EMERGENCY ACTION THURSDAY: Support Kevin Benderman as he faces court martial!

After serving in the military for eight years, including a tour of duty in
Iraq, Kevin Benderman decided he could not participate in the Iraq war and
occupation. He filed for conscientious objector status in December 2004.
His application was quickly denied without due process, and on the weekend
of Jan. 7, 2005 Benderman refused to re-deploy to Iraq with his unit. “As
I went through the process which led to my decision to refuse deployment
to Iraq for the second time, I was torn between thoughts of abandoning the
soldiers that I serve with, or following my conscience, which tells me:
war is the ultimate in destruction and waste of humanity.”


Sgt. Benderman was charged with Desertion and Missing
Movement by Design (Articles 85 and 87 in the Uniform Code of Military
Justice) and scheduled for court martial on May 11. On May 10th 30 cities
held public support events for both Kevin and Navy refuser Pablo Paredes.
On May 11 in a partial victory, Kevin’s court martial judge overturned his
hearing—citing a biased investigation—and ordered a new hearing.


On Wednesday May 25 the military filed a new court martial
against Kevin, which was just recently scheduled for July 28. Once again
people across the country are asked to show their support on this day.

People are supporting Kevin and the thousands of other public and (mostly)
private resisters because their courageous stand against the war---
actually upholding international law-- deserves our support. They also
deserve our support because the military is an anti-democratic institution
which denies soldiers basic democratic rights and punishes them for
engaging in free speech. This is reflected in the many cases which have
rejected granting conscientious objector status for soldiers who, like
Kevin, take a public stand. The other reason to support Kevin and Pablo is
that GI resistance has the power to stop the war and occupation in Iraq,
and check the reckless policies of empire behind it. Young people in the
military, resisting recruitment on college campuses and in the streets are
taking the lead in this unstated, but potentially successful "people
power" strategy.

For more info Kevin’s Case visit:
http://www.BendermanDefense.org


COURAGE TO RESIST is a new group of concerned community members,
Veterans, and military families organizing support for military objectors
to illegal
war, occupation, and the underlying policies of empire. We have adopted a
people
power strategy to weaken the pillars that support the Iraq war and
occupation by
supporting GI resistance, which together with counter-recruitment and draft
resistance work can remove the supply of obedient troops.