Canada to deport U.S. war deserter

Uhh...can anyone explain this to me? The last time I checked, the US has an all volunteer military force. So how is it possible to claim to be a "conscience" deserter when: 1. nobody forced you to enlist, and 2. you enlisted in 2003 AFTER we went to Iraq and kicked Sadam's butt.

It just doesn't make any sense, unless... A. you are either dumber than a bag of hammers, or B. you are a liberal who enlisted only for a premeditated anti-war publicity stunt.
Most likely the answer is both, A&B.

From Canada's National

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.

The rest here

Well, tough luck pal. You thought the military is a bed & breakfast that offers free room service and a la carte menu. Do what you want when you want, leave if you don't like the view from your room.

Guess what. It's not. Welcome to the military prison. Bed and three meals a day.