On July 15, 2008 U.S. Army PFC Robin Long became the first war resister since the Vietnam War forced to leave Canada and to be turned over to the U.S. military. Robin is currently being held in the El Paso County Jail, in Colorado, awaiting his Courts Martial. He will be present for his Courts Martial at Fort Carson, Co. He will likely be charged for AWOL, desertion, and possibly speech-related violations of military discipline; he is facing a General Courts Martial, the maximum penalty of such a trial is 20 years confinement. Support Robin Long and all troops with the courage to resist!

1. Donate to Robin’s legal expenses
2. Send Robin letters of support
3. Send Robin commissary money
4. Send Robin a book
5. Sign the public statement of support – coming soon

By Courage to Resist. July 16, 2008

Select "Read more..." below for photos and reports

Actions were organized in less than two weeks in response to a deportation order issued against U.S. war resister Corey Glass, an Iraq War veteran who was a sergeant in the Indiana National Guard. In a surprising victory, while the delegations were taking place, a Canadian Federal Court granted Corey a last minute reprieve of at least several months while his lawyers are given an opportunity to appeal earlier negative rulings.

Corey’s victory was related to a similar recent win by Iraq War veteran Joshua Key. According to the Federal Court in Joshua’s recent favorable ruling, the regular abuse of Iraqi civilians at the hands of the U.S. military are systematic violations of the Geneva Conventions, and should be a basis for granting refugee status.

Write: Robin Long; El Paso County Sheriff's Office; 2739 E. Las Vegas; Colorado Springs, CO 80906. July 21, 2008 update: Robin will likely be held there for the foreseeable future.

Courage to Resist. July 15, 2008

Today Army PFC Robin Long became the first U.S. war resister since the Vietnam War forced to leave Canada and turned over to the U.S. military. While dozens of supporters gathered this morning at Peace Arch Park on the Canadian-U.S. border, Robin was already being transported to Fort Carson, Colorado. He is expected to be immediately placed in pre-trial confinement and eventually court martialed for AWOL, desertion, and possibly other violations of military discipline.

Courage to Resist has made civilian legal representation available to Robin and will be doing everything possible to provide him our full support. We plan to collaborate with many other groups in our efforts to help Robin in the coming weeks. Refusing to fight in an illegal war is not a crime—except under the Uniform Code of Military (In)Justice.

Supporters rally; James sentenced to six months in stockade and bad conduct discharge

July 17, 2008

James Burmeister was serving in Baghdad when his humvee was caught in an IED explosion and he was hit in the face with shrapnel. Suffering from the physical and emotional wounds resulting from his injury, and his experiences working with "bait and kill" teams in Iraq, James went to Canada and was AWOL until earlier this year when he decided to return to the U.S., turn himself in, and move on with his life.

Join the Courage to Resist office team. Updated July 7, 2008. Position open until filled.

PROJECT / FUNDRAISING COORDINATOR

Courage to Resist is seeking applicants for the position of Project Coordinator in Oakland, California. This 1099 subcontractor position includes significant responsibilities of fundraising and donor/project development. 30 hours/week to start; $15/hour.

By Courage to Resist. 19:40 min. June 18, 2008

While GI William Shearer was serving in Iraq, he began having serious problems in his personal life. Shearer felt he got no support from the Army for dealing with those problems and began to feel that he was only a body to the military. When he returned home, his marriage had fallen apart and he was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. Again, he felt that he received no meaningful help from the Army, and decided to find away to get out. Shearer talked with Courage to Resist from his home in Florida.

By Courage to Resist. June 15, 2008

The U.S. Army’s case against 1st Lieutenant Ehren Watada remains unresolved, 2 years after Lt. Watada boldly and publicly refused deployment to Iraq with his unit in June 2006. Seven months ago U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle set in place a temporary injunction against a second court martial after the prosecution and military judge orchestrated a mistrial during the first trial in February 2007.

Lt. Watada remains stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington where he works a desk job and is under no special restrictions. Though his term of service ended in December 2006, these ongoing legal proceedings prevent his release from duty.

By Courage to Resist, 8:30 min. Update June 13, 2008

At 5:00 am this morning, Army PCF Jose Crespo at Fort Carson, Colorado did not return to Iraq as scheduled. Jose told his sergeant that he was not "refusing" to deploy, but that he "could not" do so due to the circumstances in his family. "Well if you won't get on [the bus], then you're refusing." Jose replied, "Whatever you say." He is currently on restriction and now faces a possible court martial. More information coming soon.

While on leave from Iraq, Jose discovered his family in the midst of a serious health crisis. Determined to help, Jose requested a hardship discharge, or a posting near his home so he could take care of his family. The Army's response was to order him back to Iraq. Courage to Resist first spoke with him two days ago for this audio interview.

Ruling Conservative government may try to ignore will of people

Courage to Resist. June 4, 2008.

Yesterday the Canadian Parliament made an historic vote in favor of U.S. war resisters seeking refuge from fighting in the unjust and illegal occupation of Iraq. While this is an amazing victory, the motion is non-binding. The minority Conservative government led by Stephen Harper—a close ally of the Bush-Cheney endless war agenda—has indicated that it is prepared to defy the resolution by proceeding with deportations of war resisters. Creative resistance will likely be required on both sides of the border.

We need to act now to make sure that the will of many people living in the U.S., the Canadian people, and now Parliament can not be ignored. Please contact Ministers Harper and Finley to request that they fully implement the resolution in support of U.S. Iraq War objectors and allow them to stay in Canada.

Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Diane Finley.
Phone 613.996.4974; Email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it / This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Prime Minister Stephen Harper
Phone 613.992.4211; Email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

By Courage to Resist. June 10, 2008

Matthis Chiroux spent five years as an Army journalist and was honorably discharged in 2007. In early 2008, he was recalled to active duty and ordered to deploy to Iraq on June 15, 2008. Chiroux has publicly stated his intention to refuse to deploy. He spoke with Courage to Resist from Washington, DC.

Following community vigil, war objector who faced year in brig will be out in 29 days! Thank you to the 50 Courage to Resist supporters who contriubted the $2,000 to cover Ryan's legal expenses.

By James Branum, lawyer for Ryan Jackson. May 30, 2008

At the hearing, we argued that Ryan's actions were an act of civil disobedience that stemmed from his belief that all war is wrong and Ryan himself gave a moving statement in which he expressed his own views on the immorality of war and the necessity of breaking the law for the sake of conscience.

At today's court-martial hearing at Ft. Gordon, GA, Conscientious Objector Ryan Jackson was given a sentence of 100 days in prison. With time already served, he has only 29 days remaining!

First Iraq War veteran to face deportation

Courage to Resist. Updated May 28, 2008

US Iraq war resister Corey Glass was told last week that his application to stay in Canada for “humanitarian and compassionate” reasons has been rejected. He has been ordered to leave Canada by June 12. If this order is allowed to stand, Corey will be the first Iraq War resister to be deported from Canada.

Action Alert: Sign the “Dear Canada: Let U.S. War Resisters Stay!” letter. Courage to Resist will immediately send three letters to Canadian officials on your behalf via International First Class Mail.

Call Canadian Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion at 613.996.6740 or 613.996.5789
• to support the Parliamentary motion to allow Iraq War resisters to remain in Canada,
• to oppose the deportation of people of conscience who have resisted an illegal war, and
• to support the will of the majority of people, not the U.S. government’s endless war agenda.
(Polls show that 64% of Ontarians believe resisters should be allowed to stay.)

Be on the lookout for a national day of vigils and actions at Canadian consulates nationwide if Corey is deported.

By Camilla Mortensen, Eugene (Oregon) Weekly. May 22, 2008

PFC James Burmeister enlisted in the military because he thought he would be doing "humanitarian work" in Iraq. But he was manning a machine gun, using ammunition so large his targets — humans — would "literally explode," the day in Baghdad that his Humvee was hit by a roadside bomb. He was knocked unconscious, and bits of shrapnel were embedded in his face.

Burmeister went AWOL (absent without leave) and fled to Canada.... Now the 23-year-old soldier from Eugene waits at Fort Knox, Ky., to discover whether the Army will prosecute him, release him without access to medical care for his injuries or try yet again to send him back to a war he doesn't want to fight.

Read more... (Eugene Weekly link)

"This occupation is unconstitutional and illegal and I hereby lawfully refuse to participate... I refuse to participate in the occupation of Iraq."

Courage to Resist. Updated May 28, 2008

Sgt. Matthis Chiroux served in the Army until being honorably discharged from active duty last summer after over four years in Afghanistan, Japan, Europe and the Philippines. On May 15, 2008 he publicly announced that he is refusing orders to be recalled from the Army's Inactive Ready Reserve (IRR) to deploy to Iraq. Matthis took this courageous stand in the Cannon House Office Building Rotunda after fellow members of Iraq Veterans Against the War testified before the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

By the Military Counseling Network and Connection eV. May 14, 2008

VILSECK, Germany – U.S. Army conscientious objector Robert Weiss was sentenced to seven months confinement during a court martial Tuesday at Rose Barracks in Vilseck, Germany. Weiss pled guilty to charges of desertion and missing movement, which reduced the court martial's proceedings mostly to the sentencing phase.

• Send Robert Weiss an online post card here!
• Or write: Robert Weiss, Unit 29723, Box LL, APO, AE 09028-9723

In early December of 2007, Weiss learned his application to be classified a conscientious objector and receive an honorable discharge was denied.