America soldier refuses to return to Iraq

[Rob E Dangerously 0]

 

Send him to jail or deport him.

         -=Mike

Yes, deport the man who risked his own life to protect us. The guy was obviously shaken by things he saw and possibly did during the war and he doesn't want to go back. He's already done a hell of a lot more for this country than most people ever will.

Non-citizen who went AWOL. Seems pretty cut and dried there.

 

Yeah, most of us won't be able to go AWOL. Alas.

-=Mike

"A native of Nicaragua, Meija is a permanent resident of the US who served in the army for three years."

 

Unless there's some legalese in US citizenship law.. it seems he is pretty much a citizen. There might be some subtle difference between 'permanent resident' and 'citizen' though.

[Guest BDC]

Guess what? Going AWOL is punishable bigtime.

 

He's in the ARMY. You join up with the understanding that you don't just flake out when you feel like it. Look at it like signing a contract if you have to: he signed the contract to do what his orders told him to. If you break the contract there's recourse. THIS IS RECOURSE.

[Guest Ram]

Wouldn't he just get a dishonorable discharge or am I confused?

[Justice 0]

But Korea actually HAS admitted to wmds...and, judging by 9-11, Saudi Arabia poses a greater threat to US....why were they left alone to attack a different, uninvolved, country?

 

Regardless...I do not support attacking other countries. Without just cause.

Point in case, just like to note that the hijackers from Saudi Arabia on the attacks during 9/11 were exiles who were kicked out of their country.

[snuffbox 0]

But Korea actually HAS admitted to wmds...and, judging by 9-11, Saudi Arabia poses a greater threat to US....why were they left alone to attack a different, uninvolved, country?

 

Regardless...I do not support  attacking other countries. Without just cause.

Point in case, just like to note that the hijackers from Saudi Arabia on the attacks during 9/11 were exiles who were kicked out of their country.

I did not know that...

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

If he doesn't want to go back then he should have to pay for all his college loans, or at least pro-rate the cost...

why. The man served his country, risked his life for a cause he now thinks is wrong. I would say that he has more than repaid his country for those college loans and things by fighting in the war.

Nope. He has a duty to perform for the repayment of those loans.

 

He did not perform the duty fully.

 

Thus, he has to repay them.

-=Mike

I think I'll ask my employer for my next 26 paychecks in advance and then quit one month later.

 

And I put the "compassion" in "compassionate conservative" -- he'd only have to repay back SOME of the loan...

[Guest MikeSC]

Wouldn't he just get a dishonorable discharge or am I confused?

He could be imprisoned, if memory serves.

 

The military doesn't take AWOL as much of a joke.

"A native of Nicaragua, Meija is a permanent resident of the US who served in the army for three years."

 

Unless there's some legalese in US citizenship law.. it seems he is pretty much a citizen. There might be some subtle difference between 'permanent resident' and 'citizen' though.

If he was a citizen, they would've said citizen and deporation would be an issue. He, clearly, is not a citizen.

-=Mike

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/10/885.html

 

Sec. 885. - Art. 85. Desertion

 

(a)

 

Any member of the armed forces who -

 

(1)

 

without authority goes or remains absent from his unit, organization, or place of duty with intent to remain away therefrom permanently;

 

(2)

 

quits his unit, organization, or place of duty with intent to avoid hazardous duty or to shirk important service; or

 

(3)

 

without being regularly separated from one of the armed forces enlists or accepts an appointment in the same or another one of the armed forces without fully disclosing the fact that he has not been regularly separated, or enters any foreign armed service except when authorized by the United States;

 

is guilty of desertion.

 

(b)

 

Any commissioned officer of the armed forces who, after tender of his resignation and before notice of its acceptance, quits his post or proper duties without leave and with intent to remain away therefrom permanently is guilty of desertion.

 

©

 

Any person found guilty of desertion or attempt to desert shall be punished, if the offense is committed in time of war, by death or such other punishment as a court-martial may direct, but if the desertion or attempt to desert occurs at any other time, by such punishment, other than death, as a court-martial may direct

[Highland 0]

I seem to recall almost a year ago posting about a US soldier in Iraq charged with "Conduct unbecoming" and I basically defended him because it sounded like shell shock to me.

Meija, however, sounds like a publicity whore who obviously wanted a free pass into the States. Normally I'm all for this: If you're willing to put your life on the line in service to your newfound home, then you should be granted citizenship after serving your full term. This guy didn't. Deport him.

Edited March 18, 2004 by Naibus

[NoCalMike 0]

Why does everyone assume that Oil Companies/Bush Administration benefitting from oil would automatically result in lower prices for all of us? Azif price gouging is somewhat not a common practice.

[Guest MikeSC]

Why does everyone assume that Oil Companies/Bush Administration benefitting from oil would automatically result in lower prices for all of us? Azif price gouging is somewhat not a common practice.

Why do you just assume that Bush has ANYTHING to do with it?

-=Mike

...Anytime a guy harrassed a woman, I didn't assume Clinton was giving him pointers

[NoCalMike 0]

Why does everyone assume that Oil Companies/Bush Administration benefitting from oil would automatically result in lower prices for all of us?  Azif price gouging is somewhat not a common practice.

Why do you just assume that Bush has ANYTHING to do with it?

-=Mike

...Anytime a guy harrassed a woman, I didn't assume Clinton was giving him pointers

Well that is why I said Bush administration rather then just try to single out Bush himself. Oh and I wouldn't doubt that democrats are doing little to help that situation either.

[lomasmoney 0]

The thing about the oil is, even if the Bush Administration/ Oil Companies were in this war just about oil, why would they ever want to lower prices. Once they control the oil they would hypothetically control all the prices. If anything prices would be higher since this rich bastards would want to make more money. the last thing they would do is want to take money from themselves

[NoCalMike 0]

well prices would be a lot lower anyway if OPEC didn't hold a monopoly.

[Art Sandusky 0]

No real stance on this except that he should be taken care of as military law dictates, but I'd like to echo the "how have you not been killed" sentiment towards the wonderfully bright fellow who said "anyone who thinks the war was about oil is a liberal who hates America."

 

The whole "liberals hate America" thing just bugs the hell out of me.

[Vyce 0]

The whole "liberals hate America" thing just bugs the hell out of me.

"If you liberals hate America, than you can GIT OUT!"

 

[Vern Gagne 0]

The whole "liberals hate America" thing just bugs the hell out of me.

I'm equally has annoyed by the people who think anyone who shows support for their country by displaying the U.S. flat is nothing but a mindless drone.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

 

The whole "liberals hate America" thing just bugs the hell out of me.

I'm equally has annoyed by the people who think anyone who shows support for their country by displaying the U.S. flat is nothing but a mindless drone.

I'm equally as annoyed by people that think you're some sort of RACIST because you oppose authoritve action policies and such.

 

I'm equally as annoyed when you're accused of wanting to starve children and the elderly by reducing the rate of increased spending on an appropriations bill.

 

I'm equally as annoyed when your better half walks in on you sodomizing yourself with a toothbrush and thinks you're some sort of sick freak.

 

Ew, I better remember to strike that last one...

[NoCalMike 0]

I'm equally annoyed at having to read the phrase "equally annoyed" more then five times in the last 30 seconds.

[Your Paragon of Virtue 0]

 

The whole "liberals hate America" thing just bugs the hell out of me.

I'm equally has annoyed by the people who think anyone who shows support for their country by displaying the U.S. flat is nothing but a mindless drone.

That has nothing to do with it. I've never seen or heard of such sentiment. The "liberals hate America" was brought up in this very said. I don't know why you felt the need to say it.

 

 

I feel kind of bad for him, but that's assuming he's genuine. I can't tell, but odds are he wasn't, so might as well punish him as the law says. It's weird to serve in Iraq for as long as he was and than all of a sudden say it's about oil. I'm assuming he wanted to go home and thought that this would be the best way to go about it. He was wrong.

[Slickster 0]

If he doesn't want to go back then he should have to pay for all his college loans, or at least pro-rate the cost...

why. The man served his country, risked his life for a cause he now thinks is wrong. I would say that he has more than repaid his country for those college loans and things by fighting in the war.

Nope. He has a duty to perform for the repayment of those loans.

 

He did not perform the duty fully.

 

Thus, he has to repay them.

-=Mike

Althought I'm quite the ardent Democrat, I agree 100% with TheMike here. He made a commitment that (for whatever reason) he can't fulfill; therefore, he should pay up.

[Slickster 0]

Why does everyone assume that Oil Companies/Bush Administration benefitting from oil would automatically result in lower prices for all of us?  Azif price gouging is somewhat not a common practice.

Why do you just assume that Bush has ANYTHING to do with it?

-=Mike

Well, in part at least because of the numerous ties the administration has or has had with the oil industry.

[Guest MikeSC]

I'm equally annoyed at having to read the phrase "equally annoyed" more then five times in the last 30 seconds.

I'm equally annoyed that you are equally annoyed at the equally annoying term of phrase that equally annoying has equally annoyingly become.

 

Wow, five in one sentence.

-=Mike

[NoCalMike 0]

I'm equally annoyed at having to read the phrase "equally annoyed" more then five times in the last 30 seconds. 

I'm equally annoyed that you are equally annoyed at the equally annoying term of phrase that equally annoying has equally annoyingly become.

 

Wow, five in one sentence.

-=Mike

ok NOW I think it is safe to say that I am MORE than equally annoyed.

[Guest MikeSC]

I'm equally annoyed at having to read the phrase "equally annoyed" more then five times in the last 30 seconds. 

I'm equally annoyed that you are equally annoyed at the equally annoying term of phrase that equally annoying has equally annoyingly become.

 

Wow, five in one sentence.

-=Mike

ok NOW I think it is safe to say that I am MORE than equally annoyed.

Should I mention that I am equally annoyed at the typo for the equally annoying phrase "turn of phrase"?

 

OK, I won't then.

-=Mike

[Mr. S£im Citrus 0]

While the UCMJ does permit the death penalty in this circumstance (and thank you Kahran for saving me the trouble of having to post that myself), I'm almost certain that the staff sergeant will not be awarded that severe a penalty. As (I think) the only active duty military person to participate in this thread, I'd like to see him be awarded with a year's confinement, a BCD, and given that it seems that he enlisted to allow himself to live in the United States, I wouldn't mind seeing him deported, either.

[Guest Cerebus]

Ex-Navy but what Citrus said.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

I'm equally annoyed at having to read the phrase "equally annoyed" more then five times in the last 30 seconds. 

I'm equally annoyed that you are equally annoyed at the equally annoying term of phrase that equally annoying has equally annoyingly become.

 

Wow, five in one sentence.

-=Mike

ok NOW I think it is safe to say that I am MORE than equally annoyed.

That's it.

 

My "equally annoyed" has been elevated to OFFENDED...

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

If we went to war for oil, we got fucked, because gas isn't getting any cheaper.

 

Say..there's terrorists in some of those OPEC bastards' countries, right?

[Guest MikeSC]

I'm equally annoyed at having to read the phrase "equally annoyed" more then five times in the last 30 seconds. 

I'm equally annoyed that you are equally annoyed at the equally annoying term of phrase that equally annoying has equally annoyingly become.

 

Wow, five in one sentence.

-=Mike

ok NOW I think it is safe to say that I am MORE than equally annoyed.

That's it.

 

My "equally annoyed" has been elevated to OFFENDED...

It is getting OUT OF CONTROL!

-=Mike