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

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

[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.