U.S.: "There's No Way I'm Going to Deploy to Afghanistan"

[ccharles000]

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."

http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=46978

[ccharles000]

1. kick

[onethatcares]

2. and now you know why the draft will never come back

you'd have people that would actually think and express themselves to their barrack mates. Yeah, you'll always have the gungho killas, but most would start to listen.

[elocs]

3. Since Specialist Agosto was not drafted he should have done some reading

before he enlisted and he should have realized that there was a real possibility that he would be sent into combat whether it might be in a place like Bosnia, Somalia, Iraq, or Afghanistan. Since Vietnam this should have been understood as a clear possibility by anyone who enlisted. The expectations of enlisting should have been very clear to him.

It is admirable that he is willing to face any consequences for his choice not to deploy to Afghanistan and undoubtedly many here will applaud his decision since it costs them nothing and at this time he might not fully appreciate how this decision will change his life and follow him forever. I hope he knows and realizes and understands this up front.

[tazkcmo]

6. I Agree

The force is all volunteer. He should be discharged immediately, forfeit all benefits and re-pay every penny spent on his training, all income received. Why did he think he went through basic marksmanship training? I have no patience for cherry pickers.

[Echo In Light]

13. You haven't any patience for "cherry pickers?" I haven't any for fascist, thrill killing dickheads

Don't care for that view?

Too

Fucking

Bad

[gratuitous]

7. Perhaps he should have

But once he found himself in an untenable situation, he has decided to pay whatever price it will take to get himself out. It's not clear to me from the article how old Mr. Agosto is (he's been in nearly four years, and looks no older than 25 to my rheumy old eyes). Considering the amount of time, money and manpower the military expends in making the case for joining up, it's not surprising that any number of young people sign up without a clear understanding of what their action in signing up for the military might entail. Heck, President Bush launched two invasions, and from what I can tell, he didn't have the foggiest notion of all the consequences that not only might ensue but that did ensue from his actions. We seem quite reluctant to hold a fully grown man accountable for his reckless actions, but quite eager to hold 18-year-olds accountable for theirs. And there aren't any 30-year-olds walking around who remember Vietnam.

Certainly the acolytes of the High Church of Redemptive Violence will be sure to exact the fullest measure of punishment against Mr. Agosto for his blasphemy. The report seems to say that Mr. Agosto has some appreciation for that.

[Obamanaut]

12. I disagree with some of what you said,

"...it's not surprising that any number of young people sign up without a clear understanding of what their action in signing up for the military might entail..."

This is just as strange and unbelievable as Hollywood/music personalities saying, after they become well known "I just want my privacy." They have been losing their privacy ever since the silent films, and perhaps even before. They knew the lack of privacy would come, part and parcel, with their celebrity status.

The Army has guns. Guns shoot people. The Army gets people to use the guns to shoot people. There may have been a movie or two about this.

[bvar22]

10. Maybe a deployment to Iraq....

..contributed to his education?
The REAL World has a way of doing that.

I'm glad I get to change my mind, especially about the things I believed when I was 17.

[tavalon]

11. Exact;ly

He realized his mistake. He was four years younger and more manipulatable then.

[Echo In Light]

4. Courage

[ccharles000]

8. yup

[Mari333]

5. right on soldier.

stay alive, keep out of obama's quagmire of endless corporate war.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x5832304

[Union Yes]

9. War can make a pacifist out of anyone. I hope Amnesty Intl get's involved

I don't blame this soldier one bit. He did his tour.

He learned firsthand why war is wrong and it changed him. This man needs support.