I’m of two minds on the issue of US Army deserters, who are about to go through the process of claiming refugee status in Canada:
1-They made a CHOICE to volunteer for service. They KNEW they could and would be heading into combat. They can’t possibly have been delusional enough to NOT realize the consequences of joining the American military at a time like this.
2-Jeremy Hinzman is not a coward. He had requested non-combat duty, received it in Afghanistan, only to be denied it in Iraq. He is correct that the war is illegal, and that his only choice as a conscientious objector was to flee.
Actually, I suppose I’ve already made a choice. Given that he faces 5 years in prison if deported to the United States, I wouldn’t send him back for simply escaping to protect his life and the security of his family. But it’s going to be a messy, ugly business…and it certainly won’t facilitate the less-than-cozy relationship between the Canadian and American governments.
Sometimes, it’s quite a burden to be the most tolerant nation on Earth…
