GI refuses to return to Iraq, saying he'd rather go to prison

Spokesman Review ^ | 03/17/2004 | Associated Press

[writer33]

Staff sergeant seeks conscientious objector status, says he will not take part in `oil-driven war'

NORTH MIAMI, Fla. - A U.S. soldier who refused to return to Iraq after seeing civilians killed reported to his unit in Florida on Tuesday and said he would go to prison rather than take part in "an oil-driven war."

Staff Sgt. Camilo Mejia, who is seeking to be declared a conscientious objector, met with officials at his Florida National Guard unit after repeating his determination not to return to the Middle East and fight.

"I'm prepared to go to prison because I'll have a clear conscience," Mejia said.

Guard spokesman Jon Myatt said Mejia, 28, has been classified as a deserter because he had been missing from his unit for more than 30 days.

Myatt said a warrant to arrest Mejia could be issued if he failed to appear today at Fort Stewart, Ga., from which his unit is deployed. He said Mejia had not been charged.

Mejia said he's been treated with "respect and dignity" by the military and he intends to report to the base.

Mejia, of Miami Beach, could face up to one year in prison for being absent without leave and up to five years if convicted of desertion, said Tod Ensign, director of Citizen Soldier, a New York-based group that is organizing Mejia's defense.

Mejia was in Iraq for about five months last year until October, when he came home on leave and did not return to duty. He surrendered Monday at an Air Force base in Massachusetts and was ordered to report to his Florida National Guard unit.

"The justification for this war is money and no soldier should go to Iraq and give his life for oil," Mejia said.

He was accompanied by his mother, an aunt and Spc. Oliver Perez, who served with him, when he reported to the Florida armory.

Perez said Mejia is "a brave leader" and should not be prosecuted.

"I fought next to him in many battles. He is not a coward," Perez said.

Mejia's attorney, Louis Font, said he faxed papers seeking conscientious objector status to Fort Stewart on Tuesday.

In the filing, Mejia said he was particularly upset over an incident in which his unit was ambushed and innocent civilians were hit in the ensuing gunfire, and another in which he says an Iraqi boy died after confusion over which military doctor should treat him.

A native of Nicaragua, Mejia is a permanent resident of the United States who served in the Army for three years. He had served in the National Guard for five years when his unit was called to active duty. In civilian life, he was a psychology student at the University of Miami.

[writer33]

"The justification for this war is money and no soldier should go to Iraq and give his life for oil," Mejia said.

He makes me sick. I better not get started.

[nmh]

If he'd rather go to prison; then GIVE HIM HIS WISH! Put him in general population for awhile.

[rageaholic]

I might respect him if he never goes back to driving an oil-driven car either... otherwise he's just another hypocrite.

[af_vet_1981]

Give him a dishonorable discharge and deport him. Under no circumstances allow him to remain in the United States.

[billorites]

"I'm prepared to go to prison because I'll have a clear conscience,"

Mind you don't drop your soap.

[MinuteGal]

If this guy gets off, he'll be on Kerry's veterans' campaign committee in a Massachusetts second.

Leni

[writer33]

"I might respect him if he never goes back to driving an oil-driven car either... otherwise he's just another hypocrite."


I'll never respect him. He is going over there to replace some soldiers that need to come home. They've accomplished their mission and each unit deploys in replacement of another and so forth. This is how it works. And he won't go do his duty. He disgusts me besides being a hypocrite.

It comes down to cowardice. Nothing more.

[joesnuffy]

A native of Nicaragua, Mejia is a permanent resident of the United States

Is there a difference between being a permanet resident and a citizen?...sending him back to Nicaragua might also be an option?

[gg188]

"I fought next to him in many battles. He is not a coward," Perez said.

This implies that Mejia fought in battle. How could he have done that if he is a conscientious objecter?

[Choose Ye This Day]

Mr. Mejia,

If all we wanted was the oil, why didn't we march into Iraq in 1991 and take their oilfields?

If all we wanted was the oil, why didn't we simply purchase it from Iraq under the oil-for-food program?

What about the rape rooms? What about the children's prisons? We wouldn't have closed those up if it were just about the oil.

Who's going to foot this guy's defense bill? A.N.S.W.E.R.? MoveOn? Soros? Heinz?

[Ready4Freddy]

Yes, there is a difference. 'Permanent resident' means that he has his green card, and is not a citizen.

[writer33]

"This implies that Mejia fought in battle. How could he have done that if he is a conscientious objecter?"

He can't have. And National Guard units don't fight in a surplus of battles. That usually involves active duty personnel and Army Reserve units. Conscientous objectors don't fight.

[glock rocks]

Perez said Mejia is "a brave leader" and should not be prosecuted.

... just a touch less brave than hanoi john, huh mejia?

[SpyGuy]

He had served in the National Guard for five years when his unit was called to active duty. In civilian life, he was a psychology student at the University of Miami.

Sounds like another one of those students that wanted the taxpayers to foot the bill for his university education. Then he got called up and decided he didn't like having to own up to the responsibility he had committed himself to.

[The Mayor]

F'n coward

[BikePacker]

Of course thius country is far too wimpy - but this man should be facing a summary execution.

[CapandBall]

How can one claim conscientious objector status after joining an all volunteer army? Did he think he would be allowed to decide which conflicts he fought in?

[Russ]

I second your comment!

[writer33]

"How can one claim conscientious objector status after joining an all volunteer army?"

The best way to describe it is like being a John Kerry. A little flip flop. He never had any cajones, and when it came time to do the nutcracking, they were absent. So, he wanted to claim conscientious objector status.