The Christian Science Monitor ran a two-part series on an Army medic who sought honorable discharge as a Conscientious Objector during his deployment in Iraq. It shows the challenges of soldiers who claim CO status, and what happens to them if they act on their beliefs. In Army medic AgustÃn Aguayo's case, he chose to desert when he was called back for a second tour of duty. He eventually turned himself in. The article covers his trial, and punishment, and shows how the US Army treats those who object to serve for moral reasons.
Part One
Part Two
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Soldiers Who Object
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Three weeks ago I had the absolute honor of finally meeting Agustin Aguayo. His wife Helga, his twin 13 year old daughters and his mother have stood by his side, VALIENTLY fighting for him, tirelessly making public speaking engagements to raise the funds for his defense, and now welcoming him home with the most loving of arms. His and Lt. Ehren Watada's case have been tied together, with NCRR, (Nikkei Civil Rights and Redress), supporting him since the beginning along with Courage to Resist. He spoke that day of what happened to him in Iraq, how on the first occasion, two soldiers came in, one already dead, one with a limb blown off but still alive. He could not save him. He put him in a body bag and put him "in the back". He spoke of how our soldiers handed out candy to children during the day, and kicked down doors at night. How the soldiers were told to make SURE their Iraqi victims were dead.
Helga spoke of a friend's teenage daughter in Germany who was "cutting herself". She went to the clinic with her friend to make an appointment and were told they would have to wait three weeks, that this was COMMON and not to worry about it too much. She spoke of the wife of a soldier who threw herself from a third story window in the hopes they would not send her husband to Iraq, he was sent anyway, on time, right after the incident. If you have the chance to meet Helga and Agustin, you should. You will never have a more gut wrenching experience than to hear them speak.
I've known Helga since February and each time, EVERY time, she brings tears to my eyes. He is still trying to raise the funds to pay his lawyers. His website is
http://www.aguayodefense.org/
You can book him for an event and also donate on the site. He is also speaking at schools fighting against military recruiters. In short, Agustin Aguayo is one FINE man who deserves our support.
You'd be surprised how many deserters we have even during peace time. People volunteer, and then decide at some point they can't take a military lifestyle. Shit happens. The only difference is, during a war, they can make up a bunch of noble sounding excuses for what they do.
By the way, Will, not that you care... but most deserters are the worst of the worst when it comes to their character and their behavior. Even before they desert. Nine times out of ten you can spot the guys who aren't going to come back from leave, or who are going to take weekend liberty someday and never come back. They have a lot of problems, irregardless of whether they are in a war zone or not.
What does this have to do with Palestine, Will? Don't you have another blog you can post your white guy atheistic/anarchistic "I hate America" stuff on?
Well, Craig, maybe some American servicemen decide that raping teenage Iraqi virgins then setting them on fire to hide the evidence isn't for them...
"Don't you have another blog you can post your white guy atheistic/anarchistic "I hate America" stuff on?"
Don't you have a Marines For the Rape and Incineration of Underage Iraqi Girls website to maintain, Craig...??
I've heard the subscribers are going through the roof...
Nox and Lowfields, you both missed my point. I'm surprised! The type of people who commit the atrocities you describe are the same type of people who desert. So, glorify them all you wish. You're right. They are just like you.
And you get to moralize to me about the conduct of the US military when you can point out an Arab military that behaves better. What would a deserter from HAMAS get? Gaza rooftop flying lessons? Or worse? Maybe his whole family would be slaughtered?
Yeah, you guys really have the whole "ethics" thing down cold, don't you?
"Ethics"...
Which part of the definition of that word includes sending 200,000 soldiers 5,000 miles away to devastate a country, cause the deaths of 700,000 innocent people, and foment the exact sectarianism you're trying to prevent – and all for a load of reasons that are proven to be willful fabrications...???
How about the ethics of a man who launches a war to put the tax dollars of ordinary Americans into the pockets of mega-rich defence and oil companies?
Or the ethics of a country that suspends habeas corpus, rolls back the Geneva Conventions and defines torture as only pain equivalent to organ failure or death....?
May us backward Arabs learn from your example.........
Blah blah blah.
I cannot BELIEVE an Arab is talking about the Geneva Conventions and the meaning of the word "torture". For fuck's sake, how stupid do you think people are?
Stupid enough to argue with you, sadly...
What have the policies of the Arab states – many of whom are supported by the US and to whom the US outsources torture – got to do my personal belief in the immorality of the US invasion of Iraq?
I am talking about the Geneva Conventions because I want EVERYONE to uphold them. No exceptions. No Alberto Gonzalez or Donald Rumsfeld interpretations...
You, though, simply want to say raping and setting on fire to Iraqi teenagers is merely the subject of moral relativism...
Maybe you're pissed you missed the action...
Don't tell me what I'm saying.
And don't compare Arab shitholes to the United States, and pretend that Arabs really WANT to follow a good example set by the US. Don't concern yourself with the US. It's none of your business. Either your country respects international laws and treaties, and human rights, or it doesn't. So far, the Arab world isn't doing too well on that. And don't come crying to me that it's because they haven't had a good enough example to follow. That's a cheap cop-out. No country that has respect for these concepts got there by following somebody else's example.
"Don't tell me what I'm saying."
Here's what I want you to say, Craigy boy: "As a democrat and a patriot, we should never accept torture, rape, illegal detention, collective punishment, war crimes or wanton civilian destruction in the pursuit of our foreign policy... The US army has, I acknowledge, committed numerous acts of atrocity that should shame a country that claims the high ideals of democracy, tolerance and decency."
Here, though, is what I expect you to say: "Shut the f**k up. Everyone knows Arabs are scum, so shut your mouth, you backward vermin... you're not fit to lick my jackboot."
I'm paraphrasing, of course.....
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