Posted on 02/10/2009 5:03:07 AM PST by Zakeet
Sporting a dragon tattoo on his forearm and skulls on both biceps, Cliff Cornell's looks tough. But he dissolves into tears as he reflects on his return to the Army four years after he fled to Canada to avoid the war in Iraq.
"I'm nervous, scared," Cornell said, wiping puffy eyes beneath his sunglasses Monday at a Savannah hotel after a three-day bus ride from Seattle. "I'm just not a fighter. I know it sounds funny, but I have a really soft heart."
Cornell, 29, of Mountain Home, Ark., planned to turn himself in to military police Tuesday at nearby Fort Stewart, where he'll likely face criminal charges for abandoning his unit before it deployed to Iraq in January 2005.
He said he fled because he doesn't think the war has improved the lives of Iraqis, and he couldn't stomach the thought of killing.
"During my training, I was ordered that, if anyone came within so many feet of my vehicle, I was to shoot to kill," said Cornell, who enlisted in 2002 but never deployed to war. "I didn't join the military to kill innocents."
The Army artillery specialist made it to Canada in 2005 and soon started a new life working at a grocery store on Gabriola Island in British Columbia.
Cornell's exile ended last week when he crossed the U.S.-Canada border into Washington state. He left voluntarily to avoid deportation.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Cornell's lawyer said he hopes the Army shows some leniency since his client avoided the war because of his political convictions.
"This is different from someone leaving for selfish reasons. This is someone who said, 'I'm not going to kill civilians.'"
This clown is a celebrity to the anti-war industry. Google up his name.
Has Obama had a parade for this POS yet? How about a medal?
It’s CO for “religious” convictions - not political.
Damn, I thought our homeboys were made of tougher stuff. This is sad. Don't reckon he'll have a warm homecoming from us locals.Tool.
America’s chicken coming home to roost.
What did this doofus THINK was going to happen when he joined the Army and was going to Iraq? Fer cryin’ out loud.
Fag. I hope he does 20+ years at leavenworth.
You can wear a long sleeve shirt if you want to, to hide your bad-ass tatoos.
S/
And THIS is someone who DID kill civilians, deliberately and brutally, for decades...
I have a soft heart, too; I break down at funerals and rejoice at births and weddings.
But when some lice-ridden 7th century lunatics murder 3000 Americans because they want their stupid-ass devil-worshiping religion to dominate the world, my soft heart turns to carborundum and I’m ready to kill.
This chicken-footed SOB gets no sympathy from me or my kind.
http://www.military.com/NewContent/0,13190,GH_Saddam,00.html
Desertion in wartime? No problem! Court martial, then take him out back and shoot him.
I would have preferred he keep his azz in Canada. Now he will get a slap on the wrist and be back amongst us.
“During my training, I was ordered that, if anyone came within so many feet of my vehicle, I was to shoot to kill,” said Cornell, who enlisted in 2002 but never deployed to war. “I didn’t join the military to kill innocents.”
Cornell obviously enlisted knowing damn well this country was at war....and that he MIGHT have to kill people innocent or not.....
This guy brings new meaning to the words Candy Ass.
LOL!
Ditto. And I nominate that for Quote of the Day.
Tall tree. Short piece o’ rope.
Hang the maggot.
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