A mistaken and illegal war: US soldier refuses to go to AFGHANISTAN

By aporrea.org, RNV Published 14 AUG 09

Sergeant Travis Bishop, from Fort Hood, Texas 15 AUG 2009 - A US Sergeant refused to go to Afghanistan, because he considers it a mistaken and illegal war. Sergeant Travis Bishop, from Fort Hood, Texas, joined another soldier of the same rank who refused to go to Afghanistan. Bishop, who spent 13 months in Iraq, was inspired by Sergeant Víctor Agosto, who previously had refused to go to that war in the central Asian nation. "The morale of our troops is low; many soldiers go to war because of money or being forced to do so, but not because of patriotism," Sergeant Bishop said. James Branum, the lawyer defending these soldiers, also stated his position and indicated that the invasion and occupation of Afghanistan is immoral and illegal. According to US Department of Defense figures, desertions in the US armed forces have increased by 80% in recent years.