Anti war prostester who deserves wide audience.

[Dawn Meredith]

This story has been around awhile. Casey does not seem to have many other co-resisters, at least the press would have us so believe. And this is from Code Pink, the press is not touching this story.
Dawn


ON VIRB:


----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Casey J Porter <caseyjporter@hotmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, November 26, 2008 10:53:11 AM
Subject: They took it down AGAIN. But it's BACK!

YouTube took down my film yet again!
But now it's back on Virb.com.

Link: http://www.virb.com/caseyjporter/videos/56600
Embed Code:
Please, once again, share this and everyone you know. No one will
stop me from getting my films to all of you. It's like trying to shut
down a youthu shelter on Mr. T!

Thank you for posting again and again for me.

Casey J Porter


__._,_.___

[David Guyatt]

War is business - Business is war...

Thank goodness some of the young soldiers are beginning to see through the charade at long last. It's their blood and deaths that make this merry go round, go round...

[Dawn Meredith]

Now Bush has pulled some crap to PREVENT the war from ending. Just heard it last night, (on MSNBC Rachel Maddow) it's not in English yet...something about them being there for another 3 years. An agreement with the government of Iraq, but they want us out, so the story didnot make sense. SInce it's not in English our elected representatives can't even read said "agreement" Fucking pig....he's long stopped caring about his "legacy" just get as much damage done as possible. HE's the terrorist.

[Dawn Meredith]

Another one: But where is the opposition to the war??? Is Code Pink alone here? This is just so unlike Viet Nam. Perhaps the difference is twofold: There is a lot of opposition and the media chooses to ignore it; and the oposition is not nerly as large as it was during Viet Nam because the number of US deaths is a lot lower.
Dawn

Army deserter seeks asylum in Germany over Iraq
Buzz Up Send
– A U.S. soldier who deserted his unit to avoid returning to Iraq has applied for asylum in Germany, saying the Iraq war was illegal and that he could not support the "heinous acts" taking place.

Andre Shepherd, 31, who served in Iraq between September 2004 and February 2005 as an Apache helicopter mechanic in the 412th Aviation Support Battalion, has been living in Germany since deserting last year.

"When I read and heard about people being ripped to shreds from machine guns or being blown to bits by the Hellfire missiles I began to feel ashamed about what I was doing," Shepherd told a Frankfurt news conference Thursday.

"I could not in good conscience continue to serve."

Shepherd, originally from Cleveland, Ohio and ranked as an army specialist, applied for asylum in Germany Wednesday, said Tim Huber from the Military Counseling Network, a non-military group which is assisting him.

According to U.S. law, soldiers who desert during a time of war can face the death penalty.

The soldier said he was particularly hopeful he would be granted asylum in Germany, a staunch opponent of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, due to the legacy of the post-war trials of Nazi officials, notably in Nuremberg in 1945-1949.

"Here in Germany it was established that everyone, even a soldier, must take responsibility for his or her actions, no matter how many superiors are giving orders," he said.

Shepherd, who enlisted in January 2004, is only the second U.S. soldier to have applied to Germany for asylum "in a similar situation," said Claudia Moebus from the government's department for migration. The earlier application was later withdrawn.

The specialist was posted to Germany in 2005 where he undertook desk jobs, but he gradually began questioning the justification for the Iraq war and began worrying he would be sent back to serve there, said Huber.

"That's when he went AWOL," he added.

Earlier this year, Jeremy Hinzman, an American who applied for refugee status in Canada after deserting the U.S. Army when he received orders to go to Iraq, said he would appeal a deportation order returning him to the United States.

Another U.S. deserter, Robin Long, was deported from Canada in July and sent to jail in Colorado.

(Writing by Josie Cox; Editing by Sophie Hares)

Recommend 60 users recommend Buzz Up Send

[Richard Welser]

Thanks Dawn for posting these.

I knew that deserters would not be permitted in Canada a long while ago ... I think it was Michael Ruppert or an article on his web site in 2003 or 04 that discussed the changes in Canadian law (and just about everywhere else) since Vietnam and which were also signs of growing NAU-presentiments of interconnectedness between both nations. In fact, as I recall now, it was that information that first began to make me think that there might be a global order that was effecting change everywhere, in bits and pieces, to change, as one example, the way such things would work in the future - to the detriment of the Empire's soldiers of conscience.

There doesn't seem to be any place to run to, if you're a soldier. Perhaps as the American Empire dies some other nations would be willing to risk defying the U.S. Certainly Russia and China if they fail to go along with the program and become more clearly the final targets... For now, everything that would have such impact would be carefully considered for its ramifications geopolitically. Perhaps, only a group that would have nothing to lose (because it was already fighting the U.S.) would give the U.S. the finger in that manner.

I don't have much optimism for the appeal in Canada. But I don't know except that if there happens to be a loophole and there happens to be a maverick judge..... In Germany, I also don't know just how much sway Nuremberg has. The Germans ties to the U.S. are still strong but it's interests don't always seem to be in sync with the U.S. Anybody got a clue about the factors that might hold sway there? Is there anywhere one could really find asylum (presuming a deserter could get there?

[Dawn Meredith]

Thanks Dawn for posting these.

I knew that deserters would not be permitted in Canada a long while ago ... I think it was Michael Ruppert or an article on his web site in 2003 or 04 that discussed the changes in Canadian law (and just about everywhere else) since Vietnam and which were also signs of growing NAU-presentiments of interconnectedness between both nations. In fact, as I recall now, it was that information that first began to make me think that there might be a global order that was effecting change everywhere, in bits and pieces, to change, as one example, the way such things would work in the future - to the detriment of the Empire's soldiers of conscience.

There doesn't seem to be any place to run to, if you're a soldier. Perhaps as the American Empire dies some other nations would be willing to risk defying the U.S. Certainly Russia and China if they fail to go along with the program and become more clearly the final targets... For now, everything that would have such impact would be carefully considered for its ramifications geopolitically. Perhaps, only a group that would have nothing to lose (because it was already fighting the U.S.) would give the U.S. the finger in that manner.

I don't have much optimism for the appeal in Canada. But I don't know except that if there happens to be a loophole and there happens to be a maverick judge..... In Germany, I also don't know just how much sway Nuremberg has. The Germans ties to the U.S. are still strong but it's interests don't always seem to be in sync with the U.S. Anybody got a clue about the factors that might hold sway there? Is there anywhere one could really find asylum (presuming a deserter could get there?

Being a former Canadian I used to have such respect for my country for allowing VIet Nam "draft dodgers" to live there. In retrospect knowing what I know know about how joined at the hip the two countries are (intelligence wise) it's even more remarkable.
The only way to stop war is for everyone to refuse. In the late 60's early 70's I had a sign on my wall that said "Suppose they gave a war and no one came?" But people are such sheeple. They buy the lie every damn time.
Dawn

[Keith Millea]

Back during the Viet Nam war,Sweden was a popular place for war deserters.Is it now different in Sweden also?

Keith

[David Guyatt]

Sweden is now a different place than it was Keith. I remember that Les Coleman was effectively run out of town due to US pressure (so Lex said anyway).

The names Olaf Palme and Anna Lindh might be a clue:

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2003/09/11...30911.html

Much has been written about Olaf Palme's assssination - which apparently traces back to the US. One may only wonder if Anna Lindh can be likewise attributed?

[Keith Millea]

Thanks for the reply David.I must say,I have only heard of the murders of Olaf Palme,and Anna Lindh.Your statement that the US might have some involvment with Palmes' assassination is very interesting.I'll search around for some info.

Anyways,like Joe Galloway said in the Veterans Day article that I posted in the Op-Ed section.

The economic meltdown in America, the growing ranks of the unemployed, the complete lack of work or prospect of a decent future in the rural and urban backwaters of a great nation make for a boom in enlistments in our voluntary military.

My cousins husband just signed up for 6 years.They are young with one small child.They have been caught in the debt trap,and saw this as their only good alternative.The one thing that will fill the service ranks fast is a crumbling economy.Works every time........

Keith

[Magda Hassan]

Stockholm News
December 1, 2008

"NATO adaptation is undemocratic"
Tommie Ullman

44 signatories from the cultural and political sector
writes in a debate article in Svenska Dagbladet today
that they are worried that Sweden will gradually join
NATO without any debate.

They write: “Behind the people’s back, there has been
a hidden adaptation to NATO. The process has now gone
so far so NATO that supporters can say that Sweden is
already a member ninety percent (…) so we can as well
take the last step to full membership”

The writers establish that more than twice as many
Swedes are against NATO membership than those who are
in favor of it.

They claim that the slow adaptation, which might
logically end up in a full membership, is undemocratic
and lacks transparency.

They therefore demand a “citizens commission with the
duty to monitor the adoption process and its
consequences for our security and democracy.”

Among those who have signed the article are the names
of former Left party leader Gudrun Schyman and former
member of the Swedish and European parliament Per
Gahrton from the Green Party.
http://www.stockholmnews.com/more.aspx?NID=2237