After a 22-month battle to earn a home in Toronto, a former American soldier was told yesterday he will become the first Iraq War resister to be deported from Canadian soil after his application to stay in the country was rejected.
A dejected Corey Glass, 25, stared blankly at the floor of a tiny room in Trinity-St. Paul's United Church as members of the War Resisters Support Campaign informed media and other U.S. war resisters of his failed bid to remain in the country and the consequences he now faces.
"He's supposed to leave on his own by June 12," said the group's co-ordinator, Lee Zaslofsky, who came to Canada after fleeing enlistment in the American military during the Vietnam War. "After that, he's subject to deportation."
A dejected Corey Glass, 25, stared blankly at the floor of a tiny room in Trinity-St. Paul's United Church as members of the War Resisters Support Campaign informed media and other U.S. war resisters of his failed bid to remain in the country and the consequences he now faces.
"He's supposed to leave on his own by June 12," said the group's co-ordinator, Lee Zaslofsky, who came to Canada after fleeing enlistment in the American military during the Vietnam War. "After that, he's subject to deportation."
The above is from Nick Kyonka's "U.S. Iraq deserter loses bid to stay" (Toronto Star). When the snapshot was dictated yesterday, the story was breaking and every news source that was covering it (three?) was noted. A lot more are noting it now. From Emanuella Grinberg's "U.S. deserter faces deportation from Canada" (CNN):
National Guard Sgt. Corey Glass, 25, says he fled to Toronto in 2006 after serving in Iraq because he did not want to fight in a war he did not support.
"What I saw in Iraq convinced me that the war is illegal and immoral. I could not in good conscience continue to take part in it," Glass said Wednesday. "I don't think it's fair that I should be punished for doing what I felt morally obligated to do."
Glass, who's still on active duty and is considered absent without leave, applied for refugee status at the Canadian border in August 2006 on the grounds of objection to military service.
"What I saw in Iraq convinced me that the war is illegal and immoral. I could not in good conscience continue to take part in it," Glass said Wednesday. "I don't think it's fair that I should be punished for doing what I felt morally obligated to do."
Glass, who's still on active duty and is considered absent without leave, applied for refugee status at the Canadian border in August 2006 on the grounds of objection to military service.
Corey Glass is an Iraq War veteran who went to Canada because he couldn't continue to participate in the slaughter that is the illegal war. If you're a visitor you may just be learning his name and, if so, take it up with the pathetic Panhandle Media in the US that passes for 'independent' media. What about the hideous Amy Goodman?
What's she doing today? Pat Tillman. Again. Pat Tillman's April 22, 2004 death. Well covered. Well documented. The story of a new book. Am I missing something here? As I understood Tillman's enlisting, he didn't want anyone to make a big thing about it. He wanted to be treated like anyone else. So what is this, Goody's fortieth story on Pat Tillman?
That's not me ragging on Tillman, that's noting this story has been well covered and, since Goody banked the $100,000 check from The Nation Institute, she's refused to cover war resisters. Over and over. While claiming to 'break the sound barrier' and to go 'where the silences are.' Today's big story for her should have been Corey Glass but heaven forbid she offend the big donor. $100,000 buys a lot of silence.
On Pat Tillman, we've heard the story. We've heard it over and over. While many others are rendered faceless. Others have died as well. LaVena Johnson has had no coverage from Amy Goodman. Guess she should have played football?
Is that it? You have to be a sports star for your death to have enough value that you get your fortieth story on Democracy Now! in four years? And if you're not a sports star? If you're an African-American woman? Apparently Panhandle Media doesn't give a damn. From KMOV's "Parents question their daughter's mysterious death in Iraq" (and link has text and video):
A year and a half ago, a 19-year-old Florissant woman became the first female from Missouri to die during the Iraq war.
The military was quick to point out that her death was not combat related.
Since then, her parents have struggled to find out what really happened to their daughter.
News 4's Matt Sczesny took a close look at the evidence gathered by the military and asks the question, "was it murder or suicide?"
Among the thousands of graves at Jefferson Barracks cemetery there are stories of bravery, heroism, and proud service.
Among the thousands is the grave of Private Lavena Johnson, whose story is clouded in mystery and according to her parents, marred by murder and cover-up.
Lavena's father, Dr. John Johnson, has waged his own personal crusade to find out what really happened to his daughter in Iraq on July 19, 2005.
And he's waged it without any help from Amy Goodman. Pat Tillman died, so did Lavena Johnson, under mysterious circumstances. Tillman's been covered and recovered. Meanwhile Lavena Johnson's not covered. Meanwhile there are people whose stories need attention like Corey Glass. But Goody didn't have time for that. She had time for a full hour of Tillman and it's really time to start asking is it because he was a football star? This is at least the 40th time she has covered him. Today he was the full hour. And Lavena Johnson's family can't catch a break. And Corey Glass can't even get a mention in headlines.
Let's quit pretending Panhandle Media is informing us or that they give a damn about ending the illegal war. All they do is tell and re-tell the same stories over and over. It's a very limited scope. War resisters in Canada have been blacked out by Goodman but she had time, yet again, for another story on Pat Tillman. For the hour. Again. Again. And again. His story is as important as Lavena Johnson's. It is not, however, more important. Goody apparently missed that the same way she missed reporting Lavena.
Corey Glass may be deported. Now when I-Need-Attention Benjamin was asked to leave Canada (refused entry, in fact), Goody thought that was news. But Corey Glass, a war resister? Amy Goodman's not interested.
Reuters notes:
What's she doing today? Pat Tillman. Again. Pat Tillman's April 22, 2004 death. Well covered. Well documented. The story of a new book. Am I missing something here? As I understood Tillman's enlisting, he didn't want anyone to make a big thing about it. He wanted to be treated like anyone else. So what is this, Goody's fortieth story on Pat Tillman?
That's not me ragging on Tillman, that's noting this story has been well covered and, since Goody banked the $100,000 check from The Nation Institute, she's refused to cover war resisters. Over and over. While claiming to 'break the sound barrier' and to go 'where the silences are.' Today's big story for her should have been Corey Glass but heaven forbid she offend the big donor. $100,000 buys a lot of silence.
On Pat Tillman, we've heard the story. We've heard it over and over. While many others are rendered faceless. Others have died as well. LaVena Johnson has had no coverage from Amy Goodman. Guess she should have played football?
Is that it? You have to be a sports star for your death to have enough value that you get your fortieth story on Democracy Now! in four years? And if you're not a sports star? If you're an African-American woman? Apparently Panhandle Media doesn't give a damn. From KMOV's "Parents question their daughter's mysterious death in Iraq" (and link has text and video):
A year and a half ago, a 19-year-old Florissant woman became the first female from Missouri to die during the Iraq war.
The military was quick to point out that her death was not combat related.
Since then, her parents have struggled to find out what really happened to their daughter.
News 4's Matt Sczesny took a close look at the evidence gathered by the military and asks the question, "was it murder or suicide?"
Among the thousands of graves at Jefferson Barracks cemetery there are stories of bravery, heroism, and proud service.
Among the thousands is the grave of Private Lavena Johnson, whose story is clouded in mystery and according to her parents, marred by murder and cover-up.
Lavena's father, Dr. John Johnson, has waged his own personal crusade to find out what really happened to his daughter in Iraq on July 19, 2005.
And he's waged it without any help from Amy Goodman. Pat Tillman died, so did Lavena Johnson, under mysterious circumstances. Tillman's been covered and recovered. Meanwhile Lavena Johnson's not covered. Meanwhile there are people whose stories need attention like Corey Glass. But Goody didn't have time for that. She had time for a full hour of Tillman and it's really time to start asking is it because he was a football star? This is at least the 40th time she has covered him. Today he was the full hour. And Lavena Johnson's family can't catch a break. And Corey Glass can't even get a mention in headlines.
Let's quit pretending Panhandle Media is informing us or that they give a damn about ending the illegal war. All they do is tell and re-tell the same stories over and over. It's a very limited scope. War resisters in Canada have been blacked out by Goodman but she had time, yet again, for another story on Pat Tillman. For the hour. Again. Again. And again. His story is as important as Lavena Johnson's. It is not, however, more important. Goody apparently missed that the same way she missed reporting Lavena.
Corey Glass may be deported. Now when I-Need-Attention Benjamin was asked to leave Canada (refused entry, in fact), Goody thought that was news. But Corey Glass, a war resister? Amy Goodman's not interested.
Reuters notes:
"When I joined the National Guard, they told me the only way I would be in combat is if there were troops occupying the United States," he said.
But in 2005, he was deployed to a U.S. base in Iraq, where he worked in military intelligence.
"Through this job I had access to lots of information about what was happening on the ground in Iraq," he said. "Through what I saw, I realized innocent people were being killed unjustly."
He said he tried to quit the military, but his commander told him he was simply suffering from stress and needed downtime, he said.
But in 2005, he was deployed to a U.S. base in Iraq, where he worked in military intelligence.
"Through this job I had access to lots of information about what was happening on the ground in Iraq," he said. "Through what I saw, I realized innocent people were being killed unjustly."
He said he tried to quit the military, but his commander told him he was simply suffering from stress and needed downtime, he said.
Canwest News Service quotes him stating, "I don't think it's fair that I should be returned to the U.S. to face unjust punishment for doing what I thought I was morally obligated to do." The Ottawa Citizen runs a much shorter version of the same wire story. The Victoria Times Colonist runs a longer version of the wire story: "Michelle Robidoux, a spokeswoman for the War Resisters Support Campaign, said Glass could be deported by June 12." The Edmonton Journal offers a news brief on Glass. AFP notes: "'This goes against Canada's tradition of welcoming Americans who disagree with policies like slavery and the Vietnam War,' said Lee Zaslofsky, a War Resisters Support Campaign coordinator."
Meanwhile, there is no draw-down. From Julian E. Barnes' "U.S. special forces to stay in Iraq, Afghanistan" (Los Angeles Times):
Outlining a more detailed version of America's endgame in Iraq, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said Wednesday that as conventional forces slowly withdraw, U.S. special operations units will continue to "hunt and kill" militants and help train Iraqis.
[. . .]
About 5,000 special forces are in Iraq and 3,000 in Afghanistan, accounting for more than 80% of such U.S. troops overseas.
"They will be in Iraq and Afghanistan for an extended period of time," Gates said, as "a force to hunt and kill terrorists, and also as a force to help train Iraqis and Afghans."
[. . .]
In a speech to a conference of U.S. and international special operations officers, Gates said U.S. officials moved too fast earlier in the war to hand responsibility to Iraqis based on "overly rosy predictions that didn't necessarily line up with reality."
Liang notes Linday Levin's "Count Every Vote" (HillaryClinton.com):
Every vote cast during this primary season should be counted, and Hillary is working hard to make sure that the voices of voters in Florida and Michigan are heard. Today, Hillary is campaigning throughout Florida, with stops in Boca Raton, Sunrise, and Coral Gables. An energetic crowd greeted Hillary in Boca Raton, where Hillary explained why it is critical that as a party, and as a nation, we must count every vote.
Here in Florida, more than 1.7 million people cast their vote, the highest primary turnout in the history of Florida. And nearly 600,000 voters in Michigan did the same. And not a day goes by that I don’t meet someone who grabs my hand or holds up a sign, no matter where I am, in Kentucky or anywhere else, and says, "Please, make my vote count."
...
I believe the Democratic Party must count these votes. They should count them exactly as they were cast. Democracy demands no less.
I am here today because I believe that the decision our party faces is not just about the fate of these votes and the outcome of these primaries. It is about whether we will uphold our most fundamental values as Democrats and Americans. It is about whether we will move forward, united, to win this state and take back the White House this November. That has to be the prize that we keep in mind.
Get involved -- click here to send a message to the DNC telling them to count the votes in Florida and Michigan.
The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com.
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