Army deserter will return to face consequences (canada ain't so grand)

CNN ^ | September 23, 2006 | AP

[Btrp113Cav]

LEXINGTON, Kentucky (AP) -- A soldier who fled to Canada two years ago after serving in Iraq said he would return home to face consequences from the U.S. Army.

[killermedic]

OF course it isn't they all have flip top heads like terrence and phillip, ugly bob, and scott.

[GMMAC]

B'BYE
PING!

[starfish923]

LEXINGTON, Kentucky (AP) -- A soldier who fled to Canada two years ago after serving in Iraq said he would return home to face consequences from the U.S. Army.

"I decided that I've got to go back and get this over with once and for all, instead of living in limbo up here forever," Darrell Anderson told the Lexington-Herald Leader for Saturday's edition from Toronto.

Anderson, 24, served seven months in Iraq with the 1st Armored Division. He received a Purple Heart after being wounded by a roadside bomb. But he said he quickly became disillusioned with the war.

Anderson, who arrived in Canada by way of Niagara Falls in January 2005, had hoped to build a new life north of the border. But his Canadian attorney missed a deadline for filing paperwork to have him declared a refugee, which would have allowed him to remain in the country.

He said that not only meant he could not qualify for a government work permit -- which he had to have to get a job -- it also opened the possibility that Canadian authorities might deport him, even though he had married a Canadian woman.

He said he's been scraping along, working odd jobs, relying on the generosity of Canadian friends and help from his family in the United States.

This summer, Anderson was among a group of American military deserters visited by "peace mom" Cindy Sheehan, who was in Canada to support sanctuary for those fleeing the U.S. military.

Now, Anderson said he is planning to turn himself in to a special processing unit at Fort Knox for soldiers absent without leave and accept whatever punishment he's given.

"I just decided that I've got to face my demons, put on my uniform, and go back and tell the Army that I don't want to participate in this war," he said. "I feel like I have to tell them face to face. I have to make my stand once and for all."

After reviewing Anderson's record, the commander could order a less-than-honorable discharge or refer the case to a court-martial, which could impose a prison term and a dishonorable discharge, said Fort Knox spokeswoman Gini Sinclair.

====================================

Well, he can go to prison for a couple of years and THEN go back to Canada. Who needs him here?

[SevenofNine]

Don't forget McKenrize Brothers from SCTV LOL!

[conservative in nyc]

From the article:

But his Canadian attorney missed a deadline for filing paperwork to have him declared a refugee, which would have allowed him to remain in the country.

Finally, a lawyer does something right (by doing something wrong). I hope he wouldn't have qualified as a refugee, anyway.

Is Canada offering us anything in return for taking a deserter off your hands?

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

So are you a German or an American? A German in the US?

As for the article, he could also face execution for desertion, couldn't he? War hasn't been officially declared, and so would this be a time of war (technically)?

[Timbo64]

Less-than-honorable my as_! Give this guy a dishonorable discharge.

[james500]

So Anderson is forced to do the right thing because his lawyer screwed up while Anderson was trying to do the wrong thing? What a guy!

[processing please hold]

But his Canadian attorney missed a deadline for filing paperwork to have him declared a refugee, which would have allowed him to remain in the country.

So, he doesn't really want to come back here and get it over with once and for all, he's being kicked out and has no where else to go. I see now.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

Aren't keywords there so that they can be searched? Stop putting inane words there which most people wouldn't even consider searching for. Commenting is a good way of getting opinions across.

[SquirrelKing]

Oops. Sorry, eh?

[therut]

Yes give him a dishonorable discharge. No second amendment rights and no voting.

[WLR]

"Well, he can go to prison for a couple of years and THEN go back to Canada. Who needs him here?"

He served, he sacrificed. Doing so affects everyone differently near everytime.


W

[Kirkwood]

http://www.hqda.army.mil/ari/pdf/s51.pdf

[Americanexpat]

Must be a little hard to find sympathy, as a deserter, in Canada when their soldiers are dying in Afghanistan.

[mingwah]

You know, as a woman-a mothering type person, I can't speak to what a man goes through. You try to raise boys to be men but really, it is a father who gives that strength.
Quite frankly, we are turning into a fatherless country.
Somehow,this does not surprise me.

[paudio]

But his Canadian attorney missed a deadline for filing paperwork to have him declared a refugee..

LOL... I wonder if he checked the attorney's political leaning before he hired him/her.

[skr]

Or they can keep him and save us taxpayers a lot of money.

[Timbo64]

This young man served in Iraq and received a Purple Heart. I respect him for that. When I was in the Marines, I never even came close to being in combat. But I did know several people who received other-than-hornorable discharges for what I thought at the time, and still do, were minor offenses. This is not a guy who went AWOL for a week or so because his wife two thousand miles away was leaving him and he went nuts and flew home. This man deserted in a time of war. This is why he deserves a dishonorable discharge. Out or respect of his service in Iraq, I would not want him to serve any jail time.