d***@thepost.net
2008-12-19 21:57:05 UTC
From U.S. War Resisters, A Letter of Solidarity to Israeli Army
Resisters
Posted December 18, 2008.
About 100 Israeli high school students have declared their refusal to
serve in the Israeli army and participate in the occupation of
Palestine.
We are U.S. military servicemembers and veterans who have refused or
are currently refusing to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan.
We stand in solidarity with the Israeli Shministim (Hebrew for 12th
graders) who are also resisting military service. About 100 Israeli
high school students have signed an open letter declaring their
refusal to serve in the Israeli army and their opposition to "Israeli
occupation and oppression policy in the occupied territories and the
territories of Israel." In Israel, military service is mandatory for
all graduating high school seniors, and resisters face the possibility
of years in prison.
We have also refused to participate in unjust acts of military
aggression, and many of us have gone to prison or currently live with
that possibility as a result. We believe that resistance to unjust war
is a bold assertion of humanity in the face of overwhelming violence.
The Global War on Terror, like the Israeli occupation, is propped up
by racism and dehumanization and sets the stage for never-ending war
and occupation. We are inspired by the brave refusal of our brothers
and sisters in Israel to take part in these destructive policies, and
we want to let them know today, December 18th -- the day of
international solidarity with the Shministim -- that they have our
deepest respect and support.
In Solidarity,
Stephanie Atkinson
Specialist, US Army Reserve. Went AWOL to resist October 1990
deployment to Iraq. Discharged in lieu of courts martial.
Chris Capps-Schubert
Specialist, US Army, communications. Went AWOL March 2007 to resist
Iraq redeployment. Discharged in lieu of courts martial.
Eugene Cherry
Specialist, US Army, medic. Went AWOL June 2005 to resist Iraq
redeployment, later won honorable discharge.
Matthis Chiroux
Sergeant, US Army, journalist. Currently refusing Inactive Ready
Reserve recall.
James Circello
Sergeant, US Army, airborne infantry. Went AWOL April 2007 following
Iraq deployment. Discharged in lieu of courts martial.
Carl Davison
US Army, security. Refused Iraq deployment in 2008. Served one month
in the brig.
Matthew Edwards
US Army, Resisted Iraq deployment in March 2003.
Stephen Funk
Lance Corporal, US Marine Corps, logistic support. Went AWOL February
2003 to resist Iraq deployment. Served six months in the brig.
Andrew Gorby
Second Lieutenant, US Army, infantry. Discharged May 2007 as a
conscientious objector.
Patrick Hart
Sergeant, US Army. Went AWOL in 2005 to resist Iraq deployment and has
lived in Canada since.
Ryan Johnson
Private First Class, US Army. Went AWOL June 2005 to resist Iraq
deployment and has lived in Canada since.
Dale Landry
Airman, US Air Force. Went AWOL in 2004 following Afghanistan
deployment and has lived in Canada since.
Benjamin Lewis
US Marine Corps, mortar man. After two Iraq deployments, now refusing
Inactive Ready Reserve recall.
Christopher Magaoay
Lance Corporal, US Marine Corps. Went AWOL in 2006 to resist Iraq
deployment and has lived in Canada since.
Camilo Mejia
Staff Sergeant, Army National Guard. Refused to redeploy to Iraq in
2004. Served nine months in the stockade.
Geoff Millard
Sergeant, Army National Guard. Went AWOL after a deployment to Iraq
2004-2005.
Brandon Neely
US Army, military police. Refused recall from the Inactive Ready
Reserve in 2007.
Perry O'Brien
US Army, medic. Discharged as a conscientious objector November 2004
following Afghanistan deployment.
Jeff Paterson
Corporal, US Marine Corps, artillery control. Refused Desert Storm
deployment August 1990. Served two months pre-trial confinement.
Discharged in lieu of courts martial.
Chanan Suarezdiaz
Hospital Corpsman, Third Class, US Navy. Discharged following 2004
Iraq deployment.
Hart Viges
US Army, airborne mortar man. Discharged as a conscientious objector
following 2003 Iraq deployment.
Dean Walcott
US Marine Corps, military police. Went AWOL in 2007 following Iraq
deployment and has lived in Canada since.
David Wiggins MD
Captain, US Army, doctor. Resigned commission near the Iraq border
during Desert Storm 1991.
Steve Yoczik
Private, US Army. Went AWOL November 2006 to resist Iraq deployment
and has lived in Canada since.
Resisters
Posted December 18, 2008.
About 100 Israeli high school students have declared their refusal to
serve in the Israeli army and participate in the occupation of
Palestine.
We are U.S. military servicemembers and veterans who have refused or
are currently refusing to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan.
We stand in solidarity with the Israeli Shministim (Hebrew for 12th
graders) who are also resisting military service. About 100 Israeli
high school students have signed an open letter declaring their
refusal to serve in the Israeli army and their opposition to "Israeli
occupation and oppression policy in the occupied territories and the
territories of Israel." In Israel, military service is mandatory for
all graduating high school seniors, and resisters face the possibility
of years in prison.
We have also refused to participate in unjust acts of military
aggression, and many of us have gone to prison or currently live with
that possibility as a result. We believe that resistance to unjust war
is a bold assertion of humanity in the face of overwhelming violence.
The Global War on Terror, like the Israeli occupation, is propped up
by racism and dehumanization and sets the stage for never-ending war
and occupation. We are inspired by the brave refusal of our brothers
and sisters in Israel to take part in these destructive policies, and
we want to let them know today, December 18th -- the day of
international solidarity with the Shministim -- that they have our
deepest respect and support.
In Solidarity,
Stephanie Atkinson
Specialist, US Army Reserve. Went AWOL to resist October 1990
deployment to Iraq. Discharged in lieu of courts martial.
Chris Capps-Schubert
Specialist, US Army, communications. Went AWOL March 2007 to resist
Iraq redeployment. Discharged in lieu of courts martial.
Eugene Cherry
Specialist, US Army, medic. Went AWOL June 2005 to resist Iraq
redeployment, later won honorable discharge.
Matthis Chiroux
Sergeant, US Army, journalist. Currently refusing Inactive Ready
Reserve recall.
James Circello
Sergeant, US Army, airborne infantry. Went AWOL April 2007 following
Iraq deployment. Discharged in lieu of courts martial.
Carl Davison
US Army, security. Refused Iraq deployment in 2008. Served one month
in the brig.
Matthew Edwards
US Army, Resisted Iraq deployment in March 2003.
Stephen Funk
Lance Corporal, US Marine Corps, logistic support. Went AWOL February
2003 to resist Iraq deployment. Served six months in the brig.
Andrew Gorby
Second Lieutenant, US Army, infantry. Discharged May 2007 as a
conscientious objector.
Patrick Hart
Sergeant, US Army. Went AWOL in 2005 to resist Iraq deployment and has
lived in Canada since.
Ryan Johnson
Private First Class, US Army. Went AWOL June 2005 to resist Iraq
deployment and has lived in Canada since.
Dale Landry
Airman, US Air Force. Went AWOL in 2004 following Afghanistan
deployment and has lived in Canada since.
Benjamin Lewis
US Marine Corps, mortar man. After two Iraq deployments, now refusing
Inactive Ready Reserve recall.
Christopher Magaoay
Lance Corporal, US Marine Corps. Went AWOL in 2006 to resist Iraq
deployment and has lived in Canada since.
Camilo Mejia
Staff Sergeant, Army National Guard. Refused to redeploy to Iraq in
2004. Served nine months in the stockade.
Geoff Millard
Sergeant, Army National Guard. Went AWOL after a deployment to Iraq
2004-2005.
Brandon Neely
US Army, military police. Refused recall from the Inactive Ready
Reserve in 2007.
Perry O'Brien
US Army, medic. Discharged as a conscientious objector November 2004
following Afghanistan deployment.
Jeff Paterson
Corporal, US Marine Corps, artillery control. Refused Desert Storm
deployment August 1990. Served two months pre-trial confinement.
Discharged in lieu of courts martial.
Chanan Suarezdiaz
Hospital Corpsman, Third Class, US Navy. Discharged following 2004
Iraq deployment.
Hart Viges
US Army, airborne mortar man. Discharged as a conscientious objector
following 2003 Iraq deployment.
Dean Walcott
US Marine Corps, military police. Went AWOL in 2007 following Iraq
deployment and has lived in Canada since.
David Wiggins MD
Captain, US Army, doctor. Resigned commission near the Iraq border
during Desert Storm 1991.
Steve Yoczik
Private, US Army. Went AWOL November 2006 to resist Iraq deployment
and has lived in Canada since.