Iraq War Resister, Kim Rivera, gets a temporary stay to her deportation order By: Krystalline Kraus (6 replies) March 26, 2009 - 5:58pm
- Update on Kim By: Frmrsldr (Jul 10 2009 - 4:37am)
- Because there is no draft By: Frmrsldr (Jul 10 2009 - 4:25am)
- Golbez wrote:War resisters By: Benjamin (Mar 31 2009 - 9:37pm)
- War resisters do not deserve By: Golbez (Mar 31 2009 - 2:23pm)
- Re: Iraq War Resister, Kim Rivera, gets a temporary stay to her By: statica (Mar 31 2009 - 11:15am)
- Great Article in the Toronto By: statica (Mar 27 2009 - 1:49pm)
War resisters do not deserve our support nor taxpayer money unless they were drafted (against their will) and forced to serve in violent combat.
These men and women (modern Americans, not Vietnam Vets) knowingly joined the US Military for their own benefit (Education, $). Why would you expect NOT to have to be put into combat in this situation? When you join a military, you do not get to pick and choose your battles. This is part of the contract. Canada should not turn into a haven for those who get skittish at living up to their end of the bargain. Don't want to fight? Don't join the military.
On a general level, fraud and illegality can vitiate contractual obligations. On the former, the pretence for invading Iraq, WMD, was clearly fraudulent. On the latter, the manner in which some of the war was conducted clearly violated the laws of armed conflict.
In one of the recent cases, on a successful judicial review application, Justice Barnes held that the actions the soldier was required to do clearly violated the Geneva Conventions, and that this could not be seriously challenged.
With few exception, the war resisters that I have interacted with do not expect to be kept out of combat. In fact, this is what limits their claims to conscientious objection in the traditional sense. That being said, what people do object to is being forced to participate in an illegal war, and in a war that is often conducted illegally.
Your argument that a contract binds anyone to commit violations of the law is laughable.