Canada Orders Deportation of U.S. Army Deserter

(Vancouver, British Columbia) Yesterday, Canadian Federal Court Justice Anne Mactavish ordered 25-year-old U.S. Army deserter Robin Long to be deported back to the United States.

Monday's hearing in Vancouver was his last opportunity to argue that he should be allowed to remain in Canada. He did not appear in court. His lawyer, Shepherd Moss, told Justice Mactavish that his perspective of the war in Iraq had changed soon after he had completed training at Fort Knox. He became aware of alleged abuses and war crimes being committed by the U. S. Army.

Mr. Long, his lawyer said, "surmised that these crimes were systemic and were condoned by the Bush administration...He didn't want to go to Iraq and participate in these crimes."

He did not attempt to seek conscientious objector status with the military. Instead, Mr. Long deserted and entered Canada.

Mr. Moss argued Monday that errors were made in previous immigration decisions against his client. Evidence of alleged human rights abuses by U.S. soldiers in Iraq was "not considered," he claimed.

"New evidence has come to light that war crimes and crimes against humanity are systemic" in Iraq, said Mr. Moss. He pointed to a written submission he had delivered to the court. "There wasn't very much in there that relates to the war in Iraq," countered Justice Mactavish. "What do you say about that?"

Mr. Moss replied by discussing a conflict in Peru.

What a minute! What kind of lawyer is Mr. Moss? The judge says tell me about Iraq and he replies with a discussion about Peru! Huh?

Again, the judge pressed him for "new evidence" pertaining to the war in Iraq. Mr. Moss offered that a United Nations committee had found that detainees in Iraq "are tortured."

It might come out "later" that more war crimes are being committed by the U.S., he added. "The rest of the world didn't know about the Holocaust until the end of World War Two," Mr. Moss told the court. "Mr. Long's submissions are not far-fetched."

Apparently, Mr. Moss' legal argument is based predicted evidence. Based upon what he predicts will happen, Robin Long deserves refugee status. Sheesh!

Long stated that he originally deserted because of systemic abuses and war crimes committed by the U.S. Army and condoned by the Bush administration. Joining a "bunch of hippies," he crossed the border into Canada, ultimately going to the small B.C. community of Nelson, a sanctuary for deserters. Since that time, Long has hurt himself by being arrested as an illegal alien in Canada and for working without authoritization.

Meanwhile, activists are gathering at noon today at the Peace Arch on the U.S.-Canada border and in Toronto to protest Long's deportation.

The War Resisters Support Campaign is demanding to know why the federal government is pursuing the punishment and deportation of courageous Iraq War conscientious objectors seeking refuge in Canada for refusing to participate in the illegal and immoral Iraq war.

Should Long be deported, he will be the first deserter returned to the U.S. since the Iraq War began.

Also: Jawa Report