Home > Growing number of soldiers oppose — and refuse to report for — the war in Iraq

Growing number of soldiers oppose — and refuse to report for — the war in Iraq

by Open-Publishing - Friday 28 January 2005
41 comments

Edito Wars and conflicts International USA

’They can’t throw us all in jail’
Growing number of soldiers oppose — and refuse to report for — the war in Iraq

The Pentagon doesn’t like to talk about it. But as the war in Iraq becomes ever more violent and prolonged, an increasing number of soldiers are opposing the war — up to and including refusing to fight.

Thus far, the numbers, compared to Vietnam, are still small. The Pentagon estimated in 2003 that nearly 3,000 soldiers had deserted — that is, had been AWOL for more than a month — and the number has since grown. The Pentagon says it is not actively trying to track the cases down. A number of things have changed since Vietnam: the volunteer army replaced the draft, conscientious objector criteria are much narrower, Canada is not (yet) an option (although at least a half-dozen soldiers are petitioning for refugee status there; in one case, an effort to have the Iraq war declared illegal has already failed).

But what is the same as Vietnam is a growing sense among soldiers that the civilian politicians making the decisions are prosecuting a pointless, unjust war — and lying about their reasons for it. Established groups, including Veterans for Peace, and new ones, such as Iraq Veterans Against the War, are opposing the war, working to support resisters` and educating GIs about viable alternatives to war.

One of the other things that has changed since Vietnam is the internet, which has given rise to a vibrant network of support groups and sites. Many public resisters have their own sites. Established groups like the Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors, American Friends Service Committee, and GI Rights Counseling Hotline report a dramatic increase in calls. The GI Rights line (1-800-394-9544) is logging about 3,000 calls a month, double the pre-war level.

Many of the current crop of resisters describe similar stories: being deployed to Iraq and seeing that most of the dead there are civilians, that the war is being fought on its own momentum. Many originally believed in the war — the hunt for weapons of mass destruction, the links to 9-11 — but have become skeptical. In most cases, the resisters are not claiming pacifism — they did, after all, volunteer to join the military — but have developed a specific objection to Bush’s war in Iraq. In many cases, soldiers have come to the belief that the war itself is illegal — and thus, so are the orders to fight in it.

GI resisters are the tip of the much broader iceberg of poor morale in Iraq: dangerous duty, poor equipment, a poorly defined mission, and, always, the awareness that most Iraqis don’t want American "help." It takes a lot of guts for a young man or woman to decide to break ranks. It can mean ostracism, a life underground, even the brig for those that choose to stay and stand their ground. The first, Stephen Funk, spent six months in jail before his release and discharge in March 2004. This past fall, David Bunt spent 45 days in the Camp Lejeune brig; he filed for CO status after a tour in Afghanistan but was denied.

Camilo Mejia was sentenced to a year in prison in May 2004; he served in Iraq before applying for CO status. He writes: "I am only a regular person that got tired of being afraid to follow his own conscience. For far too long I allowed others to direct my actions — even when I knew they were wrong."

Abdulla Webster, with 18 years’ active army duty, was sentenced in June to a 14 month sentence. Amnesty International has adopted him as a prisoner of conscience.

One of the most recent public resisters is Pablo Paredes, a sailor who turned himself in and filed for CO status in San Diego on December 18. Pablo had been AWOL for almost two weeks after he refused to board a troop transport ship bound for Iraq. In an interview, Paredes said: "I’m going to throw my ID in the water and say that I’m no longer part of the military. I want to make a statement, and I want to be heard. I know other people are feeling the same way I am, and I’m hoping more people will stand up. They can’t throw us all in jail."

Thanks to Carolyn Stevens for her help on this column.
http://www.workingforchange.com/article.cfm?ItemID=18451

conscientious objector

http://www.objector.org/coclaim.html

growing number of congressional members fight to bring the troops home
http://bellaciao.org/en/article.php...

slide show to expose reality of war in Iraq
http://www.indybay.org/uploads/lega...

Forum posts

  • Good on ya’!!!

    • I’m 50 and I completely agree.

      Asking the young people of this country to risk life, limb and health, breathe DU, get their benefits cut, and constantly be put into harms way with inadequate protection, all for a criminal war that never should have happened and only serves to makes the rich richer... GOOD FOR THEM, THIS WAR IS INSANE.

      I don’t know if I would have had the courage to not go when I was 18, but I’m very impressed by the spirit and courage they show. The older I get the more clear it is, thinking like sheep never got anyone anywhere but exploited.

      It’s Americans like them that will move this country in the right direction. My hat is off to them.

    • I hope they try to draft me, cos it’ll give me the oportunity to tell them where to shove it!

    • Courage not to show, COURAGE NOT TO SHOW???? How about COWARDICE not to show? Huh? All these pussies need to suck it up, they enlisted under their choice -Now they are scared. Everyone wants to enjoy Freedom and lLiberty but no one ever wants to risk paying for it.

  • Congratulations to all conscientious objectors. We need more of you. How Bush has gotten away with this war is unbelievable. The Coalition of the Willing is not fighting a war - it is invading a country and slaughtering its’ citizens.

    Be strong and say no.

    • WAKE UP WORLD! a WELL KNOWN ASTROLOGIST CALLS THIS "THE FRUIT OF THE POISON TREE" WE ALL ARE WONDERING WHAT HAPPENED!! AFTER PLUNGING THE NATION INTO ITS DEEPEST DEBT EVER, AFTER 1100 US SOLDIERS AND 100,000 IRAQI’S KILLED ONTHE BASIS OF A LIE , AFTER CUTTING MILITARY BENEFITS (PAY YOUR OWN WAY HOME IF YOU ARE INJURED ANY WAY EXCEPT BY ENEMY FIRE.) AND SIMILTANEOUSLY RIPPING OFF SENIORS WITH THE DRUGS BENEFITS AND NOW THEIR PENSIONS AND MANY MORE CUTS COMING TO YOUR NIEGHBOR HOOD. AFTER THE LACK OF WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTIONS, THE HORRID ABUSE AT ABU GHRAIB ALL OVER TV AND THE INTER NET AND OTHER US MILITARY PRISONS . AFTER IGNORING 9/11. WE KNOW THE PLANNERS OF THAT ONE . OSAMA BIN LADEN RUNNING LOOSE ( WE WERE WISE TO THAT ONE) SADDAM HUSSEIN BLAMED FOR SOME THING HE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH .!!!AFTER INNUMERABLE HOSTAGE SITUATIONS AFTER THREE BUNGLED DEBATES ,AFTER ALL THESE AND LOTS MORE COMING THE REPUBLICANS PARTY SWEEPS HIM INTO THE PRESIDENCY AND INCREASES ITS MAJORTY IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE! OH YES FALUJA HAD TO GO TOO! NOW IRAN ONAND ON! NOW THERE ARE CHINESE RUNNING LOOSE BUT THEY GOT THEM? HO HUM !!! THEY WILL HAVE TO STAGE ANOTHER HORRER OR PAY THEIR GOONS LOTS OF MONEY TO DO IT .THE OPS BLACK.WHEN THESE EVIL PEOPLE WHO WE ALSO KNOW AT THE VERY TOP OF THE ELITE RUNNS OUR GOVERNMENT.YOU KNOW WHO OWNS AND RUNNS OUR WORLD MORE NOW THAN EVER BEFORE. THIS IS THE AWAKENING OF THE PEOPLE OF THE WHOLE WORLD . WE ARE ONE WHEN THOUSANDS DIE WE HAVE ABIG HOLE IN HUMANITY AND HALF OF OURSELVES DIE . THE ELITES TRY TO STAY WHOLE WITHOUT LOSING ASINGLE PERSON.THEY DO NOT GO WHERE DEATH IS!!! OR THEIR CHILDREN . THEY WILL CONTINUE AS THEIR CHILDREN WILL CARRY ON THE LEGACY OF KILLINGS AND DESTRUCTION AND WE WILL BE AWAKEND MORE OR IT WILL BE TOO LATE. WE MUST HELP OUR SOLDIERS ,THEY KNOW WHAT IT IS ALLABOUT IF IT WAS’NT THEY WOULD HAVE GIVEN THEIR LIFE WILLINGLY. LISTEN TO THEIR CRIES OF PAIN IN KILLING CHILDREN AND MOTHERS AND FATHERS WHO HAVE NO WEAPONS TO FIGHT BACK. THE ELITE SAY YOU HAVE TO OR YOU WON’T MAKE IT OR YOU ARE BRANDED ATRAITOR! GET THESE PEOPLE OUT OF GOVERNMENT NOW .AND OUR BUSINNESSES FROM LEAVING TO INDIA AND CHINA OR WHERE EVER. DON’T VOTE THEM BACK ANY WHERE IN THE GOVERNMENT. THIR AGENDA WILL BE RUSHED NOW TO PUSH ONE WORLD ORDER AS YOU ARE AWAKENING AND THEY DO NOT WANT THIS IT’S IN THEIR WAY.FEAR IS WHAT THEY GIVE WHEN THEY ARE LOSING.YOU DON’T DO ANY THING GOD IS US WE ARE HIS ARMY OF LIGHT TO LEARN TO LOVE OUR WORLD AND EVERYTHING IN IT HAS ARIGHT TO LIFE OR LIVE IN FEAR FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE AND CAMPS STARVATION. THEY DID THIS IN 1917 TO 1932 IN EAUROPE 20.000000DIED IN THOSE YRS. READ ABOUT IT . ITS CALLED THE FIRST HOLOCAUST OF THE 20TH CENTURY. LETS NEVER LET IT HAPPEN AGAIN. THEY KNOW WHO THEY WERE THEN. AND NOW ! THEY OPPRESSED ANY ONE WHO OPPOSED THEM AND MANY MURDERS FOR YEARS THEY MADE THE SOVIET UNION RUSSIA] IT IS CALLED NOW ALLTHIS STARTING TO SOUND FAMILIAR.FEAR ALWAYS,RIGHTS GONE,THE OTHER GUY IS THE ENEMY . THE AWAKENING IS NOW IT’S US WE KNOW NOW BUT WHAT TO DO ?ARE WE BRAVE OR TREMBLE IN FEAR AND STILL DIE .WE KNOW THEIR GAME PLAN ALREADY.!!WE DON’T NEED KERRY OR ARNOLDSWARZENEGGER EITHER WE ARE DOOMED THE SAME.LIKE THEY SAY YOU HAVE TO DESTROY TO REBUILD THE ONE WORLD ORDER.WELLWE TO HAVE TO DESTROY WE OWN THE GOVERNMENT . THEY DON’T OWN US . TAKE IT BACK!!!! NO MORE .

  • HMM... so you "dont wanna’ work on Juniors’ farm no mo’", eh? Are you torn between wanting to cruise in yer’ bitchin’ camaro with a tank full of blood- and the look in an Arabs eyes when you shoot him? Alcohol is forbidden, women can’t drive, and you must bow down behind someone elses butt six mind-numbing times a day in the direction of Mecca, VRS: your fat, brain-dead child sitting in front of his play-station, having fun with his war games that portray the very thing you now have second thoughts about, while your liberated "Ho" whines about the air conditioning? What a quandry... am I wrong to harbor the secret hope that ya’ll basically just wipe each other out? HMM...

  • What I am wondering is when the rest of the American people going to snap as to what is really happening not only in Iraq but the rest of the world as well

  • It almost seems to me as if Bush is killing his own Marines so they can’t turn against him when he blows the levee. And BTW, "Americans" no longer have ANY control over thier "Government", please do not talk as if they do, and that the fault lies with them. -thank you.

    • Geov, you hit the nail on what’s been eating me about being an American and having no control over what happens in D.C. It is precisely this that makes me want to scream, puke, and strangle somebody all at the same time. It is a rage born of a most constricting and suffocating frustration. I see the pictures from Iraq, I feel the horror and the most profound grief for the loss of life, sanity, and above all, our collective humanity. Please know, I am doing my part one step at a time to take my revenge on the Democrats and to get this country’s head out of its collective ass. Unfortunately, I fear it will take getting to the downhill side of peak oil before the suburban liberals wake up to reality.

    • True. The U.S. government is little more than a puppet of the wealthy elites who own and control the military industrial complex and oil industry. Americans have absolutely no control over our government anymore. This war is unconstitutional. Congress has the power to declare war, but didn’t in this case. Our government is out of control and will continue down that road as long as people are willing to fight for it.

  • This is great! And you can see that the Draft is coming cause they(Government)know there is resistance coming against this phony war, which is that, PHONY!

    And when the Draft is activated there will be more resistance and riots causing more pain to these scum bags in Washington D.C.

    I made a prediction and just a prediction that there will be a massive desertion coming this year, would like to see troops hijack planes over there and come back home exposing this scam. What would the Bush regime do then??? Wouldn’t that be great? Cause you can’t put them all in prison and the only ones that should go to prison is the ones in the White House for war crimes, doesn’t matter they’re protected and can’t be touched...they sure can be rounded up if those in government have the balls and do their job!

    So come on troops, this once Marine who honorably served says, come back home and expose this phony war which it is! They can’t put you all in Leaveworth military prison barracks!

    • Yeh, only in America can you not show up for duty, and still be elected President. And best of all, you can still receive an "Honorable Discharge", if you know the right people.

    • The american government is criminal and illegitimate. Civilians as well as soldiers must resist and defy it at every opportunity.

      Vanguard News Network

      Vanguard News Network Forum

    • Bush is a kid striving for attention, the guy is a complete loser. Always stating he is going to make history. And I can tell you he has. The worst President we have ever seen. If people can’t see what is going on now they have to be blind. First he announces he is not looking for Osama Bin Bush and now no weopons of mass destruction. Is everyone blind out there he is laughing at the people while running the constitution through the mud.

      WAKE THE SHEEP!

      – Nommos

      http://0911.site.voila.fr/

      www.911truth.org

    • Good On Ya True Patriot - A true patriot will stand up and voice their opinion about their once-great nation being turned into a cesspool of corruption and evil by a group of criminals at the top who should all be arrested for treason against their own constitution!! You have the courage to stand up to all the lies that are leaving thousands of your fellow-soldiers dead and injured and hundreds of thousands of innocent civilains dead and injured.

    • Bush won the election. How can you callhim a loser?

    • They would simply blow them out of the sky, blame it on muslim extremists, and have more reason for war! What a wicked web they weave.

    • Exactly, how can they wrap themselves in the flag,after they have wiped their ass with it.The only people who are behind Bush are the Elites in this country who don’t serve or joe six-pack
      from buttf*ck or the hinterlands of this nation,who blindly go off without knowledge of this deception.I seem to have forgotten the Military schools that are deliberately established in poor
      sections of are many cities to attract the impoverished.

    • What do you mean won? He stole it wake up! That makes him a loser!

    • "Bush won the election..." You’ve got to be kidding right??

    • You Mean Stole The Election, Just Like In Texas And His Brother In Florida. Two Of The Biggest Drug Running States In The Country, But Lets Not Forget About Arkinsas. Just Shows You That Clinton Was Selected Too. We’re Not Losers, Just Victims!! At Least We’re Not Blind, Poor Fool.

      I’m Not A Republican or Democrat. I’m Better Than That, I’m A Real American. I Vote For The Best Person For The Job. Lately There Haven’t Been Any!!! Remember, Heads Or Tail, It’s Still The Same Coin.

    • I Recant, I Don’t Mean Real American. Just Real To America And The Constitution. They Dare Not Call It Treason, But Still, Treason It Is. They All Swore To Uphold The Constitution, They Mostly Had There Fingers Crossed. Worship Not False Gods.

    • both bush and kerry are members of an elite group based at yale university called the skull and bones society.so it did not matter who stole the election they both have the same master .if you care to research the history of this society, to have one of them as president with the mind set that they share is very dangerous as they worship lucifer.looking at the awful mess bush and co are creating they certainly have no regard for humanity.we certainly live in interesting times.

    • If all you Treasonous FU*KS dont like it here, get the FU*K out, NOW! I’de like to see you go and hack it out over seas, damn liberals.

  • I’m 52 years old, served in the Navy 33 years ago. This action in Iraq is a war for profit for the benefit of Wall Street. Just like Viet Nam. I have four sons, two are draft age, two are soon to be draft age. I will do whatever it takes to protect my sons from the Vampires of Finance who would attempt to use my children for cannon fodder. Resist this insane war for profit. Resist the Draft when it begins. The Neo-Cons want to invade Iran next. Organize and Resist now. So many live are at stake.

    • Way to go. . . I am a pissed-off Canadian who looks at most U.S. citizens with bewilderment and anger. What the fuck is wrong with all those half-wits in your country who would believe these Con-Men in power???!! So I say to you, I really respect you standing up to those war-mongering bastards. Don’t let them take your kids away. And to Canadians, wake the hell up!! Our puppet P.M. Martin is just an obedient lapdog to Washington. Canada is not as innocent as Canadians love to believe.

  • I am praying they come home with the news to tell all the others to STOP KING GEORGE’S MADNESS
    "

  • OUR AMERICAN SOLDIERS RETURNING FROM IRAQ SHOULD BE SPAT UPON---I LIVE IN WEST VIRGINIA---DARE ONE OF THEM TO GET NEAR ME—I HATE THEM SO MUCH

    • You would spit on our soldiers? You deserve to be executed. They fight for your right to even conceive that disgusting veiw inside your head, and you bite the hand that feeds you.

  • It seems that bush is finally starting to be recognized as the sadistic, butchering bastard that he is. This scumbag of a human being is one of the biggest serial killers in human history. He makes charles manson look like an alter boy.He should have his place in the history books right next to adolph hitler. He not only needs to be tried for war crimes, he needs to be tried in the same court room as saddamn hussein on the same day by iraqui civilians. He needs to be thrown out of a helicopter over bagdad as a present to the iraqui people and let them meet out his punishment. Losing his head from the neck up would be a definite improvement. And if iraq has any sympathy for his sorry butt then give iran a chance to improve his tough guy texas demeaner. What is really troubling is why america chose to elect such a weany assed snot nosed clown like him as their commander and chief anyway. Theres a few libertarians who could have easily filled his shoes. Its about time that these volunteers stop volunteering to commit warcrimes. Theres no shame in admitting yer wrong and refusing to butcher fellow human beings.If yer dead set against killing innocent civilians then by all means, STOP DOING IT................its that simple......Stop butchering men, women and little babies.

  • ’ Let the Mopes do the fightin, we’ll do the F******"
    This is an example of what Bush’s gang say to one another when we are not around.

  • Someone above posted something about American NOT being control of their government.

    That poster hit the nail on what’s been eating me about being an American and having no control over what happens in D.C. It is precisely this that makes me want to scream. It is a rage born of a most constricting and suffocating frustration. I see the pictures from Iraq, I feel the horror and the most profound grief for the loss of life, sanity, and above all, our collective humanity. I am doing my part one step at a time. Unfortunately, I fear it will take getting to the downhill side of peak oil before the suburban liberals wake up to reality.

  • America no longer belongs to the Americans. The govts have been hijacked and controlled by the power crazed neocons to the benefits of the zionists. They don’t care about American lives. Do you think they bother about the American soldiers who died in Iraq? If you do, I’ve got a watch to sell. America is weakening thanks to the neocons. The true people of America have to wake up and do something about it. Personally, I think its almost to late to save America now. But then again, it’s better late then never.

  • Don’t Sell Your Soul to the Neocons!

    • Here’s an Idea. Eveyone at once stop fighting. Two, come home and demand in mass the impeachment of the whole Bush Regime. Three start a war crimes tribunal against them. Once they are convicted, sentence them to either death or permanent deportation to the very area where they created this mess in the 1st place. We could institute a Libertarian government by seizing power back by force in mass if necessary. I am thinking Gangs of New York on what needs to happen in the rich neighborhoods where these people live.

      All monies held by any co conspirators will be immediately seized to pay off the massive debt and try and help restore this countries economy before it’s too late. What do we normally do with criminals who steal lie cheat and kill? Do these people deserve any less?

      Finally we need to restore a United States of America, not a Diversifid States of confusion that exists today.

  • I’m happy people are beginning to resist this war by not wanting to serve. I say no more wars for ISRAEL!!!

  • Everyone must continue to resist! Our government has been poisoned and must be cleansed. I for one am tired of living in fear. Terrorism, I hate that word, GW and his cronies have used that word to intimidate us, pushes us into the corner and make us cower in fear. I can’t stand listening to the mass media that bows down to this fake government, listening to the "successful Iraqi vote" and fake interviews with "Iraqi citizens", total BS!!!! This is so depressing, I don’t even want to live here anymore.

    • When Dubya first started the Iraq war, it was costing the Taxpayers $1,000,000,000.00 (1 billion) dollars a month. Due to the steady decline in the dollar’s purchasing power the cost of the war to the taxpayers was $2,000,000,000.00 (2 billions) a month two years ago. Just the other day, in the news, it was stated the Iraq war is costing the taxpayers $4,000.000.000.00 (4 billions) a month.....or $1,000,000,000.00 (1 billion) a week. If this keeps up, look for other programs to be cut, besides Social Security. Pretty grim future huh?

  • It seems that Humanity Forgets that we must learn from the past and from our mistakes. After all the Hallabaloo on the search (ie.inquisition) for WMD’s in you-know-where, to looking on the horozon to the Outposts of tyrrany . Bush’s zeal on getting things done this way seems to be his main agenda BUT then I was reminded in an OLD story which almost seems to fit his profile quite well:

    WOLF, meeting with a Lamb astray from the fold, resolved not to lay violent hands on him, but to find some plea to justify to the Lamb the Wolf’s right to eat him. He thus addressed him: "Sirrah, last year you grossly insulted me." "Indeed," bleated the Lamb in a mournful tone of voice, "I was not then born." Then said the Wolf, "You feed in my pasture." "No, good sir," replied the Lamb, "I have not yet tasted grass." Again said the Wolf, "You drink of my well." "No," exclaimed the Lamb, "I never yet drank water, for as yet my mother’s milk is both food and drink to me." Upon which the Wolf seized him and ate him up, saying, "Well! I won’t remain supperless, even though you refute every one of my imputations."

    The tyrant will always find a pretext for his tyranny.

    Whoah! Pretty deep huh? I wonder if Bush has room on his "outposts of Tyranny" list for himself?