Posted on 12/23/2004 11:16:35 AM PST by txradioguy
Petty Officer 3rd Class Pablo Paredes followed through on his plan: He refused to board his Navy ship yesterday morning when it sailed for Iraq with thousands of Camp Pendleton Marines.
For nearly two hours, the weapons-control technician sat on his ship's pier at the 32nd Street Naval Station. He talked with media and waited to be arrested, but the arrest didn't happen.
A Navy spokesman said Paredes, 23, wasn't taken into custody because he hadn't violated any regulations. Navy procedures stipulate that an officer can't be listed as missing until an official roll has been called aboard ship.
"Paredes is considered (to be) in an unauthorized absent status," said Cmdr. William Fenick, spokesman for the 3rd Fleet. "He is encouraged to check into any naval facility as soon as possible. Sailors have an obligation to get under way when their ships deploy, and today over 5,000 sailors and Marines met that obligation and began their deployment."
Paredes believes he wasn't detained because of the media presence. On Sunday, he had called newspapers and radio and TV stations to announce his anti-deployment intentions.
Paredes had planned to publicly throw his military I.D. into the ocean to underscore his stand against the war. But yesterday, he changed his mind after learning that he could be charged with destruction of government property.
Paredes held firm, however, when a Navy officer tried to persuade him to board the amphibious assault ship Bonhomme Richard, which transports Marines to the Middle East.
"I told him that I don't plan on getting under way, that I refuse, that I resign," Paredes said yesterday afternoon in a phone interview.
Paredes had joined the Navy in 2000. He was stationed in Japan until now, he said, and didn't think he had a direct connection to the war in Iraq.
Paredes might be the first local sailor to refuse deployment on the grounds of being philosophically opposed to the Iraq war, said Sam Samuelson, spokesman for the San Diego Naval Station.
Paredes is looking for a lawyer to represent him for free before he turns himself in to the Navy.
"I knew what was coming," Paredes said, "and now I just have to see it through."
Maybe I'm over reacting a bit here...but IMHO this guy should either spend the rest of his aduly life on the synchronized mowing team at Ft. Leavenworth or shot for desertion.
You fight them one person at a time.
"Missing Movement" is a court martial offense. They need to make an example out of this guy.
Indeed, you miss movement, its not a good thing at all. Anyways, why would you not want to go? You're on a nice big ship the entire time...
This guy planning to run for the senate in Mass.?
Git a rope.
LOL!
Agreed this guy needs to be court marshaled...but what about the "organization" that is out there promoting this kind of action by our armed forces. From what Hegecock said earlier this week...this group is advertising on CITY BUSES in San Diego! Isn't there something...ANYTHING the state or Federal gov't can do to stop this blatant act of...forgive me if the word is wrong...sedition...by our own citizens?
So instead of addressing his concerns through the proper channels, he runs to the media. Confinement on bread and water follwed by a trip to boot camp - Marine boot camp - should give this guy a good attitude adjustment.
Cowardice is not a philosophy.
...Paredes, 23, wasn't taken into custody because he hadn't violated any regulations. ... an officer can't be listed as missing until an official roll has been called aboard ship. "Paredes is considered (to be) in an unauthorized absent status."
Paredes believes he wasn't detained because of the media presence.
Looks like to me that the military is learning how to play press games. Had they arrested the guy, they would have walked into the briar patch in the middle of the media flap going on about Rumsfeld. I think it quite possible that he will be arrested at a time of their choosing--when the press is not waiting in the shadows to witness it.
Don't worry, the Navy will most definately burn this guy's ass for this.
Knock Knock SHORE PATROL!
I'm not one who likes to use this word, but man, what a p*ssy. I don't think I'd want him next to our true men in uniform. He could get someone hurt!
I agree and as a member of the media I know this goes on...as a member of the military as well this kind of publicity stunt sickens me. As a plain old citizen of the U.S. it outrages me that this kind of thing happens...even if it is done by a small amount of the people.
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