War Resisters Support Campaign: A New Underground Railroad

I will share an email that was forwarded to me. It's from The War Resisters Support Campaign:

Dear friends,

Over the past few days two US soldiers refusing to fight in Iraq have arrived in Toronto. (Another arrived yesterday in Vancouver.)

There is a noticeable increase in the number of soldiers seeking refuge in Canada. The War Resisters Support Campaign is sending an urgent appeal for housing for the new arrivals. If you or someone you know can provide temporary housing (anywhere from one week to a month or more) to help them get on their feet, please [contact us], or email resisters@sympatico.ca.

I contacted them. Apparently the response has been very good — all their current needs have been met because there are, seemingly, quite a few people out there willing to provide housing for those soldiers brave enough to refuse to commit atrocities for a coterie of amoral vorocrats.

To me, in all honesty, these soldiers are the true heroes of the war: their refusal to fight in grossly unjust wars takes real courage. In choosing to put the good of humanity above the mendaciously averred good of their own clan they have chosen the high road, the road that compels one to follow the dictates of one's own conscience — which is a terribly frightening thing to do, trusting one's own moral compass in the face of enormously loud and powerful voices arrayed against oneself, voices that are both external and internal.

For the sake of humanity they deserve all the help, support and approbation we can give them. They have chosen a difficult path, even if it is the one — no, especially because it is the one — that abides by international law against the systematic criminal enterprises of an executive and legislative gangster class, a class that thinks nothing of squandering lives in the commission of their crimes.

Speaking of which, here's a reminder (for those who need it) of what makes those enterprises criminal:

Nuremberg Principles

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 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.

Judging from this I'd say that before an impartial judge American soldiers would be guilty on all counts.

In refusing to be criminals, in refusing to be complicit in the criminal enterprises of a criminal state, those soldiers who have the bravery to say No! deserve our admiration and our help.

That's why I am happy to spread the word and give them my support.