US Soldier Seeks Asylum in Germany Over Iraq War

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Asylum dilemma for US deserter

Mr Shepherd says he could face the death penalty if returned to the US

American Iraq veteran Andre Shepherd shocked fellow servicemen when he walked off his military base in Germany and deserted the US army.

Now he is causing even more of a stir by applying for the right of asylum in Germany.

It was the middle of the night in April 2007 when Mr Shepherd packed a few things and walked out of the gates of his American army base in Katterbach onto German soil.

"I could no longer support this illegal war in Iraq with a clear conscience," explained the 31-year-old, who had been due to return to Iraq where he had already spent six months serving as an Apache helicopter mechanic.

"It has been proved that Saddam Hussein was not a direct threat to the United States and the war is simply being waged in order for the US to gain access to raw materials in the Middle East," he said.

After almost two years spent living underground in Germany, he has now applied for asylum.

His case rests on a European Union law guaranteeing refugee status to soldiers who might be prosecuted for desertion if military service involves violating international law.

This is just Shepherd's way of avoiding his responsibilities completely

According to Mr Shepherd, that is exactly what the war in Iraq does.

If sent back to the US, Mr Shepherd would be court-martialled and most likely sent to prison for a period of between six months and a couple of years.

"In theory desertion can also result in the death penalty," says Mr Shepherd, although the last US serviceman to receive this punishment was in 1945.

But German politicians are wary of supporting his case.

"A soldier deserting the army because his conscience no longer allows him to carry out his military duties is clearly not a reason for him to be granted political asylum here," says Christian Democrat (CDU) politician and deputy chair of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, Wolfgang Bosbach.

Mr Shepherd is the first Iraq veteran to apply for refugee status in Europe, and there are fears that his case could encourage some of the other 60,000 American soldiers based in Germany to desert and do the same.

Others argue that granting him asylum would damage US-German relations by effectively defining the war in Iraq as illegal.

Public support

Campaigners say more than 25,000 US soldiers have deserted since 2003
The pretty medieval town of Freiburg in southern Germany, with its cobbled streets and ornate half-timbered houses, is a far cry from the bombs of Baghdad.

But, incongruous as it may be, it is here that the deserters' campaign group Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) is holding a discussion forum to gather support in Germany for Mr Shepherd's case.

According to anti-war campaigners, more than 25,000 US soldiers have deserted since the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Although only 30 of them now live in Germany, they can count on substantial support here.

The majority of Germans have always opposed the war in Iraq, and German soldiers have never been sent to Iraq as part of the conflict.

Your home country will always think you are a traitor, whether you were justified or not

Wearing a black T-shirt bearing the campaign's name, Chris Capps-Schubert explained that he deserted over disgust at how the war in Iraq was being waged.

"I worked in telecommunications and when I found myself laying down cables for Abu Ghraib prison, I just thought, oh, so that's what I'm doing here," he says, referring to the Baghdad detention centre where Iraqi prisoners were tortured by American soldiers.

Mr Capps-Schubert deserted his base in Mannheim after coming back from Iraq and before being sent out again to Afghanistan.

He turned himself in for court martial in May 2007, thereby avoiding a prison sentence. Today he advises US servicemen on how to leave the army.

US disgust

Critics say Mr Shepherd left other soldiers to do what he would not
Although deserters are now getting a certain amount of support from American anti-war campaigners, Mr Shepherd's application for asylum has been scorned by many US servicemen and veterans.

"This is just Shepherd's way of avoiding his responsibilities completely - not going to Iraq and not willing to go to jail for breaking his promises and forcing his duties on his comrades," writes Desert Storm veteran and blogger, Jonn Lilyea.

Other military bloggers are even more direct with their criticisms, and the accusation of "coward" is one of the least offensive things Mr Shepherd is being called online.

At the end of February German immigration authorities heard Mr Shepherd's case, and are currently examining his eligibility for asylum. A decision should be reached within the next few months.

If asylum is knocked back, Mr Shepherd has said he will appeal to the courts, a process which could take up to five years.

In the meantime, Mr Shepherd can legally stay in Germany, but cannot return to the United States.

The decision to desert was not an easy one, Mr Shepherd says.

"Your home country will always think you are a traitor, whether you were justified or not," he explained.

"Although my family is supporting me, they wish I'd taken a different step, because the potential for me not returning [home] causes a lot of emotional stress. I have to apologise to my parents for that."

BBC NEWS | Americas | Asylum dilemma for US deserter
 
I understand where Andre Shepherd and other US deserters come from. Its about illegal in Iraq war.

US deserter 'shocked by abuses'

A US soldier who fled to Canada to avoid serving in Iraq says he was shocked by alleged atrocities committed by the American military.

Josh Key was speaking before Canada's refugee board hearing his asylum plea.

Among the incidents, he described soldiers kicking the severed head of an Iraqi like a football in Ramadi.

Mr Key served as an explosives expert in Iraq for eight months, and deserted to Canada with his family in 2004. He faces a court martial back in the US.

The soldier, 27, also told Canada's refugee board he saw a US army squad leader shooting the foot off an unarmed Iraqi man.

The army's attitude in Iraq was "just shoot and ask questions later", Mr Key said.

Appeal

Mr Key says he refuses to fight in a war he regards as immoral and illegal.

About 20 US soldiers have applied for asylum in Canada. Two have already had their applications rejected.

The Immigration and Refugee Board said it was not convinced the men would face persecution if they were sent back to the US. They have said they will appeal against the decision.

Speaking to the BBC, Mr Key said he was in Iraq when he realised the war was unjustified.

"The only people that were getting hurt was the innocent; that was innocent Iraqi people, as well as innocent soldiers."

On his return to the US, he told the army that he did not want to return, but was advised that he would face prison if he refused. It was then that he decided to desert.

"Before I went to Iraq, I was trained on how to escape terrorists. You learn to only go where crime is already at. You only go somewhere where who cares about a deserter if somebody is getting murdered every night. I went to Philadelphia," he said.

He spent 14 months in the city, before deciding to flee to Canada.

During the Vietnam war, more than 100,000 Americans went to the neighbour country to avoid the draft.

BBC NEWS | Americas | US deserter 'shocked by abuses'
 
Well, of course, my view is that just because the MSM says "illegal" war doesn't mean it is.


Very simple.
Germany should not accept Shepherd and give him asylum.


He volunteered for duty.
He accepted the $$ and benefits when he volunteered.
He voluntarily signed a contract.

I certainly will lose a great deal of respect for Germany if they coddle this person.
 
Well, of course, my view is that just because the MSM says "illegal" war doesn't mean it is.


Very simple.
Germany should not accept Shepherd and give him asylum.


He volunteered for duty.
He accepted the $$ and benefits when he volunteered.
He voluntarily signed a contract.

I certainly will lose a great deal of respect for Germany if they coddle this person.

:werd: Look at Canada. They have kicked out several American cowards of their country and it has made me to be a prouder Canadian. :thumbup:
 
:werd: Look at Canada. They have kicked out several American cowards of their country and it has made me to be a prouder Canadian. :thumbup:

wow I didn't know that. interesting! I mean - Canada is known to be a safe haven for Americans avoiding military compulsory service.
 
Look at Canada. They have kicked out several American cowards of their country and it has made me to be a prouder Canadian
I am glad that makes you proud of Canada. Canada and the US are intimately intertwined, I am glad Canada has said "No" this time.
 
wow I didn't know that. interesting! I mean - Canada is known to be a safe haven for Americans avoiding military compulsory service.

Yes it happened during the Vietnam War and our liberal government under Pierre Trudeau allowed them to stay here.
 
Well, of course, my view is that just because the MSM says "illegal" war doesn't mean it is.


Very simple.
Germany should not accept Shepherd and give him asylum.


He volunteered for duty.
He accepted the $$ and benefits when he volunteered.
He voluntarily signed a contract.

I certainly will lose a great deal of respect for Germany if they coddle this person.

yep.... it's like they're harboring a fugitive and this is a politically bad idea for Germany because it implies that they do not support USA and they're advertising to American deserter-to-be by providing a safe haven.
 
Yes it happened during the Vietnam War and our liberal government under Pierre Trudeau allowed them to stay here.

The difference is that the people who fled to Canada during the Vietnam war were mostly draft dodgers who didn't sign up and that it was a war that wasn't being supported by the Canadian government. In fact, it was denounced by Prime Minister Pearson.

This time is different. It's the people who signed up for military service that are trying to get out of their contract with the military. Canada isn't a supporter of the Iraq war, although we will not support the deserters because they signed up to serve their country. That's not our problem.

People should think twice before signing up for military if they don't want to serve their country.
 
The difference is that the people who fled to Canada during the Vietnam war were mostly draft dodgers who didn't sign up and that it was a war that wasn't being supported by the Canadian government. In fact, it was denounced by Prime Minister Pearson.

This time is different. It's the people who signed up for military service that are trying to get out of their contract with the military. Canada isn't a supporter of the Iraq war, although we will not support the deserters because they signed up to serve their country. That's not our problem.

People should think twice before signing up for military if they don't want to serve their country.


Exactly!!

These people were not drafted. or forced to fight.
 
People should think twice before signing up for military if they don't want to serve their country.
Spot on point Banjo
Many saw the military as an easy way to get benefits, signing bonuses/college money, career training without having to do anything dangerous....then they were called on to meet their committment and the gnashing of teeth and whining began.

Of course, there are multitudes of military folks who have served and are serving their country to the utmost, they are being undermined by the cowardly.

Anyway, I hope Liebling keeps us posted because we sure arent getting any news about this here.
 
The difference is that the people who fled to Canada during the Vietnam war were mostly draft dodgers who didn't sign up and that it was a war that wasn't being supported by the Canadian government. In fact, it was denounced by Prime Minister Pearson.

This time is different. It's the people who signed up for military service that are trying to get out of their contract with the military. Canada isn't a supporter of the Iraq war, although we will not support the deserters because they signed up to serve their country. That's not our problem.

People should think twice before signing up for military if they don't want to serve their country.

Actually, if the military would knock it off with their false advertising and video game bullshit, more people would not even want to sign up. Why would anyone want to risk their life in a war zone? What's so noble about that? It's more noble to speak out and stand up for something. Taking orders from someone? That's not noble, especially if those orders are to kill innocent people.
 
Actually, if the military would knock it off with their false advertising and video game bullshit, more people would not even want to sign up. Why would anyone want to risk their life in a war zone? What's so noble about that? It's more noble to speak out and stand up for something. Taking orders from someone? That's not noble, especially if those orders are to kill innocent people.

Are you telling me that they cannot read the simple contract? I guess they know nothing about personal responsibility regarding signing the contracts. in real life - if you signed the loan contract with the bank... your ass belongs to them. In case you didn't know - they have to completed psychological evaluation, basic knowledge test, boot camp, etc. etc. In the end upon completion of boot camp - they FULLY KNOW well what they're getting into. If they didn't want to risk their lives - they would have already been weeded out.

mind you - the soldier has the rights & duty to disobey the unlawful order to gun down innocent people. Make sure you're not confusing the soldiers with private contractors.
 
Actually, if the military would knock it off with their false advertising and video game bullshit, more people would not even want to sign up. Why would anyone want to risk their life in a war zone? What's so noble about that? It's more noble to speak out and stand up for something. Taking orders from someone? That's not noble, especially if those orders are to kill innocent people.
Are you speaking from experience?
 
Are you speaking from experience?

Do I need to?

I'm not a soldier worshipper and I never will be. It doesn't mean that I'd spit on a soldier or anything like that. It just means that I am indifferent to the current wars and cannot morally support them.
 
Are you telling me that they cannot read the simple contract? I guess they know nothing about personal responsibility regarding signing the contracts. in real life - if you signed the loan contract with the bank... your ass belongs to them. In case you didn't know - they have to completed psychological evaluation, basic knowledge test, boot camp, etc. etc. In the end upon completion of boot camp - they FULLY KNOW well what they're getting into. If they didn't want to risk their lives - they would have already been weeded out.

Poorer Americans, especially minorities are goaded by recruiters into joining the service because supposedly, they have no other way to pay for college (hello, ever heard of grants/scholarships/loans?) and thus the commercials that give them a false sense that joining the military is akin to playing a video game. Now that the Military has lowered their standards for who they will accept, they are going to get people who can barely even read a contract. If they know that these folks can't read a contract and they sucker them into signing a contract, that's entrapment. The soldier can't get out of the contract.

Now, this doesn't happen all the time. I'm just willing to bet that it does happen sometimes and perhaps it makes a soldier want to run to Canada because they can't get out of the contract.

If you feel that you must serve your country, by all means, do it. I fully understand that people have died for the flag but I do not view the current wars in Afghanistan and Iraq in the same light. They are the result of the contrived "war on terrorism" that is really a trap meant to get Americans to support higher military budgets and pre-emptive wars.

It was Ben Franklin who had this famous quote about freedom:

Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both.


And that's where I see our society heading. This is why I will no longer participate in the two-party system. I have declared my political independence and it's time to hold our leaders accountable, no matter who they may be. Bailouts will not work. Cutting taxes will not work. We need to move past partisan "solutions" and find solutions that benefit ALL Americans.

Again, purely my opinion and nothing more.
 
What's so noble about that?
Good Question:
It is noble because better men have fought and died to insure your rights to complain and choose not to participate in something potentially dangerous.
You should be respectful of that fact alone.

It was Ben Franklin who had this famous quote about freedom:

Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both.
Yes he did but I do not think you are using it in the context that Ben Franklin meant it.

contrived "war on terrorism" that is really a trap meant to get Americans to support higher military budgets and pre-emptive wars.
I guess you have totally missed the creedo of Islam -- To Dominate, To Subjegate, To Annihilate and their favorite rant "Death to America"
 
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