March 26, 2004

“Anti-War Soldier Charged With Desertion” was the headline by the Associated Press, March 26, 2004. Immediately I thought of G. W. Bush. He deserted but it is unlikely he will be charged with anything, maybe not even be forced to give a truthful account of his missing service time in the National Guard during the Vietnam War.

Let’s look at how “The System” responds to modern deserters who have no political power.

Staff Sgt. Camilo Mejia of the Florida National Guard refused to return to his unit after a two week vacation. He said the Iraq War was unjust because it was about oil and said he was upset about civilian deaths.

The military announced he will face a “special court-martial” rather than a “general court martial”.  This way, Sgt Mejia will face up to a year in prison and a “bad conduct discharge” instead of five years and a “dishonorable discharge”.

How nice for Sgt. Mejia. 

The sergeant should remember when he signed up for military service he could end up in combat.  There are ways to object to a war rather than just disappear like Bush did in the 1970s. He deserves the maximum punishment for failing his duty to the United States.

G. W. Bush also deserves maximum punishment for disappearing from his National Guard service during a time of war.

Whatever the excuse…. to work on a political campaign as Bush says he did or objecting to the Iraq War like Mejia, both men disappeared and in doing so, deserted. They must admit their crime and take their punishment.

Sgt. Mejia is working a deal and is facing some repercussions. But Bush is hiding behind lost records, powerful political buddies and a Republican spin machine.

Too bad.