Echoes of Vietnam: Soldier Fights Extradition in Canada

Since October of 2001, when the US began its massive attack on Afghanistan as part of the Bush administration's so-called war on terror, Democracy Now! has spent extensive time airing the voices of military families, of soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan and documenting the stories of the soldiers, like Camillo Mejia, who have refused to fight in a war they consider illegal or immoral. Today, we will hear another of these stories. This is how independent journalist Patrick O'Neill tells it:
On Dec. 20, 2003 Jeremy Hinzman, a U.S. Army specialist stationed at Ft. Bragg got the news he had dreaded. His unit - the 504th brigade, second battalion - would be shipping out to Iraq shortly after the new-year for an indefinite deployment in the war on terrorism. Last year, Hinzman, who is the father of a 1-year-old son, was deployed for more than eight months to Afghanistan. When he left, Hinzman's son, Liam, was just seven months old. When Hinzman returned, Liam was walking and didn't remember his father.

While he didn't see any combat in that first deployment, Hinzman said he had a bad feeling about going to Iraq. In Iraq, Hinzman said he felt like he would have to do some things he'd regret. His application for Conscientious Objector status was rejected by the military.

During Christmas leave, Hinzman and his wife, had discussed their options. He could go to Iraq - an option both he and his wife rejected. He could refuse the deployment order and face court martial and a likely prison term, or he could follow a plan of action that thousands of young men like himself had taken during the Vietnam War - he could flee to Canada.

Option three was a go, and on January 2, Hinzman and his family packed up their small car with a few essentials, leaving almost all of their possessions behind. They left under the cover of darkness for the 17-hour drive to the U.S.-Canadian border. Quakers living in the U.S. made contacts in Ontario, and the family was set up with places to stay until they moved into a Toronto apartment on Feb. 1.

Hinzman is believed to be the first U.S. soldier to file for refugee status in Canada for refusing to fight in Iraq. Soon another soldier, 19 year-old Brandon Hughey, followed him and fled to Canada. Some say this is the first echo of the 12,000 deserters and 20,000 draft resisters who went north more than 30 years ago to escape the Vietnam War.

Last Wednesday, Jeremy Hinzman appeared before Canada"s Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) in Toronto, supported by Brandon Hughey. The Board set a hearing date for Hinzman in late October.

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http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/07/15/1357241