Iraq war dodgers urge Prime Minister Trudeau to let them stay

[Tennis]

TORONTO — American soldiers who fled to Canada rather than fight in Iraq joined activists and a Liberal backbencher on Friday to urge the government of Justin Trudeau to end legal action against them and grant them residency status.

Bolstered by a recent British report that found no justification for the bloody U.S.-led invasion, the war resisters pleaded for the Liberal government to make good on promises to end their state of limbo.

“I’m shocked and dismayed that it’s still going on,” former U.S. Marine Cpl. Dean Walcott, 34, who came to Canada in 2006, told a news conference.

Walcott, who lives with his wife and Canadian-born children in Peterborough, Ont., is one of four American soldiers whose cases are due in Federal Court in September. Activists say the litigation is going forward even though Trudeau expressed support for the war dodgers during last year’s election campaign and told The Canadian Press earlier this year that his government was actively looking into the issue.

Also facing judicial action is Jeremy Brockway, 31, another U.S. Marine who returned from Iraq in 2007 with severe post-traumatic stress syndrome that keeps him largely housebound. He came to Canada in 2008 after being ordered to deploy to Iraq for a third time.

His wife, Ashlea, choked back tears as she described the stress of not knowing whether they and their three Canadian-born children — aged 8, 6, and 3 — will be forced to leave their home in Port Colborne, Ont., and return to the U.S. to face a possible court martial.

“We came to Canada to save his life,” Ashlea Brockway said. “Canada is our home and is the only home our children have known.”

Following the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, scores of American soldiers opted to come to Canada rather than fight a war they saw as without justification. The former Conservative government under Stephen Harper essentially branded them as criminals
Some were forced to return to the U.S. About two dozen are still in Canada fighting for status.

Former CBC radio host Andy Barrie, an American military deserter, lent his voice to the cause, describing how he came to Canada in 1969 and was granted permanent residence status immediately.

“When I crossed the border, I got out of my car and I kissed the ground,” Barrie said. “I knew I was going to be OK.”

This is a tough one. I'm torn as I can see both sides here.

http://news.nationalpost.com/news/ca...uring-election

[Purenight]

I am Medically Retired US Army (retired since 2010). I did 3 tours in Iraq and 1 in Afghanistan. Yes some people did not get to come home and my first deployment my unit alone lost 54 people 5 being close friends. However I did not "run" to Canada to hide from deployments. You are fully aware and made aware from several people, several different times when you sign up what that paper says and the impact it will have on your life and future. What could come to pass and what might not be. So I dont feel pity that they might have to face a court of law to own up to the laws that they broke and the vows that they took and broke. A man's (and woman's) word used to be all he had and integrity used to stand for something. Nowadays no one is held to that standard that what you say and do can be held against you, that your actions matter and affect lives so be careful where you tread and what you do as they impact your's and others lives

[TrumpIsPresident]

They made the decision to join up, they made the decision to dodge the service, now they can answer for those decisions.

Contrary to what this entitlement puke generation has been programmed to believe, a soldiers function is not to nit-pick command decisions but to carry out their function as a small piece of a large machine.

If they wanted to have little safe space discussion groups over whether a war was justified or not then they should have gone to some liberal leaning university rather than into the armed forces.

How many units acted a man short or with an untrusted/untested replacement because somebody ignored their duty?

I can have pity for somebody with PTSD.

Hell I can even have some minor measure of pity for somebody who is faking PTSD simply because they're scared.

But the guy who says fuck it and walks off?

Piss on them.

[Rennadrel]

Ship em out, fucking freeloaders

[GennGreymane]

Keep them

I dont want them to come back and start another war a few decades from now. too many draft dodgers from Vietnam decided Iraq was a good idea.

[Aggrophobic]

Well, if I quit my job, I quit my job. It's odd that thats not how it works in the military.

[Tennis]

Are these resisters actually contributing to our country and paying their taxes? Or are they freeloading?

[Lost Zero]

They made the decision to join up, they made the decision to dodge the service, now they can answer for those decisions.

Contrary to what this entitlement puke generation has been programmed to believe, a soldiers function is not to nit-pick command decisions but to carry out their function as a small piece of a large machine.

If they wanted to have little safe space discussion groups over whether a war was justified or not then they should have gone to some liberal leaning university rather than into the armed forces.

How many units acted a man short or with an untrusted/untested replacement because somebody ignored their duty?

I can have pity for somebody with PTSD.

Hell I can even have some minor measure of pity for somebody who is faking PTSD simply because they're scared.

But the guy who says fuck it and walks off?

Piss on them.

I would agree in most cases. However the army basically engaged in fraud in many cases by making promises regarding extremely limited enlistment while not explaining Stop Loss and then Stop Lossing them indefinitely.

[derpkitteh]

if you choose to accept in potentially dangerous syrians who are supposedly "just trying to get away from the war" then you should accept this guy too.

but i'm guessing he's not muslim, so he probably doesn't get any pc points.

[Independent voter]

I'm sure they'll make fine upstanding Canadian citizens.

[Tyrianth]

if you choose to accept in potentially dangerous syrians who are supposedly "just trying to get away from the war" then you should accept this guy too.

but i'm guessing he's not muslim, so he probably doesn't get any pc points.

Or you know, one of them willingly signed up to join the military of the most warmongering nation in the modern world and the other is trying to escape a war ravaged country that they had no control over.

[derpkitteh]

Or you know, one of them willingly signed up to join the military of the most warmongering nation in the modern world and the other is trying to escape a war ravaged country that they had no control over.

they're both war dodgers. men called to service, escaping that service.

don't try to bring up the crap the US has started, i'm against 100% of it and you can look in any political thread to see that. but it would be 100% hypocrisy to deny these guys but allow syrians dodging syrian military service.

[Kellhound]

They are deserters and deserve no sympathy or quarter.

[Jonnusthegreat]

As said already, they signed up willingly. Until their time is up, they are US military assets, not people.

[Garnier Fructis]

If you're not willing to fight in wars you don't believe in, then don't enlist in the first place.

they're both war dodgers. men called to service, escaping that service.

don't try to bring up the crap the US has started, i'm against 100% of it and you can look in any political thread to see that. but it would be 100% hypocrisy to deny these guys but allow syrians dodging syrian military service.

Yea, except the soldiers here voluntarily entered the armed forces.

Jesus dude, you always find a way to bitch about Muslims.

[grexly75]

As said already, they signed up willingly. Until their time is up, they are US military assets, not people.

Exactly, they willingly joined the military and they have to do what they are told until the day they leave the services. What these people did is pure and simple desertion and during WW1 and WW2 soldiers were executed for desertion https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desertion. Just be lucky that likely all that will happen to them if they get sent back is time in the stockade.

[Seranthor]

[/B]
This is a tough one. I'm torn as I can see both sides here.

http://news.nationalpost.com/news/ca...uring-election

When you sign your enlistment contract (yes, its really a contract) you agree to certain things. They were not FORCED to sign the contract like those that were drafted. I would understand if they had filed for Conscientious Objector status, but they didn't... They abandon their duty station. They are in fact deserters, and as such deserve the consequences (Dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, reduction to the lowest enlisted grade, and confinement for 5 years).

[Sky High]

then don't join in the military then, no one made you, jackasses.

[primalmatter]

Well would rather have draft dodgers then middle east immigrants but not by much...

Can we build a wall? I know we will have to wait till the next election cycle because out current pm would rather set himself on fire then do anything any pc except hitting women but I would really love a boarder wall..

[TrumpIsPresident]

Well would rather have draft dodgers then middle east immigrants but not by much...

Can we build a wall? I know we will have to wait till the next election cycle because out current pm would rather set himself on fire then do anything any pc except hitting women but I would really love a boarder wall..

If Canada wanted to be really smart about this they'd make low bids to come build the American wall just to get the engineering experience for when they go to build their own.

Because when America collapses ...where do you think we're all headed?

/wink