Ft. Carson court martial Friday, August 22. Colorado Springs supporters to attend trial, vigil in afternoon.

By Courage to Resist. August 7, 2008

Last month 25-year-old U.S. Army PFC Robin Long became the first war resister since the Vietnam War to be forcefully deported from Canadian soil and handed over to military authorities. Robin is currently being held in the El Paso County Jail, near Colorado Springs, Colorado, awaiting a military court martial for resisting the unjust and illegal war against and occupation of Iraq. Robin will be court martialed for desertion “with intent to remain away permanently”—Article 85 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice—in early September. The maximum allowable penalty for a guilty verdict on this charge is three years confinement, forfeiture of pay, and a dishonorable discharge from the Army.

1. Donate to Robin’s legal expenses
2. Send Robin letters of support, more
3. Leaflet: Support Robin Long! (PDF)

By Courage to Resist. 10:33 min. August 18, 2008

Skyler James, an out lesbian, joined the Army in 2006 at her parents strong urging. After a year of anti-homosexual harassment, and before she was to be deployed, Skylar went AWOL and lived since in Canada. She spoke to Courage to Resist from her home in Ontario.

“Someone ran up behind me, screamed ‘dyke!’ and punched me in the back of the head… I was the only female in the motor pool… They would claim me as one of the guys, but after they found out I was gay they completely turned their back on me…. I was receiving hate letters on my door, threatening to injure me and kill me.”

By Courage to Resist. 15:44 min. August 18, 2008

Tim Richard enlisted in the Iowa National Guard for six years in 1999. Just before his enlistment was up, he was notified that his new release date would be 2031! In November 2005, when he was training for deployment to Iraq, Richard went AWOL and made his way to Canada where he was able to become a citizen, since his father was a citizen of that country.

“It was the National Guard; I thought we would be doing disaster relief and that sort of thing…. After 9/11 I wanted to go get whoever did this to America…. But after the Iraq War dragged on for a bit I realized that there were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, just a lot of poor people and a lot of dead bodies.”

By Courage to Resist and War Resisters Support Campaign (Canada). August 13, 2008

The first U.S. war resister to apply for refuge in Canada has been ordered deported by September 23rd. Jeremy is in Canada with his wife Nga Nuyen, and their two young children. This decision flies in the face of the motion adopted by Parliament on June 3, 2008 which calls on the government to allow US war resisters to apply for Permanent Resident status in Canada. Supporters are calling on Hon. Diane Finley, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, to intervene. Phone 613.996.4974 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

By Courage to Resist. 14:21 min. July 29, 2008

During basic training, Air Force recruit Michael Thurman began to have misgivings about the war in Iraq -- and all war. By the time he was assigned to his first duty station, he realized that he could not continue working for the war machine. He applied for conscientious objector status, and after working with Courage to Resist, he was discharged from the Air Force eight months later.

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.

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.

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!

"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.