The Canadian Friends Service Committee (Quakers) sponsored a letter from many of Canada's faith communities requesting the federal government stop deportations. "Canada has always been a country of citizens who prize peace and peace making. We hope that public policy will reflect those aims," said Jane Orion Smith, spokesperson for the organization. "Corey's case and that of all the soldiers are based on substantive rights of conscience under international law that must be respected."If the Iraqi legislature passes similar legislation for a post pull date amnesty, for USA soldiers left behind past their pull date (timetable talk much in the news again [1]), then soldiers closer to the action will have their own "underground railroad" and won't need to escape to the homeland first, where domestic sentiment is also in their favor (plus family members). [2]
[ from CNW Group earlier today]
Not saying this'll be for everyone, especially as most soldiers are scheduled to rotate home under ordinary duty, are looking forward to an honorable discharge etc. However, given the usual sense of disarray in fog of war conditions, we might anticipate some units on the ground getting confused, like Japanese in the Philippines post WWII, still trying to hold out for their Emperor, long after the switch to Indochina as the new theater, and start of the cold war. [3]
Iraqi legislators have reasons to want to stay on good terms with their USA counterparts and passing such laws on the model of Canada's would help emphasize the point that friends help each other in times of need. Canada has always been there for us.
