Aidan Delgado, Army Reserve Specialist. Aidan Delgado, 23, was a Florida college student looking for a change when he decided to join the army reserve. It was his misfortune to sign an enlistment contract on the morning of September 11, 2001. After finishing the paperwork, he saw a television broadcast of the burning World Trade Center and realized he might be in for more than one weekend a month of low-key service. In the ensuing months, Delgado became dedicated to Buddhism and its principles of pacifism. By April 2003, when he began his yearlong tour in Iraq, he was openly questioning whether he could participate in the war there in good conscience. Having grown up in Cairo, Delgado spoke Arabic and had not been steeped in the racism that drove many of his fellow soldiers. When he surrendered his rifle and declared himself a conscientious objector in the middle of 2003, he was punished by his officers and ostracized by his peers. [more] and[more]
Abdulla Webster, Sgt. First Class. Abdulla Webster refused to deploy to Iraq citing religious beliefs and was sentenced June 3rd, 2004 to 14 months confinement and given a bad-conduct discharge. He is currently in a prison in Washington State. He had 18 years of service before his decision to refuse to deploy to Iraq. Webster says this was a war of aggression, its rationale falsely stated.He believes it would now be best if US troops withdrew from Iraq immediately. He was just months shy of completing 20 years of his military service, and as a result of his stand he has lost his military pension, and his freedom. Amnesty International has adapted Mr. Webster as a Prisoner of conscience. See a summary of the Amnesty case report [here].
Carl Webb, Texas Army National Guard. Carl Webb, 38, is a member of the Texas Army National Guard and a U.S. army veteran. In 2001 following a 7-year break in service, he enlisted in the National Guard expecting to serve for only three years. His term of service ends August 22, however, less than two months shy of the end of his service completion he was informed that his term had been involuntarily extended and he would be sent to Fort Hood for training and deployed to Iraq in November. Webb is one of many reservists who is being compelled to serve in the war in Iraq under the "stop-loss" program.This policy is practically an unofficial draft, Webb said. It is conscription against a persons will. Webb's perspective is that the war is unethical and illegal U.S. aggression, he said. It is all about oil and profits. Carl Webb expects to serve prison time for following his conscience. Carl Webb's Homepage is [here]
Abdul Henderson, Lance Corporal, U.S. Marines. Abdul Henderson has not attempted to separate himself from the U.S. Marines, but has publicly stated in Michael Moore's film Fahrenheit 9/11that he will would refuse to return to fight in Iraq, where he has already served a 2 month tour of duty. He saw combat and won the Marine Corps Achievement Medal after trying to rescue British soldiers who were trapped in an overturned vehicle. The Marine Corps is conducting a preliminary inquiry into Henderson's appearance in Fahrenheit 9/11. Marine spokesman Capt. Patrick Kerr says authorities need to decide whether any action is warranted. "He made it very clear that he would not follow orders," Kerr says. "We're trying to determine what, if anything, he said or did was wrong" and what the punishment might be. Henderson faces harsher penalties if he fails to report for a second Iraq tour. [more]
Wilfredo Torres, Private, U.S. Army. When Army Pvt. Wilfredo Torres, 19, of Rochester, N Y walked to the podium at a Veterans Day antiwar rally in New York City on November 10th, 2002, he took important steps for the newest generation of GIs and reservists. Wilfredo told an audience of about 200 vets from WW II, Korea, Vietnam, and the first Gulf War, that he'd joined the Army to serve his country and to learn a trade. However, after suffering severe harassment by one drill instructor he went AWOL from Ft Benning, GA. Back in Rochester with his family, Wilfredo did some reading and thinking. "I decided that it would be wrong for our country to attack Iraq on its own, without working as part of the United Nations. I'm no expert, but I think that such an attack would undermine the UN and lower America's standing in the world." he told this reporter.
- More [here]