U.S. Soldier, Citing His Muslim Religion, Seeks Conscientious Objector Status

[Tom Clancy]

FOXNews.com - U.S. Soldier, Citing His Muslim Religion, Seeks Conscientious Objector Status

A Muslim soldier from Texas who joined the U.S. Army last year now wants to leave the military, claiming he is a conscientious objector whose devotion to Islam has suffered since he took an oath to defend the United States against all enemies.

Pfc. Naser Abdo, a 20-year-old infantryman assigned to the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Ky., filed for conscientious objector status in June because his faith and the military simply don't mix, he told FoxNews.com. The Army has deferred his scheduled deployment to Afghanistan.

"Islam is a peaceful religion, it's not a religion of warfare," Abdo said. "And it's not a religion of terror. As a Muslim, we stand against injustice, we stand against discrimination, and I feel it's my duty as an individual to do this."

Question is, why the hell did he join in the first place? And not to mention choosing Infantry as his MOS and Volunteering for Airborne school?

 

[Luissa]

maybe he became more involved in his religion.

 

[Tom Clancy]

Probably.

But it says he had a problem since he took the Oath. So maybe he was just involved back then like he is now.

Not sure, let's see how this story plays out.

 

[Luissa]

I agree he should of thought about all this first, but I know I have changed my mind about religion and other opinions I hold. When I was 20, was about the time my faith changed.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

He better be made to pay back the bonus he got paid for joining.

 

[rhet 2]

18 year old kids do STUPID things -- the logical rational centers of the brain don't even start growing until somewhere around 16 and they don't catch up to the fully developed emotional centers until somewhere around 24.

Did he screw up? YES!

But better he faces up to his dumb-assinity NOW than later -- like in the middle of a firefight.

Why the hell didn't the recruiter challenge him with the KNOWLEDGE that he would have to, sooner or later, fight and kill Muslims? MAKE him face up to that fact before he ever signed up?

The shame is, he's a native born Texan -- my state -- and that makes him my neighbor -- how the hell am I going to trust him as a civilian after this one?

 

[Granny]

Maybe he joined to learn American warfare tactics and now that he has what he needed to know he has suddenly become a "conscientious objector."

 

[Madeline]

Here's a stupid question:

Is CO status still on offer during times when there is no draft?

 

[Toome]

Here's where I get to pee in the pool:

The kid is a fucking coward in my book. He voluntarily joined the US Army; he voluntarily opted for the infantry specialty; he voluntarily opted for Air Assault Training. You have to compete for these things; the Army doesn't just hand them out to anyone on a request. I see this as a contractual obligation, nothing more, nothing less. The US taxpayer funds the training, and the kid is obligated to hold up his end of the deal even if that includes going into a war zone.

Had he sought a non-combat specialty, that would be one thing. But he chose the Infantry MOS. That's like a hooker claiming she's saving her virginity for marriage. It just doesn't make sense.

I guess the Army has to go through the motions of adjudicating his conscientious objector status, but I think the decision will be to send him to Afghanistan with his unit.

As it should be.

 

[ConHog]

I have no use for CO's . Why the hell would you join the military and then decide you don't like war?