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Darrell Anderson
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Darrell Anderson was deployed to Iraq with the Army's 1st Armoured Division in the spring of 2004. Darrell served most of his time in Baghdad where he was wounded by a roadside bomb after serving for 7 months. Facing the possibility of a second deployment to Iraq, Darrells conscience kept him from returning to the military. After witnessing the abuse and killing of Iraqi civilians and being ordered to fire on an automobile containing Iraqi civilians, Anderson concluded that the war is wrong. He fled to Canada rather than face the possibility of returning to Iraq. On October 6, 2006 Darrell returned to the United States and turned himself in at Ft. Knox in KY. Before turning himself in he held a press conference in which he stated, "I believed it was my human right to choose not to kill innocent people" Darrell was released from the Army three days later and is now organizing support for other miliatry resisters as member of Iraq Veterans Against the War.
March 27 Update: Darrell's fight is not yet over. He still suffers from PTSD and other health issues related to his service in Iraq. He needs and deserves VA benefits that his "other than honorable" prevent him from obtaining. Darrell still has $4,000 in oustanding legal fees that he needs to pay before he can fight for his discharge upgrade to get VA benefits. Please help this Iraq combat veteran and courageous resister get the support and care he deserves.
Please send donations to "Darrell Anderson Legal Fees Fund", P.O. Box 54675, Lexington KY 40555-4675. Contact:
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 Darrell Anderson photo by: Greg Henkenhaf/Toronto Sun "All my fellow resisters in Canada and the U.S...We have to stay strong and stand our ground. Because if we keep speaking the truth and stand up for what's right we will always be free inside." -Darrell Anderson
Shortly past Noon on Friday, October 6, Iraq war veteran and war resister Darrell Anderson was released from Ft. Knox after turning himself in to military custody on October 3. According to his attorney, Jim Finnerty, Darrell will receive an "other than honorable" discharge without facing court martial. He expects discharge papers to be mailed to Anderson within days. |
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A.W.O.L. in Canada: Darrell Anderson (Video) Darrell Anderson talks about his decision to go AWOL and flee to Canada Deserter defies mom in return to U.S. Iraqi war vet faces court martial, jail, in bid to speak out against Bush Mother `can't talk him out of it' but understands need to `heal himself' by Phingo Gombu, Toronto Star, September 8, 2006 Army deserter wants to return to U.S., mother says Darrell Anderson, the young Lexington soldier who deserted to Canada last year after being wounded in Iraq, wants to come home. by Jim Warren , Lexington Herald-Leader, September 7, 2006
Not Shooting our Heroes: It's a Start The U.S. government hasn't shot military deserters since World War II (progress), but are we yet ready to recognize Iraq War deserters as heroes fighting on the front lines for our nation's soul? by Peter Laufer, posted on The Huffington Post, September 10, 2006
You wouldn’t catch me dead in Iraq Scores of American troops are deserting — even from the front line in Iraq. But where have they gone? And why isn’t the US Army after them? Peter Laufer tracked down four of the deserters. by Peter Laufer , Sunday Times Magazine UK, August 27, 2006 We Shall Not be Moved Some joined the US military as a patriotic duty, some to better themselves, but the horrors of serving in Iraq, including Abu Ghraib, changed everything. Deserters tell Gary Younge why they had to quit. by Gary Younge, The Guardian UK , August 26, 2006
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