US soldier who opposes Afghan war sentenced
By Jack Cody
8 August 2009
A US Army
Specialist and veteran of the war in Iraq will face jail time for
refusing to deploy to Afghanistan. The non-commissioned officer objects
to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan on principle, claiming the US
military occupies both countries in violation of international law.
Spc.
Victor Agosto, 24, from Miami, served a 13-month tour in Iraq with the
Army’s 57th Battalion. Although his four-year enlistment should have
ended August 4, Agosto received orders in May to report to an Army
office to begin the paperwork for overseas deployment to Afghanistan.
He was informed that his military service was to be involuntarily
extended under the “stop-loss” program.
When he received his
reporting orders, Agosto wrote a letter refusing deployment. “There is
no way I will deploy to Afghanistan,” wrote Agosto. “The occupation is
immoral and unjust. It does not make the American people any safer. It
has the opposite effect.”
