Posted on 07/13/2015 6:38:37 AM PDT by pabianice
BUFFALO, N.Y. — When Army Sgt. Patrick Hart decided a decade ago that he would not serve in the war in Iraq, he expected to follow the same path as thousands of American war resisters during the Vietnam era and take refuge across the border.
But after five years of wrangling with the Canadian immigration system, he came back to the U.S. - and ended up in a military prison.
The country that once welcomed war resisters has developed a much different reputation during the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan: Supporters say no U.S. soldier who has sought legal residence in Canada, either as a refugee or on humanitarian grounds, has been successful.
"Nobody's won," said Hart, a Buffalo native who exhausted his legal options then turned himself in to the Army, was court-martialed for desertion and sentenced to two years in prison.
There are an estimated two dozen U.S. military members still waiting out their fate in Canada, and the resisters' movement is seen as nearing a crossroads. With a national election three months away, supporters are hopeful for a Liberal Party victory and more sympathetic stance toward American military exiles, but bracing for the possibility Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper wins re-election.
(Excerpt) Read more at stripes.com ...
Yeah, when you are sending your troops to the same war it would get a little sticky wouldn’t it?
Don’t go breaking my heart.
Sure, and one could argue, I suppose, that if you are drafted to go fight and decided to flee because of your religion, was scared, didn’t agree with the mission, are a liberal etc, some sympathy could be garnered by certain circles. But in today’s U.S. military, no one is holding a gun to your head to sign those papers. Being a volunteer, less “understanding” is given to those who refuse to honor their contracts or obligations. Canada knows this.
My mother wanted me to go to Canada to avoid the draft in 1971. I was shocked to hear her say that. I did my duty and got lucky. Didn’t end up there anyways.
There, accuracy in all things...
Concur. The vast majority who enter the military do so out of a sense of national patriotism, there are those who do so merely for the paycheck and GI Bill. These are the ones that run at the first sign of conflict. I recall a case a few years back of a soldier that refused to deploy to a combat zone. Their reason was that no one ever told them that the Army would go to war.
Canada has some very burly lumberjack types. I used to know quite a few. Give them a few cases of Molson, a moving van and I promise you that the next morning, all these pieces of human garbage will be repatriated to somewhere within the continental US for processing.
Just like magic and without a lawyer being involved.
He looks like a typical pansy a$$ whinny liberal fat a$$ coward. Hope he is love’n his time in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas...serves him right.
Looking back over my 20 years in the Navy I never wanted to quit — But then again I love my country entirely way too much to have ever given up my Anchors and walk away. And by God, I would do it again tomorrow. God, country, family!
Why be a Soldier in the first place ?
They also know that most of the American deserters were worthless immigrants who contributed nothing to Canada.
Today their children are hippies and drug addicts.
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