resistersTony Anderson sentenced to 14 months
19 year-old Army Private Anderson refused to deploy to Iraq in July on grounds of conscientious objection to war. Help us cover the remaining $500 of his legal bill, and write Tony today!

Prisoner of conscience writes Obama
"My name is Robin Long. I am currently serving a 15-month sentence at a Naval brig in California. I am locked up for refusing to participate in the invasion of the sovereign nation of Iraq..."

Mentally ill soldier gets stockade
Daniel Sandate was a good soldier. He did OK in the Army until he deployed in Iraq. Later, dealing with severe PTSD, he went AWOL, become suicidal, and returned for help.

Five simple things you can do
...to organize war resister support in your community
Courage to Resist offers five suggestions on how your local community can get involved and act directly to stop unjust war and occupation by supporting GI resistance.

Objector released after 7 month sentence (link only)
Robert Weiss was released November 9 from the U.S. military prison at Coleman Barracks in Mannheim, Germany."Everything is exciting to me right now ... I am aware this euphoria will probably only last a week or so," Robert told friends at the airport headed home.

 


Resister Tony Anderson sentenced to 14 months

anderson

By Sarah Lazare, Courage to Resist for AlterNet. November 20, 2008

For the next two weeks, you can write to Tony at: Tony Anderson / El Paso County Sheriff's Office / 2739 E. Las Vegas / Colorado Springs, CO 80906

19 year-old Army private Tony Anderson was court martialed Monday and sentenced to 14 months of confinement and given a dishonorable discharge from the military for "desertion with intent to avoid hazardous duty" and "disobeying a lawful order." The young soldier refused to deploy to Iraq in July of this year on the grounds of conscientious objection to war.

"I know in my heart that it is wrong to willfully hurt or kill another human being. I simply cannot do it. I don't regret following my conscience," he said at his trial as he struggled to compose himself. "I know there must be consequences for my actions and I must accept this fact."

Members of Iraq Veterans Against the War and Colorado Springs peace organizations attended the Ft. Carson, Colorado court martial to show their support for the young soldier. Immediately after being sentenced, Anderson was placed in handcuffs and taken to the Colorado Springs Criminal Justice Center, where he will be held for a few weeks until he is moved to an army stockade.

The 14 month sentence is one of the longest given to a U.S. military serviceperson for refusing to fight in Iraq.

Read more...

Donate to Tony's defense at
www.couragetoresist.org/tonyanderson

 


Prisoner of conscience Robin Long's letter to Obama

robinBy Robin Long, prisoner of conscience
November 6, 2008

Dear President-elect Obama,

My name is Robin Long. I am currently serving a 15-month sentence at a Naval brig in California. I am locked up for refusing to participate in the invasion of the sovereign nation of Iraq, a military action I felt was wrong and an action condemned by most of the international community.

It was illegal and immoral.

My sentence also includes dishonorable discharge. I was no doubt made an example, because not only did I refuse to deploy by going AWOL but I spoke out. I spoke out about the atrocities that are going on over there and also the extensive web of lies the Bush administration told us and Congress, to go over there. I did all of this very openly while AWOL in Canada, where I was making a life for myself.

When I joined the Army in 2003 I felt honored to be serving my country. I was behind the President. I thought it was an honorable venture to be in Iraq. I was convinced by the lies of the Bush administration just like Congress and a majority of Americans. But just because I joined the Army doesn't mean I abdicated my ability to evolve intellectually and morally. When I realized the war in Iraq was a mistake, I saw refusing to fight as my only option. My conscience was screaming at me not to participate.

I feel, like many others, that a government that punishes its citizens for taking a moral stand for humanity and against injustices will lose the faith of its people. The war in Iraq was a Bush administration mistake and my punishment is a product of that mistake and failed policy. Please see that I am being punished for my ideals and morals and for standing up to a giant so my voice could be heard. People can't be afraid to stand up and say "This is wrong, we need change."

You may say I signed a contract. I'd like to quote from a letter that Thomas Jefferson wrote to George Washington in April of 1793 on his thoughts of contracts and the French Treaties. And I quote "When performance, for instance, becomes impossible, non-performance is not immoral. So if performance becomes self destructive for the party, the law of self preservation overrules the laws of obligations to others. For the reality of these principals I appeal to the true fountains of evidence, the heart and head of every rational honest man."

Read more...

 


Mentally ill soldier sentenced to 8 months in stockade

danielCourage to Resist. November 18, 2008 update

Daniel Sandate, a mentally ill US soldier, was deported from Canada and sentenced to 8 months in the stockade at the end of a brief court-martial at Ft. Carson, Colorado on Monday, November 17. His civilian lawyer, James Branum, describes this case below and asks that you consider making a donation to his legal defense.

The case of Daniel Sandate

Daniel grew up with a horrific home life that is indescribable in nature, so understandably he grew up experiening severe trauma and mental health issues. His adolensence and young adulthood were brutal but he hoped that joining the Army would give him a sense of purpose and a reason to live.

Sandate was a good soldier. He performed reasonably well in training and did ok in the Army until he deployed in Iraq. Like many soldiers, he was forced to see and participate in things that no human should ever have to go through. He came home from Iraq shook to the core and with a strong case of PTSD.

Daniel tried to get help from the Army but he was blown off, time and time again. His situation was quickly spiraling in a negative direction (he was very suicidal at this point, which was scary because he had tried to kill himself before even joining the Army), so when he met new friend online who lived in Canada, he thought it would be nice to take a break from the Army and hang out up there for awhile. He always wanted to come back at some point, but just needed a break and some time to recover his sanity.

Read more...

 


Five simple things you can do

...to organize war resister support in your community

buttonwBy Courage to Resist. November 7, 2008

Support networks are a vital part of the war resistance movement: providing political, emotional, and material support to military objectors and helping amplify their stories of resistance lays the foundation for a strong movement and ensures that resisters do not have to go it alone. Through collective aid and alliance, we can act directly to stop unjust war and occupation.

This document contains suggestions about how your local community can get involved in these efforts. Please keep in mind that this is not meant to be a blueprint for what your organizing must look like, but rather, a collection of ideas and possibilities, to provide a starting point for those who are not sure how to begin. Courage to Resist would love to work with you in the future to figure out how these ideas best fit in with your community.

Read more...