Guilty on the Charge of Doing the Right Thing

Reuters reports on the case of Staff Sgt. Camilo Mejia, who refused to redeploy to Iraq last year. Sgt. Mejia was found guilty of desertion--his sentence will be a year in jail, a dishonorable discharge, and a reduction in rank. He tried to register as a conscientious objector and also noted in his defense that regulations prohibit non-citizens from serving more than eight years in the Army. Mejia, who holds dual Costa Rican and Nicaraguan citizenship, served for nine years.

Prison will not be easy from Mejia, but I believe he made the right decision. The war is illegal. It shouldn't be a crime to refuse to serve in an unjust war.