On June 15, soldier Matthis Chiroux will not report for duty to be deployed to Iraq. At a press conference yesterday, the 24-year-old, who comes from a poor family and has served since he graduated high school, explained that he refuses to be part of the problem in Iraq.
Not one to shrink from service, Matthis has served in Afghanistan, Germany, Japan, and the Philippines. An emotional Matthis told a room full of veterans:
I stand before you today with the strength and clarity and resolve to declare to the military, my government and the world that this soldier will not be deploying to Iraq. My decision is based on my desire to no longer continue violating my core values to support an illegal and unconstitutional occupation . . . I refuse to participate in the Iraq occupation.
This week veterans who dissent from the Bush Administration's version of Iraq have been testifying before Congress. They have described systematic abuses and unreported occurrences of civilian deaths.
Unlike many of the thousands of deserters who have fled to Canada since 2003 to escape prosecution, Matthis has vowed to remain in America and fight the charges.
Are you proud of Matthis for his disobedience and protest of what he considers an illegal war? Or should a soldier be prepared to disagree with objectives, and a President's politics, when he or she joins up? What will happen if more soldiers follow Matthis' lead?
Emporio Armani
Betsey Johnson
Notify Jeans
As a very wise man eating plant said once...tough titty. You signed the contract. You no longer have the rights of a civilian and frankly it isn't up to you where the military decides to send you.
1Wow Harmony. You and I agree again.
This is becoming a regular event.
2Oh, and I hope he has fun in levenworth, where they send deserters... Learn to swing that anvil idiot
3He said recruiters started calling him when he was in the 10th grade, he's moved from private to sargeant. He says he has come to believe the war in Iraq is illegal. Soldiers don't give up their conscience when they enlist nor do they give up their basic rights as citizens. It is perfectly patriotic to speak up against something you believe is wrong.
4Not so many people will follow Matthis lead as to make a difference in the war, but if that many did, wouldn't we have to consider their concerns?
Just wondering - did you read the article on the other vets' testimony?
5I was wondering what really makes a war illegal, and according to what I read http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/iraqwar.html, it may well be given the source. I can feel for his plight. It takes a lot of guts to stand up for what you believe in especially when you're standing against your own country. It may not be the best card to play, but I suppose he could find himself the martyr that mattered. You mention Levenworth, I guess that would be in addition to the time he has already served. He might have considered taking the '60s route Canada is a beautiful place.
6An officer from Hawaii did this a year or 2 ago, and I believe he was courtmartialed, as he should be. Not only when you sign up do you have to go where they send you, you have signed a contract to do so.
7I guess he should have read the fine print. I think Michael Moore should get on the band wagon.
8Kim I remember that officer but I don't remember what the outcome was... I thought I heard something about it last week though... hmmm
I found a link about him: the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2007/Nov/09/ln/hawaii711090370.html
9Jazz - He already is, if you go on Moore's website, this guy is mentioned.
10link wouldn't work cab - said the article was no longer available. I looked for a few min. to see if I could find what the outcome had been but I couldn't - that's why I said "I believe" because that's the direction it was heading the last I had heard, of course I could be wrong, but my opinion stays the same
11[Cab] Figures, but thanks. I'll have to check it out he always has an enlightening take on things.
12Soldiers are allowed to object based on conscience. He likely will go to jail but it is his right and duty if he truly believes the war is illegal.
13I think it was one thing when there was a draft and you didn't have a choice to go to war, but when you sign a contract to commit to the military, you DO give up the option to do as you want to do. Basically, your a** belongs to them and they can send you where they want until your contract is up.
I feel for him. I really do. But while i don't agree with the war, i feel like protesting on these grounds is not the best approach because he will be thrown in jail instead of being treated with the respect that every solider deserves (even if it is for a noble cause). Sigh...the world is not always fair and unfortunately, this is one of those instances.
14BTW, Germany, Japan, and the Phillipenes are not considered deployments.
So he went to Afghanistan, I can't seem to find how many times he's been deployed... I'm just wondering...
15I don't think he will go to jail... The officer that objected didn't go to jail.
16I know its wikipedia, but its the easiest source I found and it seems to fit with what I've read - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ehren_Watada
17No your a** does not belong to them totally - and they started recruiting this kid when he was in the 10th grade, 14-15 years old.
18A lot of people rethink what they believed when they were younger when they get out in the real world.
that says that he went on tour to raise money for his trial and "shared the stage with other prominent critics of the war, including Jane Fonda, Sean Penn, and Tim Robbins"
ick... not helping his case
19I had NO IDEA that dissenting military personel were testifying before Congress this week!!! Funny that it didn't get mentioned often in the media.
2010th grade is 16-17 years old
even so he couldn't sign the papers until he was at least 17 and it seems highly unlikely he signed up for 7 years at once...
21Colleges start soliciting students at that age too, it's not out of th ordinary. Yes, people do change their mind, and usually when you sign a contract it takes alot to get out of it if you do change your mind. Something that should be considered when one wants to challenge the contract.
22oh yeah cab that isn't helping at all is it?
23Actually you DO give up your basic rights as citizens. The bill of rights no longer applies to you. You fall under a completely new set of rules and regulations. I feel for his plight honestly I do, but when you join up you have to sign all of this paperwork. It lays it out very clearly that you are signing your rights away during your enlistment. He is not qualified to be a judge of whether it's illegal or not. I wish that people knew what was ACTUALLY going on over there. Many people volunteer to go back. They think they are helping. IMHO this looks like he's looking for a way out. I can't say that I blame him, but his argument doesn't hold up.
24i would be curious to know when his first contract was up and if he felt so strongly, why he didn't get out...
or was he just treading water hoping to not have to go again and then when he found out he did, decided to become a conscientious objector
25" I wish that people knew what was ACTUALLY going on over there. Many people volunteer to go back. They think they are helping"
Funny how THAT never gets reported...
26I was 15 in the 10th grade, my office mate was as well.
27I'm with you Cabaker. This looks like a stunt to me. I've seen people pull this kind of thing before. It didn't get this kind of attention at the time of course.
2810th grade is 15-16 years old. My daughter is in the 10th grade, she's 16, most of her 10th grade friends are 15. She missed the cut off birthdate when entering school which is why she's one of the older ones in her class.
29Yes I do too believe he is contractually obligated to serve out his term and his assignments what ever they may be. However, as powerful and binding a contract to serve in the U.S. military may be. There is an unavoidable contradiction that will arise from time to time and that is our humanity takes precedence over our nationality.
I just think it's funny how many in this country will trounce issues such as gay marriage with the story of how our country was founded on Jewdeo- Christian principles but when it comes to ensuing war those principles are tossed out the window. You can't have your cake and eat it too. This young man believes this war is wrong and his conscience can no longer bear the weight of such a dilemma. I would rather have him stationed somewhere else or discharged than to have him on the battle field questioning every order.
30"They started phoning me when I was in 10th grade," or around 16 years old, he added. "
31No you don't give up your constitutional rights as a citizen, the last time Cab said that I double checked with a military lawyer. He said that you have certain restrictions on those rights that pertain to your employment with the military but ultimately, you still are protected by the Bill of Rights. You can't reasonably take away a person's Constitutional rights then send them out to die for their country.
32It doesn't matter if he was fifteen. He couldn't join until he was seventeen and even then he would've had to have his parents consent. He made a decision to join. I understand that he could've changed his mind since then, but unfortunately that doesn't matter. There are plenty of times that I was thinking up ways to get out. I had a few really crazy schemes at one time. It doesn't matter. The only way you get out is if they let you out.
33Why is it a stunt Harmony? Is it impossible to believe that he's acting out of some sense of morality? What's to condemn about his position?
34OK there are some pertinent questions here that are not answered in this article...
Here is one important piece of information: He was discharged last summer and is being ordered BACK to duty.
So we know he wasn't loafing around sticking in and then deciding not to go when his number was called.
However, I'm still trying to figure out how if he enlisted at 17, he only spent 4 years in if he is now 24 and got out last summer???
And Steph I've never said that, I think you're thinking of someone else because I don't think that sounds reasonable either.
35It's too bad that when a war is declared illegal (which happened after the war started when they couldn't find any weapons of mass destruction) the rules don't change to offer soldiers an out. Especially a terrorist calculated war with no end....except maybe an atom bomb:)
36Also considering he is being ordered back to duty, I really doubt he will go to jail.
Ultimately the Army knows its probably far cheaper to redeploy someone else than fight a legal battle against this guy.
37He was discharged last summer and is being ordered BACK to duty.
that is a very important piece of information - funny how that didn't get included in the piece. media want to stir things up ya think? lol nahhh
38"It's too bad that when a war is declared illegal (which happened after the war started when they couldn't find any weapons of mass destruction) the rules don't change to offer soldiers an out"
39you lost me - has the war been declared illegal?
not the media!! never!!
40Sorry, it is just terrorist wars seem impossible to fight.
41I have to go cook dinner... goodnight all
42lol cab. k goodnight.
43on a side note, the comments on the story on that website are harsh!!!
44night kim!
45[stephley] Like I said earlier, according to this article, the war has been illegal ever since they were unable to find weapons of mass destruction. http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/iraqwar.html
46Colleges recruit 10th graders. Unless one believes military service is a negative thing, I'm not sure why it would be ok for colleges to begin reaching out to people before they're quite ready to start but not the military.
Just like Lt. Watada, this guy signed up AFTER we invaded Iraq. Yes, it's possible that at the beginning they thought it was grand and later changed their minds. I'm more inclined to believe this gentleman. Lt. Watada's father is actually a family acquaintance of mine and he is a lifelong political activist, dodged the Vietnam draft and has a history of sensational protests. I suppose it's possible that his son felt exactly the opposite as his father on everything right up until his first unit got their first deployment orders and then suddenly fell right in line with Dad's thinking. But, I find that unlikely. His was entirely a publicity stunt and that is so disrespectful to real soldiers.
As for this guy, if he was just scared of deploying, there are a million better ways to go about this. He could have changed his MOS, taken a non-deployable position, tried to get a chapter whatever it's called for mental unfitness, ETSed when he had a chance, etc.... I tend to think he truly opposes the war and is acting on his conscience. More power to him. I would hope that any decent soldier who truly believed his mission was morally wrong and illegal would choose to do the right thing. My husband believes in this war. But, if his chain of command ordered him to do something horrible like intentionally gun down civilians, I'm pretty sure he would refuse and face the consequences. Seems like that's what Sgt Chiroux is doing.
47ok this article has more info: www.oanow.com/oan/news/local/article/soldier_from_auburn_to_refuse_iraq_...
So he graduated HS in 2002 and got out last summer, he was in for 5 years... so I'm assuming he joined at 18 and his birthday was sometime between last summer and now. That would make sense.
48Well it depends if he was is in the inactive reserves or not. I was in for 6 years, but after I got out I was inactive reserves for 2 more years. Technically they could've called me back during those two years. Technically my term was 8 years. If he was in for 4 years than his inactive reserve status would probably be active for 2 or possibly even 4 more years.
49oooooh good point HF! i forgot about that...
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