"There's No Way I'm Going to Deploy to Afghanistan"

[Echo In Light]

"In another, dated May 18, he wrote: "I will not obey any orders I deem to be immoral or illegal."" :thumbsup:

"There's No Way I'm Going to Deploy to Afghanistan"
by Dahr Jamail

MARFA, Texas - "It's a matter of what I'm willing to live with," Specialist Victor Agosto of the U.S. Army, who is refusing orders to deploy to Afghanistan, explained to IPS. "I'm not willing to participate in this occupation, knowing it is completely wrong."

<snip>

"I never had any traumatic experiences, never fired my weapon," Agosto told IPS in a phone interview. "I mostly worked in information technology, working on computers and keeping the network functioning well. But it was in Iraq that I turned against the occupations. Through my reading, and watching what was going on, I started to feel very guilty."

Agosto added, "What I did there, I know I contributed to death and human suffering. It's hard to quantify how much I caused, but I know I contributed to it."

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 program, the Army decided to deploy him to Afghanistan anyway.

Stop-loss is a program 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.

<snip>

"My father said, ‘Do only what you can live with, because every morning you have to look at your face in the mirror when you shave. Ten years from now, you'll still be shaving the same face.' If I had deployed to Afghanistan, I don't think I would have been able to look into another mirror again."

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/05/26-8

[Bragi]

1. He's an honorable soldier /nt

[armyowalgreens]

2. This reminds me of an excellent quote by Alex Berkman

"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

[timtom]

35. Thanks for quoting him.

Every time I think of Emma Goldman, I try to remember, who was her cohort?

I used to have his "ABC's of Anarchism".

[Smith_3]

3. Kick for courage.

[razorman]

4. I fine to take a stand based on conscience. But, he'd better be prepared

to accept the consequences without whining.

[patrice]

5. Individual Conscience USED to be what it meant to be American. What would Freedom be FOR, what

would its Purpose be, without Individual Conscience?

I'd really like an answer to that question.

[patrice]

6. The basic fact is that this country CAN be defended without doing things like Iraq and

our other militaristic interventions around the globe.

Killing causes Killing.

[Buzz Clik]

7. Why the fuck did he join the military? Job training?

Total bullshit.

[Bragi]

8. Probably joined to do good

But he found out that you can't really do good abroad in the U.S military, all you can do is to kill people and destroy stuff.

He's done the right thing. I wish more troops would resist to tell Washington (including Obama) to go stuff their endless wars.

- B

[Buzz Clik]

9. This is a helluva time for an epiphany.

What's next -- joining a brothel and deciding you find sex "dirty"?

[Bragi]

10. Does the concept of international law mean anything to you?

Things like the Geneva Convention and the rules governing warfare (go ahead, look it up!) seem to mean something to this soldier, even if they mean nothing to you, and sadly, mean nothing to too many Americans.

- B

[arcadian]

12. I don't think so

Buxx Clik seems like an "American Firster"

[Buzz Clik]

16. Passive aggressive much? How about stepping up to the plate?

[Buzz Clik]

13. And exactly what did that spew have to do with the OP and the "occupation" of Afghanistan?

[SammyWinstonJack]

21. !

:applause: :thumbsup:

[H2O Man]

11. Some people experience

personal growth. This can take place in a wide variety of circumstances. That includes in the military: there were a group of soldiers, for example, who participated in the US effort in Vietnam, who went on to oppose the war.

Other people never seem to grow.

[Buzz Clik]

15. And some people shrink.

[Echo In Light]

18. So simple and obvious - and essential - a point that it's likely overlooked often

Kudos

[yodermon]

20. don't worry your prettly little head, he'll be locked up soon. n/t

[Buzz Clik]

22. Nice job, drama queen.

[Echo In Light]

23. "Drama?"

[Buzz Clik]

27. "Shadow"?

[Junkdrawer]

25. "Why the fuck" are you calling people drama queen?

Pot meet kettle...

[Buzz Clik]

26. bullshit.

Some clown joins the military and suddenly loses his stomach for what it's all about. I called it for what it was.

yodermon suddenly decides that I should take solace in the possibility of this soldier going to jail. More bullshit.

I weary of you people instantly choosing sides and deciding that anyone who has a contrary opinion is automatically subhuman.

[Echo In Light]

28. Not "subhuman," just a flaming A-hole

[Buzz Clik]

37. I've grown tired of you shadowing me constantly.

Continue to shadow, but you will have a new name: "Ignored".

Happy now?

[Echo In Light]

38. I wasn't unhappy prior to. You waded into a thread I started, so I'm not "shadowing" you

Wishful thinking?

[Karenina]

39. BWHAHAHAHAHAHA!

:rofl::rofl::rofl:

[Echo In Light]

40. Exactly

[Junkdrawer]

31. LOL...You come out with guns a'blazing and then complain about the noise....

:eyes:

[Echo In Light]

32. And when you get down to it, she's basically saying war resisters are sissies

Go check out the article someone just posted on the rash of military suicides

[Junkdrawer]

34. From Vonnegut's "Cold Turkey"...

...

But I know now that there is not a chance in hell of America’s becoming humane and reasonable. Because power corrupts us, and
absolute power corrupts absolutely. Human beings are chimpanzees who get crazy drunk on power. By saying that our leaders are power-drunk chimpanzees, am I in danger of wrecking the morale of our soldiers fighting and dying in the Middle East? Their morale, like so many bodies, is already shot to pieces. They are being treated, as I never was, like toys a rich kid got for Christmas.

...


http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0512-13.htm

[Echo In Light]

36. At some point I need to read A Man Without a Country

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

24. My friend joined because he got out of school and couldn't get a job making enough

to pay off his massive student loans. He's on his third tour in Iraq after being stop-lossed.

[JackRiddler]

30. Obviously: To be drafted into an illegal war on the day his contract ended.

He joined the army, which is too bad for him and everyone else who does it. But just as he was about to leave under terms of contract, they decided to shanghai him for more. So, finally, he got a will of his own. Now if only more people start to resist, they can end the wars.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

33. Maybe it just seemed a good idea at the time.

And, like many of us who did the same, found out how wrong some ideas are.

[Mari333]

14. the bullshit Stop Loss Crap

why isnt Obama ending that shite. 5, 6, 7 tours over and over for these guys. suicides at all time highs.
what endangers the troops? Not pictures! this stop loss shite. the unending occupations of these countries .
the Military Industry. Thats what endangers them.
THank god for brave people like this young man who speak the truth to the bastards .

[NeedleCast]

17. It's probably not a good idea to join the military during an extended war

if you don't want to go to a war zone.

Just sayin'

[Echo In Light]

19. Courage To Resist (more info)

http://www.couragetoresist.org/x/

U.S. War Heroes of the Iraq War
War Resisters from within the Military:
http://www.tomjoad.org/WarHeroes.htm

[JackRiddler]

29. Now there is a soldier who is finally serving his country.