Soldier To Plead Guilty To Desertion
FORT CARSON, Colo. - A soldier who fled to Canada when his unit was deployed to Iraq plans to plead guilty Friday to a reduced charge of desertion, his lawyer said.
Pvt. Robin Long, 25, of Boise, Idaho, faces up to three years in prison and a dishonorable discharge, civilian defense attorney James Branam said Thursday.
Long went to Canada in 2005, but authorities there denied his request for refuge and deported him in July of this year.
Branam said Long has reached an agreement with prosecutors to plead guilty to desertion with intent to remain away permanently, a lesser charge than desertion with intent to shirk hazardous duty.
Army prosecutors declined to comment.
Branam said Long’s sentence will be determined on Friday.
“Yes, he did break the law, he committed a wrong, but he shouldn’t be punished harshly because he had a lot of good reasons to do what he did,” Branam said.
“He believes very sincerely he couldn’t participate in this war in good conscience,” Branam said.
Long also feared his fellow soldiers would be at risk in combat if Long “couldn’t pull the trigger” because of moral qualms, Branam said.
“I still don’t think that Bush has proven we have any reason to be over there, and I would be wrong to be a tool of destruction,” Robin says.
He served two years as a tanker in the US army, at Fort Knox before he left and came to Canada in June of 2005. He traveled by hitchhiking from Tofino, BC to St. John’s, Newfoundland, and as far north as the north shore of the St. Lawrence during the summer months. “I have really enjoyed this beautiful country, I’m reminded everyday by its wonderful people that I made the right decision. I remember that a soldier is just a uniform following orders, a warrior is the man or woman that follows their conscience and does the right thing in the face of adversity.”
(AP)
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