Canada To Deport U.S. War Deserter
by ROBERT MATAS (Globe and Mail)
VANCOUVER — U.S. army deserter Robin Long is slated to be deported back to his army base in Fort Knox, Ky., Tuesday, which would make him the first resister to the U.S. war effort in Iraq to be sent out of Canada.
Madam Justice Anne Mactavish of the Federal Court of Canada cleared the way for the deportation late Monday, dismissing a last-ditch attempt to delay the process while the 25-year-old pursued further appeals.
“I was just shocked at some things in [the] ruling,” Bob Ages, a spokesman for an informal group called Vancouver War Resisters Support Campaign, told reporters outside the courtroom. “It just flies in the face of everything that we and every Canadian know about the reality of what is going on.”
Mr. Ages said the court misunderstood the situation facing Mr. Long upon his return.
“I do not think there is any doubt someone being up in Canada, and a vocal opponent to the war, will be treated harshly by the American military … there is no question he will be court-martialed and will receive severe punishment.”
Mr. Long’s deportation would be a “terrible precedent for Canada, especially given our history of providing sanctuary for war resisters, over 100,000 draft dodgers and deserters during the Vietnam era,” he said earlier to reporters.
“This will be the first time Canada played gendarme to the American military,” Mr. Ages said, appealing to Prime Minister Stephen Harper or Immigration Minister Diane Finley to intervene. Members of the support group were to meet at the Peace Arch border crossing this morning to protest the deportation.
The war resisters support group is aware of about 50 deserters in Canada, Mr. Ages said, although the group has been told that “hundreds” are living underground in Canada.
Mr. Long, who fled to Ontario in 2005, had signed up to join the U.S. Army in July, 2003. He believed at that time that his country was justified in going to war in Iraq, his lawyer Shepherd Moss said at the court hearing to halt the deportation. Mr. Long intended to train as a tank commander. “He wanted to go to defend his country,” Mr. Moss said.
His perspective changed while in training at the army base at Fort Knox. After hearing that weapons of mass destruction had not been found in Iraq, Mr. Long thought the U.S. had no reason for being at war. Also, he was troubled by evidence of abuse of Iraqi detainees that came out in May of 2004, Mr. Moss said.
Mr. Long concluded the abuse was systemic and condoned by the U.S. administration, Mr. Moss said. After some soul-searching, Mr. Long decided he would not go to Iraq and would not participate or be complicit in what he believed were war crimes, the lawyer said.
Mr. Long fled to Ontario, but moved to B.C. last summer. He sought to be accepted as a refugee in September, 2006. His application for refugee status was denied on Feb. 15, 2007. An application for leave to appeal the decision was turned down.
In a final attempt to stay in Canada, Mr. Long applied Monday for a stay of the removal order in order to allow him further judicial appeals.
Mr. Long was not in court for the hearing Monday. He was in custody at a location outside Vancouver after failing on two previous occasions to report to authorities when he was required.
Caroline Christiaens, a lawyer with the federal Department of Justice, told the court that Mr. Long voluntarily joined the army, was not deployed to Iraq and did not apply to be recognized as a conscientious objector while in the United States.
No evidence was submitted on what Mr. Long would be required to do in Iraq, whether he could have requested an alternative assignment or even what would happen if he was sent back to the United States, she said.
If Mr. Long was returned to the United States and prosecuted as a deserter, he would have access to due process in a military court, she added.
Judge Mactavish said Mr. Long had to provide “clear and non-speculative evidence” that he would suffer irreparable harm if he were not allowed to stay longer in Canada. Mr. Long asserted he would face significant jail time and suffer adverse consequences as a result of a dishonourable discharge from the military.
The vast majority of American deserters have not been prosecuted for desertion, according to evidence before the court, the judge stated in a four-page decision. About 94 per cent of U.S. deserters from 2002 to 2006 were being dealt with administratively, receiving a less-than-honourable discharge from the military.
Judge Mactavish also stated that Mr. Long did not provide evidence to show he would be singled out for harsh treatment by the U.S. military because of the publicity associated with case.
Moreover, the United States has a sophisticated military-justice system that respects the rights of service personnel, she said.
The court heard that Mr. Long would likely be returned to his army unit, which would mete out whatever punishment he would receive.
Spokespersons from Citizenship and Immigration Canada did not respond to phone calls late Monday from The Globe and Mail.
Robin Long: “Why I Ran”
(nods to The Loon)
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come on home buttercup. there is a nice jail cell waiting for you
July 15th, 2008 at 7:54 amDeserters will be shot.
July 15th, 2008 at 7:54 amP.S. What a worthless, POS, fuck head, coward. The bitch dreams of mad gay love with Osama bin Laden.
July 15th, 2008 at 7:56 am“buttercup” …
July 15th, 2008 at 8:00 amfuck. this. guy.
July 15th, 2008 at 8:21 amthe firing squad, PERIOD!
July 15th, 2008 at 8:34 amHussein poster boy. Purse your lips, “buttercup.”
July 15th, 2008 at 8:34 amA deserter gets harsh punishment? Well no shit Charlie. Stand him up against the wall & shoot him. After that they can have the courts martial.
July 15th, 2008 at 8:38 amKill him.
July 15th, 2008 at 8:41 amDO NOT LET HIM BACK IN !!!!!
July 15th, 2008 at 8:42 amdon’t let the cell door hit you on the way in
July 15th, 2008 at 8:46 amwhat makes this worse is that he was a soldier by choice! there has been no draft. this man is a coward of the WORST kind
July 15th, 2008 at 9:17 amExactly. The fact is that he volunteered. Before you ship off to Basic, you do have the option of backing out of your contract.
Obviously, this guy didn’t. He went from being a soldier and servant to his country, to being another disillusioned white guy with dread-locks.
Fuck-up at life.
July 15th, 2008 at 9:38 amThis man is a traitor and a coward. Of all the men I served with yes there were a few that would have rather seen a non aggressive stance taken but they still did their DUTY.
I hope he spends a lot of time in a place like Ft.Leavenworth surrounded by men who wish to god they hadn’t screwed up and could return to service. At least then he might learn something of honor and shame.
I cannot find the words to adequately express my disgust I feel for this sad waste of flesh. It’s an all volunteer service there is no excuse for this kind of cowardice. Hell I knew a third award Lance Corporal who was chomping at the bit to go to the fight after every thing he’d done and several second award PFCs who jumped at the chance to deploy.
July 15th, 2008 at 10:10 amI sort of feel sorry for him. He was scared, but he didn’t do the right thing. Now, he’s going to pay a big price. He didn’t want to get a dishonorable discharge, but now he’s going to get worse. It went from bad to worse. Doofus. Face it, Nancy Peloski is way worse in her own way.
July 15th, 2008 at 11:08 amThe unfortunate thing is that he will probabaly receive a very light punishment. Then he will travel to college campuses and talk about how brave he is because he refused to do his duty.
July 15th, 2008 at 11:23 amNo pity for him at all. The Marines say it best: when you join the military, you make a commitment, not just a contract!
I would like to believe that he will actually face harsher confinement than the Haditha Marines, but I doubt that will happen.
July 15th, 2008 at 11:47 amA new addition to the winter soldier gang
July 15th, 2008 at 12:15 pm“I do not think there is any doubt someone being up in Canada, and a vocal opponent to the war, will be treated harshly by the American military … there is no question he will be court-martialed and will receive severe punishment.”
That would be an affirmative. Well deserved, too.
July 15th, 2008 at 12:25 pm“Mr. Long concluded the abuse was systemic and condoned by the U.S. administration…Mr. Long decided he would not go to Iraq and would not participate or be complicit in what he believed were war crimes.”
Well Mr. Long, the US army concluded that you are a deserter, and decided to have you arrested, deported and locked up for YOUR war crime - dereliction of duty.
Let’s hope you do your time, and don’t become another touring college campus anarchist.
July 15th, 2008 at 12:32 pmI think I don’t feel sorry for him anymore. Talking about “war crimes.” What a dope. Hope he has to break rocks at Leavenworth, maybe sharing a cell with those Gitmo “detainees” with newly minted Constitutional rights to be held in the US, and be given criminal law protections.
July 15th, 2008 at 12:37 pm50 years hard labor - in Iraq.
July 15th, 2008 at 1:33 pm‘Bout fuckin time sweetheart.
:arrow:Hugh 50 years hard labor - in Iraq. Right on!!
July 15th, 2008 at 2:00 pm5 shooters, 4 bullets. Dispense of this POS.
July 15th, 2008 at 2:00 pmDuring WW11 and the Korean war a deserter was returned to the front.
July 15th, 2008 at 2:27 pmThey usually got a bullet in the back of the head and not the front. But they definitely did not go home alive.
Is it me or does he have that Islamic wannabe look about him in that picture.
No sympathy at all for this guy as his character speaks for itself. Best that he weeded himself out - makes those of us in leadership roles thankful we did not have to deal with his crap in the sand box.
July 15th, 2008 at 2:28 pmYou know, I was thinking how sad it must be, when not even Canada wants you…
July 15th, 2008 at 2:46 pmPiece of shit we got a real nice cell waiting for ya and when ya come home stop by my house so I can spit on ya. Have a great day ass hole!
July 15th, 2008 at 2:54 pmDon’t let the door hitya on your cowardly ass. Fucking A!!! now the next two cowardly liars to get sent back to the US - Jeremy Hinzman and Brandon Hughes, and shortly after that, Justin Colby, who served as a medic in Iraq for a year then fled to Canada.
From The National Post:
“Messrs. Huey, Hinzman and Long all argued their cases on the grounds that they would face imprisonment if they were returned to the U.S. after deserting the military, a prospect that the court has rejected.”
Less than 40 American soldiers have made refugee claims in Canada, said Karen Shadd, a spokeswoman for the federal Immigration Department. The Toronto-based War Resisters Support Campaign estimates there are about 200 Iraq war dodgers in Canada.
Most cases are still at the Immigration and Refugee Board, which has never accepted a war resister’s claim. “
July 15th, 2008 at 3:04 pm“buttercup” …
ROFLMFAO!!!!!!!
Kurt, I luvs ya, little brother!
July 15th, 2008 at 3:12 pm3 hots and a cot plus a new hairdo! poor guy
July 15th, 2008 at 3:34 pmRed Rover Red Rover send TRAITOR on over.
Welcome home, puke!
July 15th, 2008 at 3:44 pmChange is slowly coming around for Canada , under the Harper govt. We have alot of work still , and alot of liberal practices yet to tear down. This is the first step , Canada has finally done one right thing.
July 15th, 2008 at 5:13 pmRight on Avaia…
Bunk him with Bubba at Leavenworth.
July 15th, 2008 at 8:09 pmAs skinny as this dope-smoking assclown is, they’ll become real good friends, real quick like.
I know this is probably going to sound out dated for today’s age, but as most of us know, when you join the military, you swear an oath. This asshat broke that oath. I believe were only as good as our word; therefore, this asshat ain’t worth a damn as far as I am concerned.
He deserves everything I imagine that is probably coming to him.
July 15th, 2008 at 9:06 pmHe looks like a hippie. That kind of says it all.
July 16th, 2008 at 12:49 amWhite guy with dreadlocks = a dad who didn’t care enough about his son to teach him who he was and where he came from. Goodnight Irene, don’t let the prison bugs bite.
July 16th, 2008 at 12:59 am“His perspective changed while in training at the army base at Fort Knox. After hearing that weapons of mass destruction had not been found in Iraq, Mr. Long thought the U.S. had no reason for being at war….”
We have good news for Mr. Long. WMDs were secretly transported to Syria before the invasion per Saddam Hussein’s number two air force official. The weapons were loaded onto civilian aircraft in which the passenger seats were removed.
“Because They Hate” by Bridgitte Gabriel (page 96.)
New York Sun, Jan. 26, 2006, “Iraq’s WMD Secreted in Syria, Sada Says,” by Ira Stoll.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1207486215610&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFul
July 16th, 2008 at 1:16 amPoor deluded hippie troll. Wrong on Iraq, wrong on WMD’s found, wrong on his decision to renege on his VOLUNTARY military contract. He’s a fucktard with a capital “F”.
Come on home little boy, Bubba is waiting for you at Ft. Leavenworth. When he’s done with you, you can go live in your mommy’s basment like the rest of the trolls do.
I’d fart in your general direction, but you ain’t worth even that courtesy.
July 16th, 2008 at 3:41 amthe most honorable act a man can do is to lay down arms. brovo Mr. Long
July 27th, 2008 at 6:27 am