Support Eli Israel, military war resister, currently in Iraq. Update

[Tom Joad]

Courage to Resist . June 21, 2007

On June 19, Army Spc Eleon “Eli” Israel put himself at great personal risk by making the courageous decision to refuse further participation in the U.S. occupation of Iraq. The 26-year-old from Arlington, Virginia told his command that he will no longer be a combatant in this illegal, unjustified war (note from Tom-- I am glad he calls it what it is... not a "mistake", not "mismanaged" he calls it a crime, and good people don't participate in crimes, nor do they fund the execution thereof). Eli believes that the U.S. government used the attacks of September 11, 2001 as a pretense to invade Iraq and that “we are now violating the people of this country (Iraq) in ways that we would never accept on our own soil.” Eli is stationed at Camp Victory in Baghdad with JVB Bravo Company, 1-149 Infantry of the Kentucky Army National Guard and intends to seek a discharge as a conscientious objector.

Yesterday, Eli’s urgent message from Baghdad buzzed around the Internet:

I have told them that I will no longer play a ‘combat role’ in this conflict or ‘protect corporate representatives,’ and they have taken this as ‘violating a direct order.’ I may be in jail or worse in the next 24 hours. Please rally whoever you can, call whoever you can, bring as much attention to this as you can. I have no doubt that the military will bury me and hide the whole situation if they can. I'm in big trouble. I'm in the middle of Iraq, surrounded by people who are not on my side. Please help me. Please contact whoever you can, and tell them who I am, so I don't ‘disappear.’

After receiving support and advice from a number of organizations, including Courage to Resist and Iraq Veterans Against the War, Eli has sent this update today:

Thank you for your support. I am currently "OK", thanks in no small part I'm sure to the voices that have spoken up in the name of peace. I don't know what the military's next steps are going to be, but my deeply held beliefs prevent me from participating in this or any other war....

I have been in Iraq for over a year. I have served in combat. I have been awarded the Combat Infantry Badge, for my actions in Combat. I have been recommended for other medals, that I will now probably never see (nor do I want)....

It would have been a lot "easier" for me to simply keep doing combat missions for a couple more weeks, and be done with things. Moral convictions are not based on timing or convenience, and I thank all of you for your being here for me now.

[babylonsister]

1. Thank you, Tom. I applaud this man for the courage of his convictions. nt