Should war resisters be deported?
An estimated 200 Iraq War resisters and their families are currently living in Canada.
These men and women, for whatever reason, decided they would not fight in Iraq. During a pan-Canadian Day of Action on Sept. 13, many Canadians protested the Harper government’s policy of deporting war resisters.
Whether or not the Canadian government should let them stay is a contentious issue. Gemma Karstens-Smith (GKS) and Cody Willett (CW) take on the debate.
GKS: Americans who are opposed to the war in Iraq for moral or political reasons are being forced to fight for ideals they don’t believe in. There are even people who had no intention of entering combat who have been posted overseas, like resister Corey Glass, a former sergeant in the National Guard who now lives in Toronto.
The war in Iraq was not sanctioned by the United Nations and is not supported by the majority of the international community, including the Canadian government. Why is our government deporting those who are actually just agreeing with our own foreign policy?
CW: In fleeing the consequences of their brave stand, Iraq War resisters in Canada undermine the impact of their actions. If Canada really supports their cause, we wouldn’t let them hide that bravery here.
Backing them up with media support through aggressive diplomatic pressure on the U.S. to stop jailing resisters, Canada’s government can help resisters face a court martial that will highlight the fact that the U.S. jails its people for refusing to fight in a war most Americans oppose. What a better way for resisters to make their point?
GKS: The U.S. government doesn’t care about diplomatic pressure.
They aren’t trying to hide the fact that they will jail resisters who refuse to fight.
Robin Long, a resister who was deported back to the U.S. on July 15, was sentenced to 15 months in a military prison.
Long was the first resister deported back to the U.S. since the Vietnam War and was handed one of the stiffest sentences ever given for his “crime.”
The Canadian government helping resisters face a court martial would be completely ineffective. The only result would be more resisters in military prisons.
CW: Resisters are easily branded as cowards in the U.S. as long as they run from the consequences of “taking a stand.”
Canada’s asylum for Vietnam resisters didn’t put pressure on the American public to demand that those willing to fight for their nation in all but illegal war not be handed outrageous jail sentences by the U.S. Army. The furor over what happens to resisters is most useful in creating civil debate in the U.S., not in Canada.
We can be proud to harbour draft dodgers, but we must encourage voluntary soldiers to confront their government rather than to hide.
GKS: We really need to ask ourselves, though, why is the Canadian Government deporting resisters?
There is virtually no precedent for it. We didn’t send them back during the Vietnam War. In fact, Trudeau said that draft dodgers had his “complete sympathy,” and that “Canada should be a refuge from militarism.”
When it comes to resisters from the Iraq War, Canadians don’t want their government to continue shoving them out of the country; an Angus Reid poll from June showed that 64 per cent of Canadians are in favor of granting resisters permanent residence.
Also, in June the House of Commons voted to accept a non-binding motion that resisters be allowed to apply for permanent residence status and that all acts of deportation should be discontinued.
So what changed?
CW: What changed is that there’s no draft in America today.
Trudeau was right to declare Canada a refuge for those forced into war. Today, those who voluntarily join the army understand they’ve signed up to fight for their country. Resisters reneged on that commitment. There’s an important distinction here.
Canadians may feel bad about sending them back, but we’re setting a precedent for fugitives to come to Canada after breaking laws to which they conscientiously object.
What we should be asking is why the Canadian government does nothing to help stop the war these resisters are trying to escape perpetuating.
8 Comments
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Christine Sept. 18, 2008, 7:28 p.m.
Fantastic debate. I think Cody is unaware (and most people are, since it's a hidden part of our history) that Canada also welcomed
desertersduring the Vietnam war, not just draft dodgers. It's admirable to say thatwe must encourage voluntary soldiers to confront their government rather than to hide, but we have to recognize that we are asking these people not just to face a jail term, but to destroy all of their future prospects. They receive the military's equivalent of a felony conviction which means that when they come out of jail their prospects to rebuild their lives are very grim - they can't get any kind of job because they're considered criminals. They're not eligible for loans (for education, mortgage, and so on). People join the army because they believe that they will be fighting for freedom, for the safety of their country, and for democracy. When they find out they were lied to and they stand up and say no, in whatever way they feel able, they deserve our support. The war resisters should be allowed to stay!Christine Sept. 18, 2008, 7:28 p.m.
Fantastic debate. I think Cody is unaware (and most people are, since it's a hidden part of our history) that Canada also welcomed
desertersduring the Vietnam war, not just draft dodgers. It's admirable to say thatwe must encourage voluntary soldiers to confront their government rather than to hide, but we have to recognize that we are asking these people not just to face a jail term, but to destroy all of their future prospects. They receive the military's equivalent of a felony conviction which means that when they come out of jail their prospects to rebuild their lives are very grim - they can't get any kind of job because they're considered criminals. They're not eligible for loans (for education, mortgage, and so on). People join the army because they believe that they will be fighting for freedom, for the safety of their country, and for democracy. When they find out they were lied to and they stand up and say no, in whatever way they feel able, they deserve our support. The war resisters should be allowed to stay!jim Sept. 19, 2008, 10:28 a.m.
This is in fact, a human rights issue as well as a legal issue.
It can be argued that a soldier who enlisted in the military did so under false pretenses. He or she believed I am certain that they would be involved in defending their country. They also believed as do many Americans still do, that it was a legal war of self-defence. They could not have known, for example, that their own democratic government would flout the Geneva Conventions against torture and engage in war crimes. Canada's position is the the war in Iraq is illegal. International law says that illegal orders need not be obeyed. Canada needs to approach the World Court for a ruling and that would make it mandatory that we provide safe haven for those who do not wish to continue their service. www.reedwrites.ca
jim Sept. 19, 2008, 10:28 a.m.
This is in fact, a human rights issue as well as a legal issue.
It can be argued that a soldier who enlisted in the military did so under false pretenses. He or she believed I am certain that they would be involved in defending their country. They also believed as do many Americans still do, that it was a legal war of self-defence. They could not have known, for example, that their own democratic government would flout the Geneva Conventions against torture and engage in war crimes. Canada's position is the the war in Iraq is illegal. International law says that illegal orders need not be obeyed. Canada needs to approach the World Court for a ruling and that would make it mandatory that we provide safe haven for those who do not wish to continue their service. www.reedwrites.ca
Andrew Sept. 19, 2008, 10:40 a.m.
When joining the military you do not have the right to choose your battles, literally. You sign a contract, this was laid out for them when speaking with a recruiter. Some of these cowards didn't even make it through their basic training. They should be sent back to face the consequences of their actions of running away from their fellow soldiers. In trying display their objections to the war they've hung them out to dry and made their fellow soldeirs out to be murderers, the same men and woman they swore to fight beside. I think it is said best in this debate that these people are doing nothing for their cause by running away. Face it head on. The fact that these people feel running away from their problems solves their problems tells me they weren't soldiers to begin with. Don't come to our country, tie up our courts and resources for your problems in your own country. I'm very thankful our current government is kicking them out. I wouldn't want the US to shelter any Canadian that ran away, I certainly don't think we should be doing it now.
Andrew Sept. 19, 2008, 10:40 a.m.
When joining the military you do not have the right to choose your battles, literally. You sign a contract, this was laid out for them when speaking with a recruiter. Some of these cowards didn't even make it through their basic training. They should be sent back to face the consequences of their actions of running away from their fellow soldiers. In trying display their objections to the war they've hung them out to dry and made their fellow soldeirs out to be murderers, the same men and woman they swore to fight beside. I think it is said best in this debate that these people are doing nothing for their cause by running away. Face it head on. The fact that these people feel running away from their problems solves their problems tells me they weren't soldiers to begin with. Don't come to our country, tie up our courts and resources for your problems in your own country. I'm very thankful our current government is kicking them out. I wouldn't want the US to shelter any Canadian that ran away, I certainly don't think we should be doing it now.
Greg Slade Sept. 21, 2008, 11:31 a.m.
That is a soldiers job to murder fellow human beings...calling a soldier a legalised murderer is largely accurate. People change over time. The gungho 18 year old who signs a contract giving away his rights to choose to fight may well change a great deal as a person when he realises he is just a legalised murderer and he sees the consequences of his actions that destroy other peoples families and lives. Because they know they have signed away their right to choose their battles the only thing left that they can do to comply with their new found moral structure is to go awol. I can understand that completely I don't consider them cowards in any way shape or form, just human beings who have come to realise that perhaps killing other human beings is wrong. Thou shalt not kill.
Greg Slade Sept. 21, 2008, 11:31 a.m.
That is a soldiers job to murder fellow human beings...calling a soldier a legalised murderer is largely accurate. People change over time. The gungho 18 year old who signs a contract giving away his rights to choose to fight may well change a great deal as a person when he realises he is just a legalised murderer and he sees the consequences of his actions that destroy other peoples families and lives. Because they know they have signed away their right to choose their battles the only thing left that they can do to comply with their new found moral structure is to go awol. I can understand that completely I don't consider them cowards in any way shape or form, just human beings who have come to realise that perhaps killing other human beings is wrong. Thou shalt not kill.