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Wow, unimpressive! Glad to know where you stand on your granted freedoms. I wouldn't want you anywhere near me, for any reason, in a conflict.
So Cheney got deferments? So what? You're beating a dead, and buried, mule, ya know?
And what would YOU know about service, are you a coward? I think you've already answered that.
There's more to service than what you are shouting about. But you can't understand that, can you?
I see perfectly clear, thank you. I don't need a flagellant to tell me what to see/not see.
Begone, Spot, you're boring!
DP, I've ALREADY served, and I obeyed orders that I didn't agree with, because that's what people in the military have to do. But now that I'm OUT, I have the freedom to say what's right and what's wrong, whereas I didn't while I served.
It may be asinine in your eyes, but it doesn't excuse the willingness of this child to sign a contract and go back on it because he doesn't "like it." I think he needs to spend time in the brig to think about his actions, or lack thereof.
If you can't make the commitment, don't sign the contract.
Yes, he has only fulfilled *part* of his commitment.
And he has publicly announced his willingness to face whatever action the Army has in store for him, which may well mean confinement.
However, is not so much that he doesn't "like" what is going on in Iraq; he considers it "illegal and unconstitutional."
I heartily agree about personal responsibility, but how to apply it can sometimes be subjective.
The question, I suppose, is when is refusal to participate unacceptable.
We've got countries scrambling for torchbearers for the Olympic relay because people, protesting the Tibet situation, decline to participate.
There was a 2005 court-martial in which a Navy judge found a seaman's protest "reasonable" and he served no jail time for refusing to ship out to what he considered to be an illegal war. Hugh Thompson refused to go along with the My Lai massacre, even though other officers outranked him, saving civilian lives.
Can anyone answer the question I asked earlier, about the Inactive Reserves?
Can anyone answer the question I asked earlier, about the Inactive Reserves?
In all my years working with and for the Navy Reserve program, I cannot honestly say I've heard or read anything but Individual Ready Reserve (IRR). If you have a Navy Recruiting Office in your area, call them, ask them; however, it would be better if you could contact a Reserve Recruiter in any branch. Good Luck!
PS: I'll see if I can find some info for you in the meantime.
PSS: I tried, but the office is closed today. Weekenders get Monday and Tuesday off to compensate. I'll try again, tomorrow, let you know.
Last edited by Delta Planter; 06-17-2008 at 02:53 PM..
Reason: spelling
I do not think this soldier is refusing because he thinks he has the right, I think he is refusing because he is in a unique situation to make a statement and is doing so. Civil disobedience is an American tradition. Obviously, he can apply for a waiver and has not done so according to the article. It seems to me the guy is willing to serve time for his beliefs, and is not declaring himself a victim, but rather is living up to his own convictions and is willing to suffer the consequences. The part that is disconcerting is that if 10000 soldiers decided they would rather be in the brig than on the line, we would be housing and feeding them and not being protected by them.
In the end he will face a court marshal most likely. That is what the law prescibes and waht should happen. Once he joined he had a choice and he madeit but there are consequences.
How is being on a base in South America, Egypt, Germany, Iraq, Korea, etc, keeping us free? I think its pretty asinine that we have bases in all these countries. How would we feel if here in America we had Korean, German, or any other countries' military bases here in our towns? I'm thinking it wouldn't be tolerated. But why do we do it?
I would think that by our troops being stationed in foreign countries rather than here in the US, we are more vulnerable to attack.
The concept is, and you probably can't comprehend this, is to stop the threat before it gets onto our soil and threatens our families directly. Would you rather fight in Iraq and hold it there, or fight in Ohio, Minn, Ill, New york, and wherever Alqueda decided to land?
But this kid volunteered to stand up and do his duty (whether you believe in your country or not) and now he's backed down from a Contract that he signed and then took an oath to uphold. That, by true definition, is being a Traitor.
And, as far as troups over there and none here to protect? Wake up. Our bases still are manned at levels to protect. What do you think, when Fort Hood sends troups over, they close the base and shut off the lights? If you knew one iota of how the military works, when 5,000 soldiers deploy from Fort Hood, very few of them come from there. Many many bases, send a few each and they meet at Ft Hood and form up. Then, after some last minute training, they deploy. Well, except for one kid that thinks he wants to make a statement.
The concept is, and you probably can't comprehend this, is to stop the threat before it gets onto our soil and threatens our families directly. Would you rather fight in Iraq and hold it there, or fight in Ohio, Minn, Ill, New york, and wherever Alqueda decided to land?
But this kid volunteered to stand up and do his duty (whether you believe in your country or not) and now he's backed down from a Contract that he signed and then took an oath to uphold. That, by true definition, is being a Traitor.
And, as far as troups over there and none here to protect? Wake up. Our bases still are manned at levels to protect. What do you think, when Fort Hood sends troups over, they close the base and shut off the lights? If you knew one iota of how the military works, when 5,000 soldiers deploy from Fort Hood, very few of them come from there. Many many bases, send a few each and they meet at Ft Hood and form up. Then, after some last minute training, they deploy. Well, except for one kid that thinks he wants to make a statement.
Put the TRAVEL burden on the other guy. We could stop them before they hit our shores. But then, we let just about anyone INTO this country. Ask Mexico, ask Canada.
And they're by no means the ONLY ones we let into our country every day. CLOSE the dang borders!
I think the guy is a hero and I wish more soldiers would do the same. Imagine if everyone did this considering this war is illegal and immoral. There would be no more war and are they going to throw 120K troops in jail?
If he fails to report as ordered, he will be, and should be, court martialed and may have to serve time in Leavenworth.
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