Found this in the local rag here yesterday and thought it would be interesting to see what others have to say.
[u][b]It’s not his war
U.S. deserters put their faith in Canada [/b][/u]
By Jason Botchford, Toronto Sun
[b][i]"Hundreds of American soldiers are preparing to come to Canada if this country again opens its doors to war resisters.
Toronto lawyer Jeffry House, who is representing Jeremy Hinzman’s landmark refugee case, said 200 have contacted him alone, mostly since George W. Bush was re-elected in November, looking for a way out.
Darrell Anderson knows why.
Seven months in combat
After serving in combat in Baghdad for seven months, the 22-year-old Kentucky-bred soldier turned his back on his home, his family – including his 4-year-old daughter – and his country to come to Toronto two weeks ago so he didn’t have to go back to Iraq and train his gun on one more innocent child.
He is the most recent soldier to desert the American army and come to Canada…
An estimated 5,500 men and women have deserted since the invasion of Iraq, reflecting Washington’s growing problems with troop morale…
During the Vietnam War, Canada had one of the most open immigration policies in the world. People who showed up at the border were given “landed-immigrant” status on the spot…
The United States Army treats deserters as common criminals, posting them on “wanted” lists with the FBI, state police forces and department of homeland security border patrols…"[/i][/b]
canoe.ca/NewsStand/TorontoSu … 13848.html
I, for one, hope the present govt. would issue a Trudeau-like decree and roll out the welcome wagon for those wishing to conscientiously object to fighting for something they have stopped believing in and a president and an administration they no longer hold credible.
I must also add that some of the most incredible teachers I’ve known were Vietnam era conscientious objectors–those that had the guts to cross the border–so I am, perhaps, a bit biased on this issue.
At the core of this issue, I think, is the right of a govt. to force its soldiers to fight when they have lost the will to do so. There should be a provision to grant dishonourable discharges to soldiers who have lost the will to shed blood, shouldn