IVAW member Matthis Chiroux announces his refusal to deploy to Iraq
Sgt. Matthis Chiroux, who served in the Army until being honorably discharged last summer after over four years of service in Afghanistan, Japan, Europe and the Phillipines, today publicly announced his intention to refuse orders to deploy to Iraq. Sgt. Chiroux made made his announcement in the Cannon House Office Building Rotunda after members of Iraq Veterans Against the War testified before the Congressional Progressive Caucus during Winter Soldier on the Hill. Sgt. Chiroux made the following statement to the press. (Video of his announcement is also available.)
Good afternoon. My name is Sgt. Matthis Chiroux, and I served in the Army as a Photojournalist until being honorably discharged last summer after over four years of service in Afghanistan, Japan, Europe and the Phillipines. As an Army journalist whose job it was to collect and filter servicemember’s stories, I heard many stomach-churning testimonies of the horrors and crimes taking place in Iraq. For fear of retaliation from the military, I failed to report these crimes, but never again will I allow fear to silence me. Never again will I fail to stand. In February, I received a letter from the Army ordering my return to active duty, for the purpose of mobilization for Operation Iraqi Freedom. Thanks in great part to the truths of war being fearlessly spoken by my fellow IVAW members, I stand before you today with the strength, clarity and resolve to declare to the military and the world that this Soldier will not be deploying to Iraq. This occupation is unconstitutional and illegal and I hereby lawfully refuse to participate as I will surely be a party to war crimes. Furthermore, deployment in support of illegal war violates all of my core values as a human being, but in keeping with those values, I choose to remain in the United States to defend myself from charges brought by the Army if they so wish to pursue them. I refuse to participate in the occupation of Iraq.
To donate to IVAW?s Legal Fund to support Matthis and other servicemembers who are refusing to support the occupation of Iraq, use our online donation form and select ?Legal Fund? under special projects. If you would like to send a message of support to Sgt Matthis Chiroux, email thankyoumatthis@ivaw.org
May 16th, 2008 | Category: Winter Soldier
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May 16th, 2008 at 2:21 am
Another coward, loser, and dumbass.
SFC Adams
May 16th, 2008 at 2:55 am
Hello SFC Adams,
I’m sorry you feel that way. I disagree. I was raised in a military family - Army. I believe that Sgt. Chiroux is a hero. I think it takes a lot of courage to stand up in the military right now. Things are crazy, thanks to Bush.
The war in Iraq (and Afghanistan) is an illegal and an immoral war. The people of Iraq are in much worse shape than they were in before. We have destroyed that country and created civil war.
I am proud of Sgt. Chiroux. I thank him for standing up for what’s right.
Where are you stationed, btw? My father was a SFC.
May 16th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
SFC Adams,
How many tours of duty, how many months and years have you been in Iraq/Afghanistan? You speak volumes with your SFC title, and why are you still a SFC if you are such a political opinion liter?
Which crimes is it that you committed that you are protecting? Or did you pick one little sentence and just bake a broad attack based on that? Or are you a Patriot warrior that sits only at a computer here in the US?
By asking your fellows to not report crimes, by asking your buddies to follow illegal orders, you are asking them to support a culture of immoral criminal activities, where you gain noting, only the the corporate powers whose financial bottom end you are enhancing, and when you return to the US (if you have ever left the US, which I strongly doubt) you will find your congress will do all it can to ensure the VA has no funding to treat you and your fellow service personnel, whether you went there for glory, or as a supposed patriot thinking that those in Political office never tell lies or commit cronyism or do as their corporate constituents and lobbyists tell them to do, if they want to remain in politics.
Scott
May 16th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
SFC Adams,
I forgot one question….
Why are the Winter Soldiers such a danger to you? I note that you found this article within 20 minutes of it being posted, this must be on your case load?
Is there something about the USA’s Constitution as written that endangers some agenda you are supporting?
Scott
May 17th, 2008 at 11:59 am
SFC “Rush” Adams,
78% of the nation that you represent feels EXACTLY the same way that Sgt. Chiroux does. Get used to it. Sgt. Chiroux served our nation HONORABLY, and he represents the bulk of the country. He is a hero.
YOU took an oath to “defend our Constitution against all enemies, both foreign AND domestic”, and your “Commander in Chief” is the “coward and loser”, and the biggest domestic enemy to our nation that ever lived. He has raped our Constitution, and brought us to the brink of ruin.
You had better revisit the oath you took, because, as unCurious George says, “you’re either with us, or against us, and “We The People” are going to make sure that Bush and Cheney go to prison for their MANY crimes against our Constitution and the innocent people of Iraq that he has murdered, not to mention the 4077 innocent troops whose death’s they are responsible for.
Bush(AWOL from the TANG) and Cheney(5 deferments to avoid military service) are treasonous cowards.
Thanks for your service…instead of responding to blogs, I suggest you read the Constitution and especially the Bill of Rights, in your spare time.
Your comment is straight from Rush Limbaugh’s ass, and truly pathetic.
Ward Reilly, Honorably Discharged, service-connected-disabled, volunteer infantry veteran, (1971-1974)…Baton Rouge
PS…what is your MOS? Propaganda Section Chief?