Sunday 26 July 2009

Joe Glenton - Serving Soldier refusing to return to Afghanistan

From Counterfire.org

Joe, all I can say is that you are truly a brave an courageous man. You brought me close to tears when you spoke out. You spoke from the heart and we all really appreciate this.

Our hearts and thoughts are with you while you stand up against this war, whilst you fight the powers that be and whilst you fight to get your life back.

Thank you very much from all of us campaigning for an end to this occupation and war.

5 comments:

PeoplesPantheon said...

So why did he choose to join the army in the first place? You can't pick and choose what conflicts you go to.

Imagine if Hamas or indeed Taliban fighters opted out of specific operations they were commanded to carry out by their leaders?

There'd be disunity in the ranks - and any effective action requires unity and not giving the enemy any advantage - and that applies to the good guys AND the bad guys (however you want to interpret that :p )

Loving your blog btw!

luna17 said...

People join the army for all sorts of reasons - in fact wanting to go to war is, in the vast majority of cases, way down the list (there's always, of course, a very small minority of psychopathic loons who are the exception).

We should welcome anyone who decides to break from military discipline and speak out against what they regard as unjust. It takes far more courage for them to do so than it does for us. Any really successful anti-war movement requires this kind of dissent: military families expressing their opposition, deserters, discontent in the ranks, etc.

Anonymous said...

Joe to you and your family and friends total support to your stance against illegal war.

Ask very one to source the truth of this war and so many others in places other than the BBC or fleet street papers.

Again to you Joe many thanks for standing strong against illegal war , a international crime against humanity . Wish you well from Dave, Louise , Josh , Tom and Josh 2

Anonymous said...

Anyone who has experienced IDF or Incoming rounds or seeing your best mate who you joined up with, have half his head split in two by a lump of metal from an IED and having to close on the enemy to recover his face from the middle of the desert! does not want to go back! but i like all my fellow soldiers will be stepping on that plane once again very soon! and why do we do it? Because i swore on oath to My Queen, and i am bonded to my brothers in arms and could never let them risk there lives with out me! And i must ask how many people here have been to afganistan and seen women kicked to death by men seen the taliban kill teachers and doctors for trying to do there job? how many of you have seen the sheer terror of the local people when the taliban come into there village and beat husbands and dads and rape there women simply because he waved to the Afgan national police?

I have spoken to Afgan people and they want us there because they are safe when they are near us they can get medical treatment when there sick we dig them wells build schools rebuild there homes! only since we turned up has kajaki dam started working providing thousands with electricity which the taliban would never let them have! They dont want us to stay for eternaty just intill they can controle the situation! People are so short sighted! its just like iraq they didnt belive it could be done but it has been the only british soldier out there now are men teaching there army and police.

And Joe Glenton you have brought shame upon this countrys army your capbage and your regiment! You have refused and order tryed to commit mutiny as well as eponiage and should be sentenced and hanged accordingly i hope god him self strikes you down!

How your parents can even look at you with out disgust i will not know!
Its not even like youv got a dangerous job.

Chris said...

Joe is absolutely right. The Nuremberg Principles which are part of British law make it a duty for him to refuse what he believes is participation in war crimes.

I've read Anonymous's comment that begins "Anyone who has experienced IDF or Incoming..." very carefully. I believe that it is a false posting by the army or security services. It's definitely not by a semi-literate product of New Labour's brilliant education system.