Deserter Aims To Be First Veteran To Challenge Iraq War's Morality

[NNN0LHI]

http://nefac.net/node/1063

BY MICHAEL MARTINEZ

Chicago Tribune

NEW YORK - (KRT) - In Iraq last April, freshly promoted Staff Sgt. Camilo Mejia led squads of Florida National Guard soldiers in the fight against insurgents in the deadly Sunni triangle.

But Mejia became increasingly pained by his war experiences, and when he went on leave last fall, he decided not to come back. The staff sergeant - one of about 600 soldiers counted as AWOL by the Army during home leaves from Iraq - was eventually labeled a deserter.

Now, after five months in hiding, Mejia plans to surrender on Monday in Boston on the eve of the war's first anniversary, and he aims to become the first Iraq war veteran to publicly challenge the morality and conduct of the conflict. At a time when Americans increasingly hold grave concerns about the bloody war, Mejia intends to seek conscientious objector status to avoid a court-martial. snip

"It was part of a general feeling that we had no right to be there, and every killing, whether provoked or not provoked, was unjustified because we had no right to be there." snip

Desertion during wartime can be punishable by death, but execution is unlikely, said Mejia's attorney, Louis Font, noting that there was never an official act of war declared by Congress, though the use of force was authorized in a resolution. Since the Civil War, only one American soldier has been executed for desertion: Pvt. Eddie Slovik, who was shot by a firing squad in 1945.

more

[sui generis]

1. I hate to say it, but

I think the army should argue for the death penalty (I say this rhetorically)

It would show our very fascist leanings in short order, would hurt enrollment, and would cause huge division among moderates, and would practically ensure that a draft could never happen.

[anarchy1999]

2. Mejia was tried and convicted. He served his time in Oklahoma and was

released in the last couple of months, or did I hear his sentence was reduced, not going to google right now, you can.

He's a hero.

[NNN0LHI]

3. Why has he been in hiding for the past 5 months? I don't get it? n/t

[fedupinBushcountry]

4. Old Story

This story was written on March 15, 2004. He hid out for 5 months before he turned himself in.

[anarchy1999]

5. Please note the date of link you posted to. Have you been up all night?

Deserter Aims To Be First Veteran To Challenge Iraq War's Morality
Submitted by NEFAC on Mon, 03/15/2004 - 11:11.

snip from article you posted:

"...on the eve of the war's first anniversary, and he aims to become the first Iraq war veteran to publicly challenge the morality and conduct of the conflict. At a time when Americans increasingly hold grave concerns about the bloody war, Mejia intends to seek conscientious objector status to avoid a court-martial."

"on the eve of the first anniversary", we're in year two.

It was a full year ago, babe. The Dallas Peace Center and affiliated groups went and held a protest last year in his support at the base where the hearing was held.

Go take a nap.

On edit: You are one of the best, I hold you in the highest regard as an elder here at DU....

[Moderator]

6. Locking

Not LBN.