US Soldier Found Guilty of Deserting Unit In Iraq

[Guest Vitamin X]

U.S. Soldier Found Guilty of Deserting Unit in Iraq

By RUSS BYNUM, AP

 

FORT STEWART, Ga. (May 21) -- A U.S. soldier who said he left his unit in Iraq to protest an ''oil-driven'' war was convicted of desertion Friday and sentenced to a year in jail and a bad conduct discharge.

 

Mejia was missing from the Army for five months before turning himself in. 

 

A military jury met for about 20 minutes before giving the maximum sentence to Staff Sgt. Camilo Mejia, an infantry squad leader with the Florida National Guard.

 

''I have no regrets. Not one,'' Mejia said before his sentencing.

 

In his comments to the jury of four officers and four enlisted soldiers, Mejia said he was not afraid of going to jail. ''I will take it because I will go there with my honor, knowing I have done the right thing,'' he said.

 

Mejia, 28, says he refused to return to his unit after a two-week furlough in October because he believes the war in Iraq is unjust. He turned himself in to the Army in March and sought status as a conscientious objector.

 

Military prosecutors argued that Mejia abandoned his troops and didn't fulfill his duty.

 

''He enjoyed all the benefits of the military, just not the duty,'' Capt. A.J. Balbo, the lead prosecutor, said in his closing argument. ''The defense says he accomplished all his missions. Except the most important one - showing up.''

 

Mejia's commander in Iraq, Capt. Tad Warfel, said the verdict would send a message that ''deserters are punished, regardless of what their arguments are or their excuses.''

 

Mejia told jurors that one of the turning points for him was an ambush his unit faced in Ramadi, when he said four soldiers were wounded by shrapnel and he saw an Iraqi civilian decapitated by U.S. machine gun fire.

 

''So things change, perceptions change,'' Mejia said. ''You lose perspective of the value of human life. It happens.''

 

Mejia was led out of the courthouse by military police with his hands cuffed behind his back to a waiting patrol car. Some civilian supporters shouted words of encouragement, including ''Bravo, Camilo!''

 

Defense lawyer Louis Font said in his closing argument that Mejia made ''an honest mistake of fact.''

 

''This case clearly is about what was in the accused's mind,'' Font said. ''He had an honest and reasonable view that because he had become a conscientious objector, he would not be required to serve in Iraq anymore.''

 

Mejia's application to be an objector is being considered separately.

 

In his objector application, he also claims he saw Iraqi prisoners treated cruelly when he was put in charge of processing detainees last May at al-Assad, an Iraqi air base occupied by U.S. forces.

 

He did not mention specific abuse claims during his comments to the jury Friday, but told them that their decision, and the actions of American troops in Iraq, would be noticed around the world.

 

''I say that we're all on trial because the world is watching. They're looking at the decisions we make (such as) war crimes, abuse of prisoners,'' he said.

 

Now, I'm all for objecting to the war and all, but I totally disagree with this idiot abandoning his comrades in what is obviously still a warzone. You can't object to a war because it's driven by oil or whatever, AFTER YOU'RE ALREADY THERE and have taken the enemy capital and dictator. That's just silly.

[Lord of The Curry 0]

So he volunteered to serve in the army to fight a war he doesn't belive in?

[Guest MikeSC]

So he volunteered to serve in the army to fight a war he doesn't belive in?

Well, I guess he saw lots of GI Joe and was anxious to get to fighting the evil forces of COBRA!!!

-=Mike

...And God help us if his marksmanship was as bad as the soldiers of GI Joe

[Lord of The Curry 0]

I hear that King Cobra is actually the one behind all the Islamic uprisings in Iraq.

[Guest MikeSC]

I hear that King Cobra is actually the one behind all the Islamic uprisings in Iraq.

I always thought it was Destro. Can't trust guys with metallic noggins --- and A LOT of the terrorists DO cover up their faces...

-=Mike

[Guest OctoberBlood]

DEATH SENTENCE!!!

[Lord of The Curry 0]

I hear that King Cobra is actually the one behind all the Islamic uprisings in Iraq.

I always thought it was Destro. Can't trust guys with metallic noggins --- and A LOT of the terrorists DO cover up their faces...

-=Mike

Anybody want to place bets that it was Crazy Legs that had something to do with that shooting at the "wedding"?

 

That Crazy Legs.......so.........ya know.....crazy.

 

Forget Rumsefeld, I think we know who to turn to in this time of crisis......

 

[Guest MikeSC]

Heck --- what WAS COBRA fighting for? They seemed to be exceptionally well-outfitted for a group that seemed to have no government supporting it.

-=Mike

[Lord of The Curry 0]

The forces of evil............duh.

[Guest MikeSC]

The forces of evil............duh.

Man, I guess fighting for evil is insanely profitable. I suppose my long-retired idea of an ad agency focusing on promoting crack and hardcore porn isn't that bad.

-=Mike

..."Crack: We're kinda like coffee in a way"

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

Cobra > GI Joe.

 

That Rattler plane was neat...

[Guest MikeSC]

Cobra > GI Joe.

 

That Rattler plane was neat...

Both sides were horrible shots, though.

 

Elite soldiers my left nut...

-=Mike

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

You knew GI Joe had to take place during the '80s, what with all that military buildup.

 

What would really suck is that since nobody died I'm sure the pensions/health care/etc. of all those soldiers would be a bitch to pay for in the years ahead...

[Highland 0]

If I remember correctly, Cobra Commander was the one that invented the pyramid marketing scheme, so that's how he financed his organisation.

[Guest MikeSC]

If I remember correctly, Cobra Commander was the one that invented the pyramid marketing scheme, so that's how he financed his organisation.

That is one diabolical mutha...

-=Mike

...I wonder if it now known as Vector Marketing...

[Firestarter 0]

Crashing through the sky comes a fearful cry

Cobra, Cobra!

Armies of the night, evil taking flight

Cobra, Cobra!

Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, panic spreading far and wide

Who can turn the tide?

Cobra! Retreat! Retreat!

[Guest MikeSC]

Crashing through the sky comes a fearful cry

Cobra, Cobra!

Armies of the night, evil taking flight

Cobra, Cobra!

Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, panic spreading far and wide

Who can turn the tide?

Cobra! Retreat! Retreat!

If only we could work the Transformers theme into a thread here...

-=Mike

"Transformers...more than meets the eyes..."

[Highland 0]

Transformers > GI Joe

 

They were much better shots too.

[Guest MikeSC]

Transformers > GI Joe

 

They were much better shots too.

Ask around --- chicks dig Transformers.

-=Mike

[Guest Crazy Dan]

Yeah why can't wars be like GI Joe. It would be so cool if every plane shot down had pilots aware enough to eject at the exact right moment. And that for all the shots fired, not one soldier would get killed or injured for that matter. Well only Duke when he took that snake right into his shoulder. That was that 5 part series where Cobra Commander got turned into a snake and such.

 

I think that Cobra's downfall began with Serpentor. For all the great DNA of all those great leaders he was created with, boy did he have absolute no patience at all. And he was a hot head to boot. Great leaders of the past could remain calm in battle, but this was the leader of Cobra who had the maturity of an 8 year old spoiled brat. At least Cobra Commander had the unintential comedic meltdowns each time his great schemes failed misereably. Who could ever forget "We got beat by a bunch of cattle!!! We got beat by a bunch of cattle!!!"

 

Transformers rulled all. Especially when the movie had the guts to kill off some of the charachters of the TV Series. Plus, how cool would it be to have a robot who could turn into a boom box. You could have one slammin party, and if it got out of hand, he could just transform and regulate.

 

Man how did this become a conversation about Cartoons??? As for the deserter, you signed up for this buddy, regardless of what you feel is right or wrong. You are a soldier of the US, and for your tour of duty, you must follow orders. If this was going to be an issue, you should never have signed up for service. And I am not for this war at all, but if I had signed up for the armed service, I would serve, regardless of if I agreed or disagreed with what we were fighting for. But I would hope that Duke was my commanding officer and I got to fight along side Lady Jane(who was way hotter that Scarlet Jane).

[Zorin Industries 0]

Keeping it off topic....

 

 

 

Your God and mine

[Hogan Made Wrestling 0]

Transformers the Movie was on TV today, funnily enough (and for my fellow Canadians, it's on again tomorrow afternoon). Me and my brother spent the rest of the day discussing the sheer awesomeness of it: the story, the characters, the music, everything. GI Joe was on last week, and is ofcourse another classic.

[Jobber of the Week 0]

That was that 5 part series where Cobra Commander got turned into a snake and such.

Mmm, irony

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

The only one I remember is the ninja. He could rip some shit up.

[Zorin Industries 0]

I always liked Shipwreck, cause he was always fucking up. That really was the worst put together cartoon i've seen though, one example was that in one episode Hawk came out of the bushes to talk to Shipwreck, but when it goes to close up its that guy in the balaclava whose name I can't remember. There were always little things like that.

[Highland 0]

Heh, I love TF:TM and I don't know why, but there's something about it that lets me over look the horrible production and editing from it. Anyone that's watched it will know what I mean.

 

Back on topic: I remember posting about this guy a while back. Will they deport him once he's released?

[Guest MikeSC]

Heh, I love TF:TM and I don't know why, but there's something about it that lets me over look the horrible production and editing from it. Anyone that's watched it will know what I mean.

 

Back on topic: I remember posting about this guy a while back. Will they deport him once he's released?

I thought TF: TM was actually quite good. Never noticed these editing problems.

 

As for the guy, no word on him being deported, so I guess he won't be.

-=Mike

[Vyce 0]

Crashing through the sky comes a fearful cry

Cobra, Cobra!

Armies of the night, evil taking flight

Cobra, Cobra!

Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, panic spreading far and wide

Who can turn the tide?

Cobra! Retreat! Retreat!

The fact that you know the words to the Cobra anthem makes me fall in love with you a little.

[Vern Gagne 0]

It's time for the Cartoon network to show the old GI Joe's again, and start showing the old Transformers. One less hour of Anime won't hurt anyone.

[Guest MikeSC]

Crashing through the sky comes a fearful cry

Cobra, Cobra!

Armies of the night, evil taking flight

Cobra, Cobra!

Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, panic spreading far and wide

Who can turn the tide?

Cobra! Retreat! Retreat!

The fact that you know the words to the Cobra anthem makes me fall in love with you a little.

If I were a woman, I'd want to be Marney.

-=Mike