US Soldier: “There’s No Way I’m Going to Deploy to Afghanistan”

[JohnyCanuck]

“There’s No Way I’m Going to Deploy to Afghanistan”

by Dahr Jamail

SNIP

Having served three years and nine months in the U.S. Army, Agosto was to complete his contract and be discharged on Aug. 3. But due to his excellent record of service and accrued leave, he was to be released the end of June. Nevertheless, due to the stop-loss programme, the Army decided to deploy him to Afghanistan anyway.

Stop-loss is a programme the military uses to keep soldiers enlisted beyond the terms of their contracts. Since Sep. 11, 2001, more than 140,000 troops have had tours extended by stop-loss.

A copy of his Counseling Form from the Army, dated May 1, reads, “You will deploy in support of OEF on or about with 57th ESB. This is a direct order from your Company Commander CPT Michael J. Pederson.”

Agosto posted copies of the Counseling Statements issued by the Army on his Facebook page. Counseling Statements outline actions taken by the Army to discipline Agosto for his refusal to obey a direct order from his company commander.

On one of them, dated May 1, Agosto’s written statement appears: “There is no way I will deploy to Afghanistan. The occupation is immoral and unjust. It does not make the American people any safer. It has the opposite effect.”


SNIP

When IPS asked Agosto if he is willing to take whatever consequences the Army is prepared to mete out, he replied, “Yes. I’m fully prepared for this. I have concluded that the wars are not going to be ended by politicians or people at the top. They are not responsive to the people, they are responsive to corporate America.” (my emphasis /JC)

http://dahrjamailiraq.com/theres-no-way-im-going-to-deploy-to-afghanistan

Well here's one US soldier who sees through the bullshit as did Marine Corps General Smedley Butler eventually. Apparently for Agosto having access to the internet meant it didn't take quite as long as it did Butler to see through officialdom's spin and propaganda.

[readmoreoften]

1. It is actually much better than that. He is trying to encourage his entire battalion to resist.

Victor is resisting on base to try to get others to follow. His goal is to help be a part of a movement of mass resistance from within the Army itself. Victor is a young man of intense courage. He isn't just refusing to go and taking himself out of the game by going AWOL. He has refused to deploy and refused to follow any order related to deployment and is STAYING on base until his platoon leaves. What that means is, he wakes up, gets in formation, and says "SIR NO SIR!" all day long. He does this because he wants to show the troops that they CAN refuse and that war resisters aren't cowards but courageous. He is having such an effect that another soldier of a higher rank in his battalion (Staff Sergeant Travis Bishop) refused to deploy to Afghanistan last week citing Victor as an inspiration.

There are so many AWOL at Fort Hood now (even before Victor) that they're not even looking for them. They just hope they don't make a stink so they can tell the other GIs that they're cowards. Many GIs thought Obama was going to end the war. They're exhausted and traumatized. The wars are unbelievably unpopular.

http://socialistworker.org/2009/05/26/refusing-to-go-to-afghanistan

[Smith_3]

2. YES. Here's a trooper I support.

[Thothmes]

3. Wonder how long it will take the Obama Administration

to court martial this guy and hustle him off to Leavenworth.

[Smith_3]

4. While stressing that this is not ideal but "necessary in the spirit of bipartisanship".

[readmoreoften]

8. He will probably serve max 18 months in prison and lose his GI bill and benefits.

We're prepared for this. If you believe in what he is doing, please help us fight for him. He will need support and encouragement in the coming months. The support he gets (not even financial but letters, emails, words of support) could affect whether or not other GIs see resistance as something possible.

[Thothmes]

10. He loses more than that. Conviction by a courts martial

is a Federal felony conviction. He loses his right to vote,own fire arms and any other thing that they take away from a convicted Federal felon.

[pleah]

5. K&R

[roody]

6. What a brave man!

[babydollhead]

7. kick

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

9. Bravo to a brave man.

"The man who can face vilification and disgrace, who can stand up against the popular current, even against his friends and his country when he know he is right, who can defy those in authority over him, who can take punishment and prison and remain steadfast—that is a man of courage. The fellow whom you taunt as a 'slacker' because he refuses to turn murderer—he needs courage. But do you need much courage just to obey orders, to do as you are told and to fall in line with thousands of others to the tune of general approval and the Star Spangled Banner?"
—Alexander Berkman, What Is Communist Anarchism?

[hardtravelin]

11. Why did he join the Army in NOV of 2005 and not expect to be sent overseas?

It's pretty clear what the outcome was going to be.

You sign the paper, you take your orders. Right now, you cannot possibly make the case that an order to deploy is an unlawful one.

[followthemoney]

13. Sometimes the haze of propaganda has to clear by extreme ...

means before the glare of reality becomes apparent.

[roamer65]

12. Hopefully more of his comrades join him.

[ClayZ]

14. "Sir, No Sir!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDk6Qal2DCI


K and R