It is estimated that at least 40,000 servicemen have deserted since the war started in Iraq. That is a lot of servicemen. Especially when you consider that only 50,000 were estimated to have deserted during Vietnam. It is hard to get an exact number though, many factors come into play when you "count" deserters one of which is noone wants to get to the truth.
Those who help war resisters say desertion is more prevalent than the military has admitted.
"They lied in Vietnam with the amount of opposition to the war and they’re lying now," said Eric Seitz, an attorney who represents Army Lt. Ehren Watada, the first commissioned officer to refuse deployment to the war in Iraq.
But, the 40K - that is the figure the Pentagon released. I am assuming it is the minimum, as the report is a year old.
Why is desertion so high?
- Recruiters are misleading potential recruits, whom don't have much recourse (besides going AWOL) after they are enlisted. (I have read stories of people being promised they will never serve in Iraq, that they will be officers or get some special services and that the war is over.
- Servicemen come to believe the war is illegal. Now, you might say "Well, too bad" "You have orders". But, even the US military expects more from its members than blind loyalty:
The United States military adjusted the Uniform Code of Military Justice after World War II. They included a rule nullifying this defense (The Nuremburg Defense), essentially stating that American military personnel are allowed to refuse unlawful orders. This defense is still used often, however, reasoning that an unlawful order presents a dilemma from which there is no legal escape. One who refuses an unlawful order will still probably be jailed (and in some countries probably killed), and one who accepts one will probably be jailed.
- They become Conscientious Objectors. I have read people who do not believe such a transformation can happen, perhaps they are accurate, but I can not judge someone for taking this position. These are primarily young people, they are still forming thier ideas about the world around them - I assume being placed in the middle of a bloody war could change your world view.
- And of course, in refusal of militarys "stop loss" program which many feel is "is conscription against a person’s will"
Those are the main reasons for desertion. Now here are some stories:
Marine Sgt and 12 Year Vet, Staff Sgt. Jimmy Massey
During the U.S.-led invasion in the spring of 2003 Massey suddenly came to doubt his mission. He says the killing of innocent civilians in which he took part changed him. He also believes America’s ability to complete its mission in Iraq has been compromised from the beginning — since those first days when troops rolled into Baghdad more than a year ago— because of faulty intelligence that led to civilian deaths, said Massey.
24 year old Micheal Sudbury
If you are ordered to kill someone that you do not think should be killed, but you pull the trigger because you are afraid of the punishment for not following orders, you are not free....If you refuse to do something that you think is wrong, even though you will be fined, imprisoned, attacked, or even executed, then.....then you are free.
20 year old Stephen Funk
Funk said he'd made a mistake in enlisting and hoped he could prevent others from doing the same.
"I refuse to kill," said Funk, who had excelled as a rifleman during boot camp. "I object to war because I believe that it is impossible to achieve peace through violence. I am a conscientious objector because there is no way for me to remain a Marine without sacrificing my entire sense of self-respect."
Funk said he would rather face the military's punishment than act against his beliefs.
There are plenty more of these stories all over the web. I realize that even some "liberal" bloggers have called these servicemen wimps and believe they should be "shot or something worse" but, ya know - I think they are wrong. With 40K servicemen deserting - I have to believe that most of them are speaking out for the right reasons. And, Why shouldn't servicemen be allowed to reconsider - when even prominent architects of this war desert it.
UPDATE: RyoCokey points to another article that sites the 50K Vietnam number as the number whom fled to Canada. He/She also notes that I am confusing Desertion (absence without leave during wartime for over 30 days, and with no intention to return) with AWOL (absent without leave). See Wikipedia Sorry for the confusion.