US Soldier in Iraq Refuses to Help Any longer with the Occupation

[Breeze54]

Yesterday, June 19, 26 year old SPC Eli Israel put himself at great personal risk by making the courageous decision
to refuse further participation in the U.S. occupation of Iraq. Eli told his commanding officer and sergeants that
he will no longer be a combatant in this illegal, unjustified war. Eli believes that the U.S. government used
the attacks of September 11, 2001 as a pretense to invade Iraq and that "we are now violating the people of this country (Iraq) in ways that we would never accept on our own soil." Eli is stationed at Camp Victory
in Baghdad with JVB Bravo Company, 1-149 Infantry of the Kentucky Army National Guard.

This soldier's decision to refuse orders puts him at great risk, especially because he is in Iraq,
isolated from legal assistance and other support.

The following is a message that Eli sent yesterday to a friend back home:

"I have told them that I will no longer play a 'combat role' in this conflict or 'protect corporate representatives,'
and they have taken this as 'violating a direct order.' I may be in jail or worse in the next 24 hours.

Please rally whoever you can, call whoever you can, bring as much attention to this as you can.
I have no doubt that the military will bury me and hide the whole situation if they can.
I'm in big trouble. I'm in the middle of Iraq, surrounded by people who are not on my side.
Please help me.

Please contact whoever you can, and tell them who I am, so I don't 'disappear.'"

Eli is taking an incredible risk by refusing orders in Iraq and will most likely be court martialed.

Please help him by contacting his Senator and requesting that he take any steps necessary
to support and protect this soldier and ensure that the Army respects his rights and does
not illegally retaliate against him.

Senator Mitch McConnell:
http://mcconnell.senate.gov/contact.cfm
Washington Office
361-A Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

http://www.ivaw.org/">Update: a message from Eli Israel

"Thank you for your support. I am currently "OK", thanks in no small part I'm sure to the voices
that have spoken up in the name of peace. I don't know what the military's next steps are going
to be, but my deeply held beliefs prevent me from participating in this or any other war....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~ In Memory of Monkeyman ~~

IVAW is coming to a base near you!

http://www.ivaw.org/bustour

This Summer, IVAW members are touring bases from Georgia to New York
and hosting BBQs for vets and active duty soldiers, sailors, and Marines.

Click on a stop on the map below for more information,

or scroll down for a full list of tour stops.

Washington DC (Ft. Meade, Walter Reed, Andrews AFB)
Jun 23 2007 - 2:00pm

Norfolk, VA (Norfolk)
Jun 24 2007 - 4:00pm

Jacksonville, NC (Camp Lejeune)
Jun 26 2007 - 7:00pm

Columbia, South Carolina (Ft. Jackson)
Jun 28 2007 - 7:00pm

Atlanta, GA (US Social Forum)
Jun 30 2007 - 7:00pm

Columbus, GA (Ft. Benning)
Jul 1 2007 - 7:00pm

Philadelphia (Fundraiser & Show)
Jul 4 2007 - 6:00pm

New York, NY (Fundraiser & Show)
Jul 5 2007 - 7:00pm

Groton, CT (Naval Sub Marine Base)
Jul 6 2007 - 7:00pm

Upstate NY (Ft. Drum)
Jul 8 2007 - 4:00pm

[shadowknows69]

1. I think DU should make me an official correspondent

so I can get press credentials and cover the one at Fort Drum. Skinner?

[Breeze54]

4. Just do it!! Or contact IVAW!!

Contact Us

IVAW
P.O. Box 8296
Philadelphia, PA 19101
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

General info/inquiries: [e-mail]
Press requests: [e-mail]



http://www.ivaw.org/bustour

[shadowknows69]

6. I'd need Skinner's permission to represent this board

But I am a trained journalist with experience. Please, please please?

[shadowknows69]

7. Oh and I could do video

youtube here we come.

[Breeze54]

8. Great idea!! Have you PM'd Skinner?

A You Tube video would be awesome!! ;)

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[RC]

2. Hopefully this will be a start, a real beginning of the end of this illegal invasion.

[shadowknows69]

3. and DU should make me a correspondent for the Ft Drum gig

really. How'd DU like to gather and report it's own news for a change?

[Breeze54]

9. Hopefully it will be and before they get there!

:banghead:

[BlooInBloo]

5. Best of luck to him. It's gonna be hard.

[zabet]

10. k & r

I hope to make the event in NC!!! Thanks for the info!!
:smoke:

[MS Liberal]

11. This soldier should be court martial!!!

He should be given life with hard labor at Leavenworth. Soldiers do not get to decide if a war is just. That is the responsibility of the American people. I served in the first Gulf War and I was not in favor of it. I knew we were there for oil. I also knew it was not in the nation's best interest to continue to rely on oil from the Middle East. The Army is not a democracy. We must follow orders or we put everyone in danger. Before this soldier deployed to Iraq he could have become a conscientious objector. Apprarently he chose not to. Now that he is in the war zone, he no longer wants to do his job. This calls for a court martial and hopefully prison time. I do not agree with the occupation of Iraq. I am retired after 21 years of service and now it is my responsibility as well as yours to get congress and the President to end this war. Unless you want the country to be ruled by the military, you should encourage this soldier to continue to do his job because we will get him home.

[Breeze54]

12. If it wasn't for soldiers refusing to serve and go to Vietnam

that war may still be going also.

Desert Storm was a very different war.
Thanks for serving and welcome to DU. :hi:

In the 1960s, thousands of American GIs rebelled against the Vietnam War, changing the course of history and society.

No film has ever told their story... until now.

Are you or do you know someone serving who has served in the military since September 11, 2001?

Are you or do you know someone serving in or in support of Iraq or Afghanistan ?

Send them a copy!!

This award winning documentary uncovers the untold story of the antiwar movement
within the military during the Vietnam era.

To learn more about the film and watch the trailer, go to www.sirnosir.com

"If I had seen this film while I was in Iraq , things would have been much different."
Garett Reppenhagen, Army Sniper and OIF Veteran

In the 1960’s an anti-war movement emerged that altered the course of history.
This movement didn’t take place on college campuses, but in barracks and on aircraft carriers.
It flourished in army stockades, navy brigs and in the dingy towns that surround military bases.
It penetrated elite military colleges like West Point. And it spread throughout the battlefields of Vietnam.
It was a movement no one expected, least of all those in it. '
Hundreds went to prison and thousands into exile.
And by 1971 it had, in the words of one colonel, infested the entire armed services.

Yet today few people know about the GI movement against the war in Vietnam.

http://www.sirnosir.com/home_about_film.html">CLICK HERE TO READ MORE

http://www.sirnosir.com

[bonito]

14. Bull shit !

You must be a lock step liberal, LOL.

[Karenina]

15. Or get him and ALL his buddies KILLED.

They were told the road home was through Baghdad. They and indeed ALL OF AMERICAS'S CITIZENS were lied to. Tell me again, WHAT is his "JOB?"

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

17. I believe he has a legitimate basis for refusing to participate because,...

,...the war is, has been and will be unlawful no matter how much twisting of reality by BushCO and his neocons. A soldier has no obligation to follow an unlawful order and since this CIC's initial declaration of war and order of occupation was, is and will be unlawful,...I believe this soldier has a valid basis to refuse further participation.

[RedCappedBandit]

21. And what was that oath you took again? n.t

[Bluerthanblue]

29. he is a human being above and beyond everything else- and he

has not only the right but the OBLIGATION to refuse to participate in any action that violates humanity- this FUCKING war will ONLY stop when those with their hands on the triggers, weapons and bombers say ENOUGH!!!

I know for a fact there were people under hitler who believed what they were doing was wrong, but followed orders, because that is what "soldiers" do-

I refuse to glorify war any longer-

A country can only be "ruled by the military" if people buy into the LIE that "you must obey orders, no matter how heinous or evil they are"- because any person who is in the military and following orders that go against the heart of moral decency, have sold themselves out-

we AREN'T "getting him" home- !!! the AMERICAN PEOPLE- (who, despite what the powerful politicians are trying to pretend they 'represent') want out of Iraq NOW- not only that, WE did not support going into Iraq in the FIRST PLACE.

There is no honor in simply 'following orders'- when orders are corrupt.

My anger is not towards you, but towards the backwards mindset, and military dogma that you are parroting.-

I wish you, as a person and fellow human-
peace,
blu

[Truth2Tell]

30. Life with hard labor? Doesn't sound very MS "Liberal" to me. nt

[conscious evolution]

33. He should be encouraged to file charges

under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Specifically underSection 938 Article 138
...938. ART. 138. COMPLAINTS OF WRONGS
Any member of the armed forces who believes himself wronged by his commanding officer, and who, upon due application to that commanding officer, is refused redress, may complain to any superior commissioned officer, who shall foreword the complaint to the office exercising court- martial jurisdiction over the officer against whom it is made. The officer exercising general court-martial jurisdiction shall examine into the complaint and take proper measures for redressing the wrong complained of; and he shall, as soon as possible, send to the Secretary concerned a true statement of that complaint, with the proceedings thereon.


By refusing to participate in this illegal war he is upholding the Nuremburg Principals.
Principle I
Any person who commits an act which constitutes a crime under international law is responsible therefore and liable to punishment.


Principle II
The fact that internal law does not impose a penalty for an act which constitutes a crime under international law does not relieve the person who committed the act from responsibility under international law.


Principle III
The fact that a person who committed an act which constitutes a crime under international law acted as Head of State or responsible government official does not relieve him from responsibility under international law.


Principle IV
The fact that a person acted pursuant to order of his Government or of a superior does not relieve him from responsibility under international law, provided a moral choice was in fact possible to him.


Principle V
Any person charged with a crime under international law has the right to a fair trial on the facts and law.


Principle VI
The crimes hereinafter set out are punishable as crimes under international law:

(a) Crimes against peace:
(i) Planning, preparation, initiation or waging of a war of aggression or a war in violation of international treaties, agreements or assurances;
(ii) Participation in a common plan or conspiracy for the accomplishment of any of the acts mentioned under (i).
(b) War Crimes:
Violations of the laws or customs of war which include, but are not limited to, murder, ill-treatment or deportation of slave labor or for any other purpose of the civilian population of or in occupied territory; murder or ill-treatment of prisoners of war or persons on the Seas, killing of hostages, plunder of public or private property, wanton destruction of cities, towns, or villages, or devastation not justified by military necessity.
(c) Crimes against humanity:
Murder, extermination, enslavement, deportation and other inhumane acts done against any civilian population, or persecutions on political, racial, or religious grounds, when such acts are done or such persecutions are carried on in execution of or in connection with any crime against peace or any war crime.

Principle VII
Complicity in the commission of a crime against peace, a war crime, or a crime against humanity as set forth in Principle VI is a crime under international law.

By refusing to participate he is standing up for Principles I,II,IV and VI.

[uppityperson]

35. So? If he is, he knows the consequences of his actions and is willing to take them on.

I get so frustrated with people saying "he is breaking the law, omg he can't do that". Yes, he can. And sometimes breaking the law is the right thing to do. Of course you have to realize that your actions can have negative consequences, but if you are willing to risk that, there you are.

It is very hard, very difficult to get CO status these days.

[ClayZ]

13. There is a Patriot! K and R

[shadowknows69]

16. Kicking

we need to show up at these IVAW events.

[shadowknows69]

18. Did I mention I could DJ it too?

I'm the total package folks. News man and entertainer lol.

[Breeze54]

19. Did you hear from Skinner yet??

DJ?? Cool!

[shadowknows69]

20. Haven't IMed him yet

technically I could just report it and do video of it anyway with IVAW's permission which I could get tomorrow. If they insist I am backed by a legitimate organization I'll need someone to give me creds. I technically own a production company but not a news website any longer so I have no business representing myself as a journalist in a professional manner or at an event.

[Breeze54]

22. I've gone to protests and reported what happened with pics.

I don't understand the difference here. :shrug:

[shadowknows69]

23. I want access. Interviews, anything. Having someone aware you're there is best.

[shadowknows69]

24. It's an ethics thing to me

Old school journalism professors. There's a time for the undercover stuff and then there's times to be an official documentarian. That lends credibility to your work and it's harder to ignore.

[Breeze54]

25. IVAW are always willing to get their message out there!

E-mail them!!! ;)

[shadowknows69]

26. calling tomorrow

I also believe in making at least voice to voice contact if possible. The Shadow knows.

[Breeze54]

27. They don't sit by the phone. E-mail is probably best!

They're traveling to the Chill Out Cook Outs this week! ;)

Norfolk, VA (Norfolk) - Today
Jun 24 2007 - 4:00pm

Jacksonville, NC (Camp Lejeune) - Tomorrow!
Jun 26 2007 - 7:00pm

[shadowknows69]

28. People who can check their email but not their voice mail infuriate me lol

but point made.

[EFerrari]

31. How did I miss this thread?

k&R

For our friend. :hi:

[roody]

32. Eli Israel is a hero.

It is way past time for the troops to support the troops. May thousands follow his good example.

[focusfan]

34. Mitch McConnell won`t do anything to help

He supports Bush fully.He also needs to go I am from KY and my neighbors are to stupid to vote him out.