They brought the plight of other war resisters to First United Church in Owen Sound Saturday night.
They don't want to fight in the five-year-old U.S.-led war in Iraq, which was initially justified with the now-discredited threat that the Iraqis had weapons of mass destruction.
Rich Droste, a 22-year-old who rose quickly through the ranks to become a trainer of soldiers and was last stationed in Korea, and Josh Randall, a 21-one-year-old medic last stationed in Iraq, came to Owen Sound courtesy of the War Resister Support Group of London, Ont.
Ask Droste if he fled because he was afraid to die and he grows restless. "I hate that question," he said in an interview before Saturday's presentation, vigorously objecting to the idea that he won't fight because he's afraid.
"I joined when I believed the war was necessary. I was great at my job. I loved it.
"There's something very primal about it, something that you dream about since you were a little boy. You know, shooting and blowing stuff up."
Droste, who came to Canada in March, hasn't become an overnight pacifist though. Sometimes war is still necessary, he said.
"If it wasn't a war for oil. If it wasn't political and about one man's agenda, then I would have considered fighting."
The non-commissioned officer had completed almost all of a four-year commitment when his service was extended another four years under the U.S. "stop-loss" policy. He had been told about the possibility, but it was only supposed to happen if the Third World War broke out, he said.
The above is from Scott Dunne's "Soldiers say they fled on principle; American servicemen came to Canada rather than fight a war in which they don't believe" (The Sun Times). The article goes on to repeat the tired and non-pertinent nonsense about the draft. The draft was not why Canada offered asylum during Vietnam. They took in "draft dodgers" and "deserters" and apparently we will have go over and over that because too many stupid people are allowed to operate word processors without supervision. Here is then US president Gerald Ford speaking on September 16, 1974 (link has audio as well):
Good morning:
In my first week as President, I asked the Attorney General and the Secretary of Defense to report to me, after consultation with other Governmental officials and private citizens concerned, on the status of those young Americans who have been convicted, charged, investigated, or are still being sought as draft evaders or military deserters.
On August 19, at the national convention of Veterans of Foreign Wars in the city of Chicago, I announced my intention to give these young people a chance to earn their return to the mainstream of American society so that they can, if they choose, contribute, even though belatedly, to the building and the betterment of our country and the world.
I did this for the simple reason that for American fighting men, the long and divisive war in Vietnam has been over for more than a year, and I was determined then, as now, to do everything in my power to bind up the Nation's wounds.
I promised to throw the weight of my Presidency into the scales of justice on the side of leniency and mercy, but I promised also to work within the existing system of military and civilian law and the precedents set by my predecessors who faced similar postwar situations, among them Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Harry S. Truman.
My objective of making future penalties fit the seriousness of each individual's offense and of mitigating punishment already meted out in a spirit of equity has proved an immensely hard and very complicated matter, even more difficult than I knew it would be.
But the agencies of Government concerned and my own staff have worked with me literally night and day in order to develop fair and orderly procedures and completed their work for my final approval over this last weekend.
I do not want to delay another day in resolving the dilemmas of the past, so that we may all get going on the pressing problems of the present. Therefore, I am today signing the necessary Presidential proclamation and Executive orders that will put this plan into effect.
The program provides for administrative disposition of cases involving draft evaders and military deserters not yet convicted or punished. In such cases, 24 months of alternate service will be required, which may be reduced for mitigating circumstances.
The program also deals with cases of those already convicted by a civilian or military court. For the latter purpose, I am establishing a clemency review board of nine distinguished Americans whose duty it will be to assist me in assuring that the Government's forgiveness is extended to applicable cases of prior conviction as equitably and as impartially as is humanly possible.
The primary purpose of this program is the reconciliation of all our people and the restoration of the essential unity of Americans within which honest differences of opinion do not descend to angry discord and mutual problems are not polarized by excessive passion.
My sincere hope is that this is a constructive step toward a calmer and cooler appreciation of our individual rights and responsibilities and our common purpose as a nation whose future is always more important than its past.
At this point, I will sign the proclamation [4313] that I mentioned in my statement, followed by an Executive order [11803] for the establishment of the Clemency Board, followed by the signing of an Executive order [11804] for the Director of Selective Service, who will have a prime responsibility in the handling of the matters involving alternate service.
Thank you very much.
No, there's not a draft today. No one thought there was. It's just the tired, aged babyboom males who've distorted reality as they've attempted to turn physicals into the equivalent of serving in Vietnam. The draft wasn't the issue for Canada. The issue was the illegal war. They welcomed "draft dodgers" and they welcomed "deserters" and the latter category never had to demonstrate that they'd been drafted and not that they'd signed up willingly. It was not an issue then. It's a faux issue today. Reality needs to break through the nonsense.
Ralph Vartabedian's "Women's combat roles are likely to be on next president's agenda" (Los Angeles Times) explores women's service in the military in terms of the the Democratic Party and Republican Party's candidates:
The drive to eliminate gender distinctions in the military appears to be entering a new phase, with debate likely to come to a head within a few years. The next president, whether presumptive GOP nominee McCain or a Democrat, almost certainly will face the question of women in combat.
Policymakers would need to confront societal taboos against putting women in jeopardy, including the risk of rape that captured female soldiers commonly face. They also would have to tackle such issues as whether women could be involuntarily assigned to the infantry or required to register for the draft.
Democratic presidential contenders Sens. Barack Obama of Illinois and Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York -- neither of whom has a track record on the issue -- declined to comment on their positions.
McCain's aides said only that he stood by his past positions, suggesting that he would resist pressures for change.
In the 1991 debate over women pilots, McCain took a traditionalist stance. "This nation has existed for over 215 years," McCain said. "At no time in the history of our nation have women been in combat roles."
He called the proposal "draconian" and noted that the nation's military chiefs opposed it. But he was dealt a resounding political defeat.
McCain's arguments lost out to demands for change by women officers -- many of whom were angry over revelations about the 1991 Tailhook sexual harassment scandal. In that case, dozens of Navy women complained of being groped or assaulted by drunken pilots at a Navy booster group's convention in Las Vegas.
McCain's long-standing opposition to women in combat has raised questions among his critics about his commitment to women's rights.
Leah notes Howard Wolfson's "HUBdate: Memorial Day in Puerto Rico" (HillaryClinton.com) from yesterday:
Previewing Today: Hillary hosts conversations with Puerto Rico families in Bayamon and Guayama. Later today she attends events in Ponce and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Keeping the Faith: Yesterday, Hillary spoke "to a full congregation at the Pabellon de la Victoria evangelical church" in Hormigueros, Puerto Rico. She told the crowd, "There isn't anything we cannot do together if we seek God's blessing and if we stay committed and are not deterred by the setbacks that often fall in every life." Read more.
Door to Door in Rapid City, SD: South Dakota volunteer canvasser, "Suzan Nolan says, 'Every single vote makes a difference. It's not over till its over.' It's a motto Suzan strongly believes in, which is why she volunteered to canvass today. Nolan says, 'I really believe in Hillary Clinton. She's a strong, educated, experienced woman. By far has more experience than her opponent.' And because Suzan, like many other Clinton supporters, believes so strongly in the New York Senator, she will continue with her efforts to reach out to more voters one door at a time." Read more.
Calling for a Debate in Puerto Rico: Hillary has called on Barack Obama to debate a number of times since Pennsylvania. Yesterday, she renewed the call, saying, "I was informed that Univision will sponsor a debate between Sen. Obama and myself about the issues affecting Puerto Rico...I accept that invitation. Anytime, anywhere. That is the best way for the people of Puerto Rico to have their questions asked and answered and for the rest of the United States to learn more about Puerto Rico." Read more.
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scott dunn
rich droste
josh randall
gerald ford
the los angeles times
ralph vartabedian