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Abandon the Battlefield. "There's No Way I'm Going to Deploy to Afghanistan"

by Dahr Jamail

MARFA, Texas, May 26 (IPS) - "It’s a matter of what I’m willing to live with," Specialist Victor Agosto of the U.S. Army, who is refusing orders to deploy to Afghanistan, explained to IPS. "I’m not willing to participate in this occupation, knowing it is completely wrong."

Agosto, who returned from a 13-month deployment to Iraq in November 2007, is based at Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas.

While in Iraq, Agosto never left his base, located in northern Iraq.

"I never had any traumatic experiences, never fired my weapon," Agosto told IPS in a phone interview. "I mostly worked in information technology, working on computers and keeping the network functioning well. But it was in Iraq that I turned against the occupations. Through my reading, and watching what was going on, I started to feel very guilty."

Agosto added, "What I did there, I know I contributed to death and human suffering. It’s hard to quantify how much I caused, but I know I contributed to it."

Having served three years and nine months in the U.S. Army, Agosto was to complete his contract and be discharged on Aug. 3. But due to his excellent record of service and accrued leave, he was to be released the end of June. Nevertheless, due to the stop-loss programme, the Army decided to deploy him to Afghanistan anyway.

Stop-loss is a programme the military uses to keep soldiers enlisted beyond the terms of their contracts. Since Sep. 11, 2001, more than 140,000 troops have had tours extended by stop-loss.

A copy of his Counseling Form from the Army, dated May 1, reads, "You will deploy in support of OEF [Operation Enduring Freedom] on or about [XXXXX] with 57th ESB. This is a direct order from your Company Commander CPT Michael J. Pederson."

Agosto posted copies of the Counseling Statements issued by the Army on his Facebook page. Counseling Statements outline actions taken by the Army to discipline Agosto for his refusal to obey a direct order from his company commander.

On one of them, dated May 1, Agosto’s written statement appears: "There is no way I will deploy to Afghanistan. The occupation is immoral and unjust. It does not make the American people any safer. It has the opposite effect."

In another, dated May 18, he wrote: "I will not obey any orders I deem to be immoral or illegal."

On that day, Agosto was ordered to get his medical records in preparation to deploy to Afghanistan. He refused to do so. The Army threatened to take punitive measures, but Agosto wrote on the Counseling Statement, "I am not going to Afghanistan. I will not take part in SRP [Sealift Readiness Programme]."

If Agosto continues to refuse orders, he almost assuredly will face court martial, and likely jail time.

When IPS asked Agosto if he is willing to take whatever consequences the Army is prepared to mete out, he replied, "Yes. I’m fully prepared for this. I have concluded that the wars [in Iraq and Afghanistan] are not going to be ended by politicians or people at the top. They are not responsive to the people, they are responsive to corporate America."

Agosto added, "The only way to make them responsive to the needs of the people is if soldiers won’t fight their wars, and if soldiers won’t fight their wars, the wars won’t happen. I hope I’m setting an example for other soldiers."

Agosto has overtly refused to follow any order that has anything to do with his taking an action that would support the occupation of Afghanistan. For a time, according to Agosto, he was given simple orders to clean the motor pool, or pull weeds.

"They switched that recently," he told IPS, "I’ve continued to be fairly defiant, so on Tuesday I have to meet with Trial Defense Services, which then begins the process of getting an Article 15, which is movement towards being court-martialed, if these reprimands continue."

"If I take the Article 15, I’ll take a reduction in rank and pay. I don’t’ know what is going to happen. I agreed to sweep the motor pool and pull weeds, but nothing else that I feel directly supports the war. I’m not going to follow orders I’m not comfortable with."

Agosto’s case is not unique. The group Courage to Resist, based in Oakland, California, actively engages in assisting soldiers who refuse to deploy to Iraq or Afghanistan.

"Although the efforts of Courage to Resist are primarily focused on supporting public GI resisters, the organization also strives to provide political, emotional, and material support to all military objectors critical of our government's current policies of empire," reads a portion of the group's mission statement.

IPS spoke with Adam Szyper-Seibert, an office manager and counselor with Courage to Resist.

"Currently we are actively supporting over 50 military resisters like Victor Agosto," Szyper-Seibert told IPS, "They are all over the world, including André Shepherd in Germany, and several people in Canada. We are getting five to six calls a week just about the IRR [Individual Ready Reserve] recall alone."

U.S. Army Specialist André Shepherd, who went AWOL after serving in Iraq, has applied for asylum in Germany after refusing military service because he is morally opposed to the occupation of Iraq.

The IRR is composed of former military personnel who still have time remaining on their enlistment agreements but have returned to civilian life. They are eligible to be called up in "states of emergency." The Army is currently undertaking the largest IRR recall since 2004, despite the recent inauguration of a so-called anti-war president.

Szyper-Seibert said that the number of soldiers contacting Courage to Resist has been increasing dramatically in the last year, and particularly in recent months.

"The number of soldiers contacting us is increasing," he explained, "With five to six IRR’s contacting us a week, plus others going absent without leave [AWOL], the numbers are all climbing, as compared to a year ago. Since May 2008, we’ve had a 200 percent jump in how many soldiers are contacting us."

According to Courage to Resist, there have been at least 15,000 IRR call-ups since Sep. 11, 2001, for deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq.

Sgt. Travis Bishop, who served 14 months in Baghdad and is also stationed at Fort Hood, recently went AWOL when his unit deployed to Afghanistan.

Like Agosto, Bishop feels it is immoral for him to deploy to support an occupation he morally opposes.

"I love my country, but I believe that this particular war is unjust, unconstitutional and a total abuse of our nation’s power and influence," Bishop’s blog reads, "And so, in the next few days, I will be speaking with my lawyer, and taking actions that will more than likely result in my discharge from the military, and possible jail time... and I am prepared to live with that."

The reason he made this decision is addressed in his blog.

"My father said, ‘Do only what you can live with, because every morning you have to look at your face in the mirror when you shave. Ten years from now, you’ll still be shaving the same face.’ If I had deployed to Afghanistan, I don’t think I would have been able to look into another mirror again."

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Comment by clamor on June 29, 2009 at 11:40pm
Dear Illuminated-dj,

I said that to you only to help you out. If you respond to someone aggressively at first all you'll get is the same thing if not worst. If caught me at the wrong moment, I would of just told you off, say whatever I wanted to say just to be a wise a$$. Honestly, if I was anyone else right now, would I be responding to you intellectually?

I could of did the same thing to Jeff most of the time when he replies. But I'm trying to be civil. I want to hear your thoughts, that's all. You have all the right to say and do what you want. Just don't be blatantly disrespectful or violent. If you want to protest the war be my guest. I just please ask you to not parade on someone's coming home welcoming or when I soldiers body comes back for burial, but put up a protest. Let the family grieve. I seen and heard this happen at times.

And I replied you that way because I wanted you to know the answer the way I know it. Tents, I guess we have no housing for now. Cause, not matter how you look at it, I'm fighting another man's war. But while I'm down I might as well do good.
Comment by illuminated-dj on June 29, 2009 at 11:09pm
im not speaking with hate towards you man,im speakin with hate toward those that sent you there,and no it was not your commanding officer or general,it's rich people who run things,it's a big club.and you aint in it.you and i are not in the big club.once you know the people who control and run our world,their workings become utterly transparent.the real terrorists are not to be found in the desert or mountains of some far of land.they wear 5 thousand dollar suits and sit in government.
Comment by Jeff on June 29, 2009 at 10:57pm
The point is what you've missed Spc. Clamor.

The people that send you to war AS WELL as the people that command you in that war live in gated communities behind high walls in nice houses with grand payscales that you'll never see personally.
Comment by Jeff on June 29, 2009 at 10:55pm
If they only told me. No, I would not share it with you or anyone else. I don't care why.

I told you Spc. Clamor, their reasons are meaningless to me. It's the action I consider to be immensely helpful to my cause.

You don't seem to understand. YOU don't need to kill anyone personally. Your efforts still support those that do. You hit it when you recognized Kissinger's quote but you sideswiped it saying, "if I am, so be it."

Well Spc. Clamor, so be it, it is, because you am son.

Now, recognizing you're a dumb, stupid animal to be used as a pawn in foreign policy means all you can say now is, "Woof, Woof."

The end.
Comment by clamor on June 29, 2009 at 10:25pm
"well why should they sleep in tents with 20 other individuals when the scum that send them there for lies hide behind gates and palaces"

There goes all the hate reply. Why reply with so much hatred? Can't we talk civilize? Anyways, rooms are still build everywhere. We expand day by day. And when you expand you start from scratch. No one hates it more than us, nut at least it temporary, and air conditioned.
Comment by illuminated-dj on June 29, 2009 at 9:43pm
well why should they sleep in tents with 20 other individuals when the scum that send them there for lies hide behind gates and palaces
Comment by clamor on June 29, 2009 at 9:35pm
Question to you all:

What if tomorrow morning Spc Agosto and Sgt Bishop came up to a camera and told you that they did all they did and said all they said because they didn't want to be "stop-loss" and extend longer than their original ETS date? There was some morals to it, but the main reason was not wanting to be in the military because they didn't want to stay in the hot sun doing mundane work, sleep in a tent with 20 other individuals, doing 12 on/12 off shifts, 6 days out of the week for eleven months? Would you still call them brave, courage's hero's?

How about this, what if they only told you, just you no one else. Would you share that information to us all?

Just wondering?
Comment by clamor on June 29, 2009 at 9:29pm
"If you wanted to limit the conversation then you needed to set ground rules. Had you decided to set ground rules I wouldn't have participated. This is the nature of the give and take of conversation and you can't get away with framing the argument so neatly soldier. YOU strayed from the original premise as much as anyone else and your accusation is patently false." So I began talking about the article of the two "soldiers." You talked about the war being evil, and insulting me. I then reiterated the subject, but you still wanted to comment to something else. You did throw in a twelve word comment somewhere in there though. Next I entitled the comment "Sidetracked...," but you still wanted to comment on something else. Look it up. I keep on mentioning the subject of me not believing the true reasons on why they take this stand. Their morals kicked in when they were backed into a corner of "stop-loss." How convenient.

I wonder how it makes them feel knowing that there are mother's who have kids, less than a year old, waiting back home stateside, while they're deployed. Adhering to the oath they swore to. Finish up their last tour so they can finally fulfill the contract that they singed.

I watched the video. Jeff, I could be act like a snot nose, wise a$$ d!ck by replying with, " nice video of still frames, I like the negative commentary in the background, oh, and strong mean voice, nice touch." But I'm not. You keep forgetting, I'm not fight you or what you say, I'm just not agreeing with the sincerity of the two "soldiers."

"...if you even understood suffering you wouldn't be responding as you are..." So we don't suffer when we deploy away from love ones? We don't suffer when we can't fix simple arguments with our wives because we're so far away. We don't suffer when our son's and daughter's ask why we aren't there right now? We don't suffer when we lose a whole year of watching our children, marry, or graduate? I didn't suffer when my mom was diagnosed with cancer during the beginning of my deployment? I didn't suffer when my brother and father keep tell me that she get delusional from the pain and medication and starts asking for me? I didn't suffer when all I could do was spend all my cash (that I accrued during deployment) to send her to the best doctor I can afford? We don't suffer when we get divorce during or after deployment?

If I'm a stupid "pawn," then be it. I'll be a stupid pawn trying to help and protect and serve people foreign and domestic. Even if it's only in my little small world or FOB. With all the evil people down range, why not have peacekeepers too? Keep those evil in check, let it know that good people are among them, and will fight them?

Why do you just assume because I joined, I do evil. Why do you assume, that all I do is kill? Why do assume all I want to do destroy and conquer? Why do you assume that a person only joins to do negative things, instead to help preventing that? Why?

Question? Would you rather have 100 people in uniform stopping the corruption that is happening down range by our people? Or have 100 people just writing articles, newsletters, video's, and walking parades stateside?
Comment by clamor on June 29, 2009 at 8:06pm
Dear Vincent,

Before I begin, allow my to apologize for the late gratitude. I read what you said to Jeff when I wrote my first comment.


TO ALL: I don't believe one bit that Spc Agosto or Sgt Bishop will be going to jail for not wanting to go to war. They will just get a simple slap on the wrist compared to what military laws says should be done, especially during a time of war. Weather, they went on the quite route like most people (kept it in house) or the route we are currently in. For those who have gone to jail, did more than just refused to not wanting to go. They either disobeyed other lawful orders or put their hands on another man, or both. In all my short career in the military I would say I have crossed path with 9 people who have gone AWOL, not including the two. I have not heard of one doing serious time. And trust me, if someone did, we would know. The Army is like anywhere else, everyone knows everyone's business if it's put out there. So like I once said, "man up," own up and deal with the consequences. This little dance their doing is just a little show for the outside world.

"If a soldier decides to follow his conscience and would rather sit in a military prison, I respect and support their choice to do so." Come on Vincent, we both know why they brought this out publicly. They shouted in hopes of someone hearing them, and here the flocks came. Now that they have eye's on them, they're hoping that it would give them a better chance of not facing jail time. Please tell me you saw that.

All I'm trying to say is, if you want "heroes" for your cause, get them. But make sure you REALLY know that they do what they are doing because of what they truly believe. When I read what they have said, looked at when they started acting out and heard comments from people that know them, it just says to me..........."You 'stop-loss' me, okay, fine I'm anti-war now. I won't go because of my morals."

"Having served three years and nine months in the U.S. Army, Agosto was to complete his contract and be discharged on Aug. 3. But due to his excellent record of service and accrued leave, he was to be released the end of June. Nevertheless, due to the stop-loss programme, the Army decided to deploy him to Afghanistan anyway." Lets break this down: First off, the Army doesn't let you go early because "excellent record of service," but they do give you every three years a "Good Conduct Award." So that's false. "Accrued leave," now that's the true reason why he can get out early, we call it terminal leave days. In one year you can accrue up to 30 days of leave. So lets say my ETS day is Jan 19, 2010, and I accrued 18 days of leave, I can use all 18 days as terminal leave, and get out New Year's Day 2010. Another thing, him leaving in the end of June instead of Aug 3. The Army allows you this to try and get away from "stop-loss." If you can get out before the "stop-loss" cut off there's a great chance you won't be called back in, and yes, it's just a phone call, maybe even a letter. No state trooper is going to stop by, hell not even a soldier. Anyways, the cut off is generally 90 days, before the deployment day. So let's say this, August 11, 2009 - deployment date. "Stop-loss" cut off date is 14May2009. Spc Clamor's ETS day just so happens to be July 11, 2009, but I accrued 65 days of leave and allows me to take terminal leave get out May 8, 2009. I have a 99.9% of not being called back in, or be told to stop out-processing. To be honest I'd be getting hand shakes from people because I used the Army's loophole to get out. It just happened to be, they didn't accrued enough leave days to have there terminal leave date happen before the "stop-loss" cut off date. I know two of my personal friends that did that, I think one of them even had 58 days, unfortunately the deployment orders came in so quick. Hell, I'll be honest with you I tried doing the same thing. In our 13/14 month deployment, I didn't even go on my two weeks of leave. At one point I had 72 days of saved leave. He tried doing the same thing, and it didn't work for many of us, the only difference with my friends and me and them, we accept it. They in the other hand, went this route. I wonder how it makes them feel to know that there are mother's deployed, who just had a baby that are less than a year old, accepting the fact that they signed the dotted line and are willing to adhere to what they swore to do.
Comment by clamor on June 29, 2009 at 7:05pm
Dear Luggnuts,

"I agreed with just about everything you said, but it was you calling us ignorant and stupid just because we didn't go in for the mind training like you!" WHERE did I call you or anyone outright "stupid" and "ignorant?" I have written four comment and each one of them are in paragraphs, please point out where I called you guys that. If you respond back to me, but with out pointing it out, that tells me that you just wanted me to look like an a$%. Closes thing I may have sad that could be outright disrespectful was when I sad Jeff would be pompous if he meant what he said the way I read it. And if you reread that part I said, that I nay have taken that out of context, and gave him the benefit of the doubt. And that was on my third comment 3rd paragraph.

"While you boys were taught how to duck and cover and rip babies out of people's arms." I "appreciate" how you connected that image to me. Or when you call me "brainwashed" or a helper of Luci.

"...we didn't go in for the mind training like you! How can you say now you didn't insult someone." I can cause I didn't. All I did was offer the chance to hang with us. All I did was extend the "olive branch." You just wanted to hear hate words. So you won't get confused by my writing, Mr. Luggnuts, I honestly just asking, hang with us, chill with us, he debate with us. Many, if not all would enjoy it. That is not to say there will be those who would be rude (like I've received), and one track minded, but like you said its their belief that your stepping on. But look at this was, with people like those, they may have talked to you for ten seconds, but there might be a small chance that your ideas and opinions played around in their head. And to me, if I was you, that in itself is an accomplishment, don't you think?

"...be OVER other humans." What? Since when did I ever say or mention that I was better (OVER) than anyone?

Like I mentioned before, I joined for two reasons. Because I wanted to help get the people responsible for the event's of 9/11. And to me, those were the terrorist under Osama Bin Laden. And two, because I know that my had respect for someone who joins in the service. He understands the sacrifice that they give away.

I've never shot my weapon once at anyone ( I thank the good Lord for that). I've shot at twice by the opposing force. RPG'd once from the opposing force, and the closes "Motor" that hit near me was about 60-70 yards away. I've never hit, cursed out, or belittled another countrymen. I've even had the privilege to break bread with them a few times. Yes, I am anti-violence, and yes, I am anti-suffering. When all these horrible things happen, I can say, "not at my area of duty and not during my watch, and definitely not by my own two hands."

If you want get those "war monster's" go ahead. Attack those higher up, but don't try to twist, stretch, and wrinkle me around so that I can look like one. If you want to call me a "pawn." I'm okay with that, so be it, I'm a "pawn." Who wants to do good, in my world. How little it may be. If it will be just the size of my FOB, then in my FOB, I will serve and protect those people from people who wants to treat them unjustly.

"Destroying the New World Order"

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