The deserters: Awol crisis hits the US forces

[robertpaulsen]

The deserters: Awol crisis hits the US forces

As the death toll of troops mounts in Iraq and Afghanistan, America's military recruiting figures have plummeted to an all-time low. Thousands of US servicemen and women are now refusing to serve their country.

By Andrew Buncombe
The Independent
16 May 2005
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/story.jsp?story=638635

Sergeant Kevin Benderman cannot shake the images from his head. There are bombed villages and desperate people. There are dogs eating corpses thrown into a mass grave. And most unremitting of all, there is the image of a young Iraqi girl, no more than eight or nine, one arm severely burnt and blistered, and the sound of her screams.

Last January, these memories became too much for this veteran of the war in Iraq. Informed his unit was about to return, he told his commanders he wanted out and applied to be considered a conscientious objector. The Army refused and charged him with desertion. Last week, his case - which carries a penalty of up to seven years' imprisonment - started before a military judge at Fort Stewart in Georgia.

"If I am sincere in what I say and there's consequences because of my actions, I am prepared to stand up and take it," Sgt Benderman said. "If I have to go to prison because I don't want to kill anybody, so be it."

The case of Sgt Benderman and those of others like him has focused attention on the thousands of US troops who have gone Awol (Absent Without Leave) since the start of President George Bush's so-called war on terror. The most recent Pentagon figures suggest there are 5,133 troops missing from duty. Of these 2,376 are sought by the Army, 1,410 by the Navy, 1,297 by the Marines and 50 by the Air Force. Some have been missing for decades.

more...

http://www.fromthewilderness.com/free/ww3/051905_world_stories.shtml

[DrDebug]

1. Follow the leader!

[Submariner]

2. Calling all FREEPERS

It's time for you to fill the void to back your Chimp-in-Chief! JOIN NOW!

[oasis]

5. Freep types have been MIA since the beginning of our republic. Lily

livered, yellow bellies when it comes down to going into battle for their country.

[Swamp Rat]

3. Kevin Benderman is an American hero

May every U.S. soldier follow his example.

[coloradodem2005]

4. Hey freepers and fundies.

You want to serve your country, now is the time.

[Devlzown]

6. A friend of mine is going to have to

go for another tour in Iraq later this year. He just told me the other night when we were out having some beers. He's understandably depressed about it and says he doesn't know if he can go back and kill more people who, after all, are just defending themselves. What can you say to someone in a position like that? I told him to keep himself alive. I hope he can.