PR soldier who refused Iraq duty is declared a deserter

[UpInArms]

http://www.puertoricowow.com/html/general-detail.asp?amaspHidden_listActive=true&amaspField_newshd=PR%20soldier%20who%20refused%20Iraq%20duty%20is%20declared%20a%20deserter%20&amaspHidden_newshd_dataType=string

SAN JUAN (AP) – The U.S. Navy decided that Pablo Paredes, the soldier of a Puerto Rican mother and an Ecuadorean father who refused to participate in the war in Iraq, is a deserter. It will seek his arrest, however he is expected to turn himself in to authorities on Friday.

Lt. Jonathan Groveman, spokesman for the Southeastern Region of the Navy in San Diego, Calif., said Paredes, 23, was declared a deserter because he had announced his intentions to not fight in Iraq.

“He is considered a deserter because he made statements declaring his intention to not serve (in Iraq). We have notified the pertinent authorities to proceed with his arrest,” Groveman said in a telephone interview with a Puerto Rican newspaper.

...more...

[flordehinojos]

1. NAZI MACHINE ... rolling over those whom it cannot allow to dissent or

have individual beliefs.

[NYC]

2. He is a courageous man.

I wish him luck.

[JohnLocke]

3. Lieutenant Groveman is a true hero!

I salute you.

[Bo]

4. Buena Suerte

You will need it with the * death machine on the rampage

[The Zanti Regent]

5. Are they gonna arrest President AWOL, too?

How can they arrrest this innocent kid when the Commander in Thief went AWOL?

[Poppyseedman]

6. I understand why he did it

but he did it the wrong way. His T-Shirt "Like a cabinet member, I resign." is a political message.

Flame me if you want to, but if his political principles were so important to him he could have been a C.O. based on his beliefs.

He can object to the war as C.O. but not for political reasons.

DoD 1300.6 defines a conscientious objector as a person who has "a firm, fixed and sincere objection to participation in war in any form or the bearing of arms, by reason of religious training and belief." People who object to war "solely upon considerations of policy, pragmatism, expediency, or political views" do not qualify for discharge or transfer under DoD 1300.6.


Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ)
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 on 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.

(c) 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.

[Tsiyu]

7. Excuse me but there is a case pending currently

in which an enlisted young man asked for C.O. status - willing to serve but non-combat only - and the Army declined his request and was going to force him into combat.

You probably missed that episode of 60 Minutes as that same evening Billy Graham felt it was necessary to convert a few more folks to his brand of woman-hating, gay-bashing, war-mongering religion and 60 minutes was pre-empted in your city.

[Poppyseedman]

8. My point is

if you are going to stand out in front of your vessel with a T-Shirt that reads "Like a cabinet member, I resign.", you're asking for the Navy to court marshal you.

He made his potential C.O. status political the minute he did that. He was looking for a fight and found it.

What did he expect?

[bpilgrim]

9. he expected, OBVIOUSLY, to send a MSG

and it is getting out.

Mission-Accomplished

sounds like a pr pro ;->

[Poppyseedman]

11. Message received

His web site states he is willing to serve in a military prison than take the lives of Iraqi person.

When speaking about his possible imprisonment Pablo explained "I'd rather do military prison time than six months of dirty work for a war that I and many others do not support. War should be an absolute last resort and even then must be considered thoroughly."

He will get his wish and I applaud his convictions for doing so.

[Poppyseedman]

10. C.O. status

With today's voluntary military, seeking C.O. status after enlisting voluntarily is a hard case to make.

The C.O. status were designed for a military draft that did not take into consideration your religious convictions when your number is called and you joined by order of the government.

[Tsiyu]

12. It doesn't take into account HUMANITY

People can change, and belief can change. The Constitution as it stands says i can change my faith every day if I like.

Why can't our soldiers be afforded a change of heart or two?

The fact is, this is an unjust, sinful and illegal war. The entire administration should be court-marshalled. And * sets no example for anyone, does he?