Officer refuses to go to Iraq

[ArnoldIsMyIdol]

komo news | Fort Lewis Soldier Says He'll Refuse To Go To Iraq

This really pisses me off. I think this guy is just a candy-ass pansy. He probably joined the military just to get free college and never actually expected to have to defend his country. I hope he gets court martialed and spends some significant time in a military prison. I bet the other soldiers in his unit feel this way too.

And what is this crap about an "illegal" war? How can this war be illegal when Congress authorized it? He must think American policy should be dictated by the United Nations

[BioHazzard]

He said he is ready to face the consequences. So, let him face the music of military justice.

[Beelzebub]

komo news | Fort Lewis Soldier Says He'll Refuse To Go To Iraq
I bet the other soldiers in his unit feel this way too.

i bet they're thinking he's pretty f'ing smart right now. a lot of the military doesn't agree with the war, only a few say something about it. unless you've served, your opinion isn't worth sh!t. JMO.

[wrkn4bigrmusles]

wow... just like a female to find some excuse not to go to a combat zone. not saying all women do it..

[Brent]

i bet they're thinking he's pretty f'ing smart right now. a lot of the military doesn't agree with the war, only a few say something about it. unless you've served, your opinion isn't worth sh!t. JMO.

I thought you weren't supposed to have an opinion in the military?

[Beelzebub]

I thought you weren't supposed to have an opinion in the military?

of course. what was i thinking?

[BioHazzard]

I thought you weren't supposed to have an opinion in the military?

Yes you can have them, but they just don't mean much, unless you got the stripes and the stars.

[Beelzebub]

they mean something when someone actually voices it. you'd be surprised at the number of "injuries" that are suddently acquired right before a combat situation that makes them undeployable.

sure, it's a job and he signed up for the duty. but i ask this: would you risk death for something you don't believe in?

[wrkn4bigrmusles]

Stripes got nothing either. Its mostly the Leafs, the Birds, and the Stars that have any say

[bioman]

Well, I never thought this war was a great idea, however if I were a service member I would perform my duties to the best of my abilities..that's what you swear to do when you enlist. There really is no way around that IMO.

A soldier does not have the luxury of picking and chosing their battles. They can question or refuse orders that are not legal, but outside of that..ya gotta roll when told to.

[Beelzebub]

Well, I never thought this war was a great idea, however if I were a service member I would perform my duties to the best of my abilities..that's what you swear to do when you enlist. There really is no way around that IMO.

A soldier does not have the luxury of picking and chosing their battles. They can question or refuse orders that are not legal, but outside of that..ya gotta roll when told to.

true, but you kinda lose faith in the system when your commander in chief changes his purpose for the war on a whim. i went because i thought we were looking for nuclear weapons. turns out, that was a lie.

[wrkn4bigrmusles]

sure, it's a job and he signed up for the duty. but i ask this: would you risk death for something you don't believe in?

okay good point... BUT... he went to college, hell.. maybe even to West Point or Citadel with the prior knowledge that he could be and will be deployed at some point in time.... if he is an infantry officer then he knew damn well what he was getting himself into. basiclly your tax dollars paid for his college degree, he didnt. I dont like having to goto 3rd world countries to get shot at for no reason.. but it has to be done. I'll happily go back to Iraq or afghanistan...

[BioHazzard]

When you signed up, you signed up to fight the country's battles and to obey the chain of command. You don't sign up to join only the battles that you believe in or to obey only those commands you agree with. If you can't live up to that, then don't sign up.

[Beelzebub]

easy to say on a board.

[BioHazzard]

Everything in life involves choices. And the choices you make, have consequences. You don't get to pick and choose what you like, out of a chain of events that you initiate by the choices you make. That is life, like it or not.

The military will not be able to function if the soldiers are to decide, on the eve of battle, if they are going to saddle up or to sit out this one. Men like that, do not belong to the warrior elite.

[Beelzebub]

good point. but would you rather have your back guarded by a nervous friendly with a firearm who is already confused as to why he is there? there are a lot of consequences to consider here that are not being looked at other than "fulfulling his duty", which is true - he should fulfill it. but not everything is so black and white.

[jrkarp]

sure, it's a job and he signed up for the duty. but i ask this: would you risk death for something you don't believe in?

I have a lot of respect for you and I thank you for your service.

I have to say though, that it is not a soldier's place to decide whether the war is just or not.

[Beelzebub]

I have a lot of respect for you and I thank you for your service.

I have to say though, that it is not a soldier's place to decide whether the war is just or not.

again, this is easy to say on a board. your perspective changes real quick when you feel your butt pucker up at the sound of an AK-47 being fired in your direction, or when a car bomb goes off and all you see is a red mist that used to be your buddy.

[jrkarp]

I know that perspectives change.

But he volunteered to be an artillery officer (I'm pretty sure I saw him wearing field artillery insignia on one of the news sites) in the United States Army. He volunteered for this job, knowing full well what it entailed and what risk he was taking, and also swearing an oath to follow orders. I am not aware of how he got his commission, but it was most likely ROTC or via West Point, so he got a college education out of the US taxpayers.

I could respect him a little of he filed for conscientious objector status, saying that he now realizes that he opposes all war.

But for him to do this in this manner, especially criticizing the Army and the president like this, while men are fighting and dying, I feel is inexcusable. How would it feel to be in Iraq and see this news, that one of your brothers, a 'leader' is acting in this way?

[Beelzebub]

i've pretty much said all that i needed to say, it's starting to go in circles. this is just my opinion on the matter and it could very well be wrong.