia:
Pemberton Ridge, situated 3 miles north of Forest City on a hill overlooking East Grand Lake and Spednic Lake, in southwestern New Brunswick, Canada.
In the early 1860s it was called "Skedaddle Ridge" because of settlers who fled there to avoid draft into the US Civil War. Some of the settlers include Leeman and MacKenney, of which descendants are still living there. In its heyday, Pemberton Ridge probably had a population of 15–20 families; around 75–100 people.
Then the original Underground Railway.
Canada has always been where Americans come to avoid repression.
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Canada
Well....hopefully getting a little taste of our American style Fascism will put our friendly neighbors to the north on a path to backlash with us. The bright side of the last six years is that it has opened the eyes of a lot of people to the actual agenda of the right wing (perpetuating, elevating and maintaining the aristocrasy), and the world is poised to possibly make some huge progressive strides forward, which can in fact snowball....the institution of universal healthcare reduces the ability of "the man" to bully workers with the threat of loss of job and benefits.....newly empowered, workers can take steps towards things like collective bargaining...next thing you know, there could be powerful unions forcing these fucking corporations to bring the jobs back from the third world.......
All conjecture of course, and not particularly on topic but.....
VV
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BUSHWACOED Dollars at work from
the "COALITION of the PURHASED" money from China, from Japan or from a Tail of Two Kings: King Saud and King DUBYA.
Did Tony Blair send the Redcoats North when he visited Crawford, Texas---"soldiers are fleeing....for Canada": them who did not Serve "are fleeseing the Americans for a Yen of Euros".
THERE IS NO SAFE HAVEN FROM KING GEORGE AND HIS TERRORISM
At a rating of 23% approval, the King needs to listen to his own words; "If you are Not with us, then by damn, we'll just KILL you", or something like that.
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What they're deserting is a criminal enterprise.
The U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq is an ongoing war crime.
Every single person who abandons a military commitment under George W. Bush - regardless of intent, motivation or circumstance - is performing a service to humanity.
If only the rest of the military would follow suit.
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A Canadian response...
THE CONSERVATIVE BIT
I think that a lot of Canadians who would be quite comfortable with the idea of allowing drafted soldiers refuge are much less comfortable with the idea of allowing willing enlistees -- regardless of economic pressures -- the same latitude.
I am the son of a soldier, and I can very much see any number of cases where a serviceman or servicewoman might disagree with a war being waged, but where their desertion would simply be disastrous. I do not personally support the war in Iraq, but as someone who grew up in a family that wouldn't allow any political candidates (even close family friends) to post campaign signs on the lawn, I think that members of the armed forces have a higher standard to adhere to before they allow their (perfectly legitimate) views to interfere with duty.
Every deserter has to be replaced. Many replacements are less well trained, and they are certainly not as well integrated into their units. Desertion, almost inevitably, costs lives.
THE LIBERAL BIT
Of course, desertion costs fewer lives than launching an unjustified invasion of Iraq. Again, as an army brat, I am delighted that Hussein is out of power. The "containment" spoken of by doves was really a slow-burning war. That said, the hawks in this case have been disingenuous, and undermined international law.
America finds itself in a terrible situation. A prolonged US presence after an unjustified invasion is unaceptable. and yet, a total withdrawal could mean a bloodier Iraq, with greater cost of life to Iraqis. I don't envy your country.
For the soldiers who have deserted, I have this to offer. If you genuinely believe that you are engaging in an act of civil disobedience, then remember that civil disobedience means breaking unjust laws -- and facing punsihment. It means making a statement that you feel strongly enough to break the unjust law, take it on the chin, and use that as a platform for change. Anyone can break a law. Someone who breaks the law, serves the time, and campaigns for the law to change has real moral authority.
THE CANADIAN BIT (well, really the Torontonian bit)
Toronto is Canada's largest city, and it is surrounded by Canada's largest sprawl. The city proper falls within the area code 416. The suburbs are 905. There is not a single Conservative MP in the 416...
That's not relevant to the argument above... I just want to point out that I didn't vote for Harper or any of his cronies!