Robin Long
Encyclopedia
Robin Long is one of several U.S. Army deserter
s who sought asylum
in Canada
because of his opposition to the Iraq war and became the first of those to be deported
to the United States
after being rejected for refugee
status. He was deported from Canada on July 15, 2008.
In July 2008, the Toronto Star
quoted Bob Ages, chair of the Vancouver-based War Resisters Support Campaign
who said that since the time of slavery
, Canada has been known as a place of asylum, and Long's removal marks the first time an Army deserter has been deported from Canada to the United States The Globe and Mail also reported this quote from Ages:
Long trained for two years at Fort Knox
in Kentucky
. His perspective changed while in training at the Army base at Fort Knox. After hearing that weapons of mass destruction had not been found in Iraq
, Long thought the U.S. had no reason for being at war
. Also, in 2004 he was troubled by evidence of abuse of Iraqi detainees that came out in May 2004
, according to his lawyer, Shepherd Moss, in July 2008
Long concluded the abuse was systemic and condoned by the U.S. administration, Moss said. After some soul-searching, Long decided he would not go to Iraq and would not participate or be complicit in what he believed were war crimes, the lawyer said.
Long reportedly decided that he didn't want to go to Iraq after talking to people who had been there: "These people came back and were telling these horrific stories and our superiors were egging people on, some people were actually volunteering to go over there and it just seemed like justified homicide", he said in the interview. "It didn't sit right in my stomach. I morally couldn't do it." Long was ordered in March 2005 to report to Iraq for service. In 2005, he left his military base in Colorado Springs, and came to Toronto
.
in the summer of 2007 While there Long said he perfected his organic gardening skills and converted his Volkswagen
to run on recycled
cooking oil.
In 2007, he failed to comply with bail conditions imposed when he missed an immigration hearing.
Long's case was heard on July 14, 2008, in front of Madam Justice Anne Mactavish
of the Federal Court of Canada
. Long was not in court for the hearing. He was in custody at a location outside Vancouver.
Judge Mactavish
stated that Long did not provide evidence to show he would be singled out for harsh treatment by the U.S. military because of the publicity associated with case. However, a month later, on August 22, 2008, in Long's court martial trial in the United States,
"Prosecutors called no witnesses to disparage Long's character. Instead, they showed a six-minute video of Long, sporting dreadlocks and a beard, telling a Canadian news reporter "I think I was lied to by my president."
The fact that this aggravating
evidence was accepted as admissible at the court martial for the charge of desertion
was later the subject of much attention (see "aggravation" below) in Canada at the hearing of another war resister: On September 22, 2008, after the Federal Court
hearing of Jeremy Hinzman
, the Toronto Star
reported the following:
Long was removed from Canada on July 15, 2008."Madam Justice Anne Mactavish of the Federal Court of Canada cleared the way for the deportation...."
in August 2008. At the trial, Long pled guilty to desertion
and was given a sentence of 15 months in prison, reduction in rank to E-1 private
, and a dishonorable discharge.
Robin Long was represented by James M. Branum (of Pine Ridge, Oklahoma
), William Durland
(of Colorado Springs, Colorado
) and Captain Seth Cohen (of the U.S. Army Trial Defense Service
). Long's principal sentencing arguments focused on the morality of civil disobedience
and Long's rehabilitative potential, while the government's sole case in aggravation
was a video interview that the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
did with Long.
Long served the remainder of his sentence at the Miramar Consolidated Naval Brig
near San Diego, California
.
On November 6, 2008, Long authored an open letter to then President-elect Barack Obama
which included the following words:
On March 15, 2009, two Members of the Parliament of Canada
visited Long in prison. They were Olivia Chow
(New Democratic Party
), and Borys Wrzesnewskyj
(Liberal Party of Canada
).
On July 9, 2009, Robin Long was finally released from prison.
On August 12, 2009, the Boise Weekly
published this statement:
As of August 2010, Long lives in San Francisco and survives on odd jobs in gardening and carpentry to pay for a college program to become a massage therapist.
Desertion
In military terminology, desertion is the abandonment of a "duty" or post without permission and is done with the intention of not returning...
s who sought asylum
Right of asylum
Right of asylum is an ancient juridical notion, under which a person persecuted for political opinions or religious beliefs in his or her own country may be protected by another sovereign authority, a foreign country, or church sanctuaries...
in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
because of his opposition to the Iraq war and became the first of those to be deported
Deportation
Deportation means the expulsion of a person or group of people from a place or country. Today it often refers to the expulsion of foreign nationals whereas the expulsion of nationals is called banishment, exile, or penal transportation...
to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
after being rejected for refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
status. He was deported from Canada on July 15, 2008.
In July 2008, the Toronto Star
Toronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
quoted Bob Ages, chair of the Vancouver-based War Resisters Support Campaign
War Resisters Support Campaign
The War Resisters Support Campaign is a Canadian non-profit community organization, founded in April 2004 in Toronto, Ontario to mobilize support among Canadians and worldwide to convince the Canadian government to offer sanctuary to all U.S...
who said that since the time of slavery
Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century black slaves in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. The term is also applied to the abolitionists,...
, Canada has been known as a place of asylum, and Long's removal marks the first time an Army deserter has been deported from Canada to the United States The Globe and Mail also reported this quote from Ages:
- "Mr. Long's deportation would be a ... precedent for Canada, especially given our history of providing sanctuary for war resisters, over 100,000 draft dodgers and deserters during the Vietnam era."
Long's background
At the time he voluntarily enlisted in July 2003, Long believed that his country was justified in going to war in Iraq, his lawyer Shepherd Moss said at the court hearing to halt the deportation of July 2008. Long intended to train as a tank commander. "He wanted to go to defend his country", his lawyer stated.Long trained for two years at Fort Knox
Fort Knox
Fort Knox is a United States Army post in Kentucky south of Louisville and north of Elizabethtown. The base covers parts of Bullitt, Hardin, and Meade counties. It currently holds the Army Human Resources Center of Excellence to include the Army Human Resources Command, United States Army Cadet...
in Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. His perspective changed while in training at the Army base at Fort Knox. After hearing that weapons of mass destruction had not been found in Iraq
Iraq and weapons of mass destruction
During the regime of Saddam Hussein, the nation of Iraq used, possessed, and made efforts to acquire weapons of mass destruction . Hussein was internationally known for his use of chemical weapons in the 1980s against Iranian and Kurdish civilians during and after the Iran–Iraq War...
, Long thought the U.S. had no reason for being at war
Just War
Just war theory is a doctrine of military ethics of Roman philosophical and Catholic origin, studied by moral theologians, ethicists and international policy makers, which holds that a conflict ought to meet philosophical, religious or political criteria.-Origins:The concept of justification for...
. Also, in 2004 he was troubled by evidence of abuse of Iraqi detainees that came out in May 2004
Abu Ghraib torture and prisoner abuse
Beginning in 2004, human rights violations in the form of physical, psychological, and sexual abuse, including torture, rape, sodomy, and homicide of prisoners held in the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq came to public attention...
, according to his lawyer, Shepherd Moss, in July 2008
Long concluded the abuse was systemic and condoned by the U.S. administration, Moss said. After some soul-searching, Long decided he would not go to Iraq and would not participate or be complicit in what he believed were war crimes, the lawyer said.
Long reportedly decided that he didn't want to go to Iraq after talking to people who had been there: "These people came back and were telling these horrific stories and our superiors were egging people on, some people were actually volunteering to go over there and it just seemed like justified homicide", he said in the interview. "It didn't sit right in my stomach. I morally couldn't do it." Long was ordered in March 2005 to report to Iraq for service. In 2005, he left his military base in Colorado Springs, and came to Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
.
In Canada from 2005 to July 15, 2008
Long sought to be accepted as a refugee in September, 2006. His application for refugee status was denied on February 15, 2007. An application for leave to appeal the decision was turned down. Long moved to British ColumbiaBritish Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
in the summer of 2007 While there Long said he perfected his organic gardening skills and converted his Volkswagen
Volkswagen
Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...
to run on recycled
Recycling
Recycling is processing used materials into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution and water pollution by reducing the need for "conventional" waste disposal, and lower greenhouse...
cooking oil.
In 2007, he failed to comply with bail conditions imposed when he missed an immigration hearing.
The events of July 14 and 15, 2008
In a final attempt to stay in Canada, Long applied on July 14, 2008 for a stay of the removal order in order to allow him further judicial appeals.Long's case was heard on July 14, 2008, in front of Madam Justice Anne Mactavish
Anne Mactavish
Anne L. Mactavish, a Canadian Federal Court trial judge, was born in Montreal, Quebec. Her education was at Bishop's University, University of New Brunswick and University of Ottawa. She was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1982. She became an Associate and Partner at Perley-Robertson, Panet,...
of the Federal Court of Canada
Federal Court (Canada)
The Federal Court is a Canadian trial court that hears cases arising under certain areas of federal law. The Federal Court is a superior court with nationwide jurisdiction...
. Long was not in court for the hearing. He was in custody at a location outside Vancouver.
Judge Mactavish
Anne Mactavish
Anne L. Mactavish, a Canadian Federal Court trial judge, was born in Montreal, Quebec. Her education was at Bishop's University, University of New Brunswick and University of Ottawa. She was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1982. She became an Associate and Partner at Perley-Robertson, Panet,...
stated that Long did not provide evidence to show he would be singled out for harsh treatment by the U.S. military because of the publicity associated with case. However, a month later, on August 22, 2008, in Long's court martial trial in the United States,
"Prosecutors called no witnesses to disparage Long's character. Instead, they showed a six-minute video of Long, sporting dreadlocks and a beard, telling a Canadian news reporter "I think I was lied to by my president."
The fact that this aggravating
Aggravation (legal concept)
Aggravation, in law, is "any circumstance attending the commission of a crime or tort which increases its guilt or enormity or adds to its injurious consequences, but which is above and beyond the essential constituents of the crime or tort itself."...
evidence was accepted as admissible at the court martial for the charge of desertion
Desertion
In military terminology, desertion is the abandonment of a "duty" or post without permission and is done with the intention of not returning...
was later the subject of much attention (see "aggravation" below) in Canada at the hearing of another war resister: On September 22, 2008, after the Federal Court
Federal Court (Canada)
The Federal Court is a Canadian trial court that hears cases arising under certain areas of federal law. The Federal Court is a superior court with nationwide jurisdiction...
hearing of Jeremy Hinzman
Jeremy Hinzman
Jeremy Dean Hinzman is the first American Iraq war resister/deserter to seek refugee status in Canada....
, the Toronto Star
Toronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
reported the following:
"Jeremy Hinzman's lawyer Alyssa Manning told judge Richard MosleyRichard MosleyA Canadian Federal Court trial judge, Richard Mosley has a background in National security interests, and has taken a role in hearing a number of Canadian anti-terrorism cases, including those relating to Abdullah and Omar Khadr, as well as Hassan Almrei. He has also taken a role in hearing the...
that new evidence suggests outspoken critics of the 2003 American-led invasion of Iraq face harsher treatment than other deserters. For example, she said, deserter Robin Long was sentenced to 15 months in prison last month after prosecutors made mention of a media interview he had given in Canada before he was deported in July ... The issue of “differential” treatment for those who have spoken out against the U.S.-led invasion appeared to trouble Judge Mosley."
“I don't know how it is an aggravating feature or element to be introduced in sentencingSentence (law)In law, a sentence forms the final explicit act of a judge-ruled process, and also the symbolic principal act connected to his function. The sentence can generally involve a decree of imprisonment, a fine and/or other punishments against a defendant convicted of a crime...
”, the judge said. ... “Based on the evidence and submissions before me, I am satisfied that the applicants (Jeremy Hinzman and family) would suffer irreparable harm if a stay were not granted pending determination of their leave application,” Mosley said in his three-page endorsement."
Long was removed from Canada on July 15, 2008."Madam Justice Anne Mactavish of the Federal Court of Canada cleared the way for the deportation...."
In the U.S. beginning July 15, 2008
He was court-martialed at Fort Carson, ColoradoColorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
in August 2008. At the trial, Long pled guilty to desertion
Desertion
In military terminology, desertion is the abandonment of a "duty" or post without permission and is done with the intention of not returning...
and was given a sentence of 15 months in prison, reduction in rank to E-1 private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
, and a dishonorable discharge.
Robin Long was represented by James M. Branum (of Pine Ridge, Oklahoma
Pine Ridge, Oklahoma
Pine Ridge is an unincorporated community in Caddo County, Oklahoma, United States, located 6 miles south and 1/2 mile west of Fort Cobb. During the community's heyday in the 1940s there was a hub of activity at the main junction of the Ozark Trail and the Fort Cobb road with a Grocery Store, and...
), William Durland
William Durland
William Durland is a U.S. attorney, peace activist, author, and former member of the Virginia State Legislature. He is a member of the Religious Society of Friends .- Education :...
(of Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and most populous city of El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Colorado Springs is located in South-Central Colorado, in the southern portion of the state. It is situated on Fountain Creek and is located south of the Colorado...
) and Captain Seth Cohen (of the U.S. Army Trial Defense Service
United States Army Trial Defense Service
The United States Army Trial Defense Service is an independent unit within the Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Army, and is part of the US Army Legal Services Agency . The TDS motto is "Defending Those Who Defend America."...
). Long's principal sentencing arguments focused on the morality of civil disobedience
Civil disobedience
Civil disobedience is the active, professed refusal to obey certain laws, demands, and commands of a government, or of an occupying international power. Civil disobedience is commonly, though not always, defined as being nonviolent resistance. It is one form of civil resistance...
and Long's rehabilitative potential, while the government's sole case in aggravation
Aggravation (legal concept)
Aggravation, in law, is "any circumstance attending the commission of a crime or tort which increases its guilt or enormity or adds to its injurious consequences, but which is above and beyond the essential constituents of the crime or tort itself."...
was a video interview that the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
did with Long.
Long served the remainder of his sentence at the Miramar Consolidated Naval Brig
Naval Consolidated Brig, Miramar
Naval Consolidated Brig, Miramar is a military prison operated by the U.S. Navy at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in Miramar, San Diego, California, located just under north of Downtown San Diego. Naval Consolidated Brig, Miramar is one of two Navy consolidated brigs and also serves as the...
near San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
.
On November 6, 2008, Long authored an open letter to then President-elect Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
which included the following words:
"I feel I made the right decision by refusing and am more than willing to sit in the brig for my ideals. But I worry about the effect this has on my family. I ask you to please consider granting me presidential clemency or a pardon. I have given this to many different organizations and people to ensure that you receive a copy."
On March 15, 2009, two Members of the Parliament of Canada
Parliament of Canada
The Parliament of Canada is the federal legislative branch of Canada, seated at Parliament Hill in the national capital, Ottawa. Formally, the body consists of the Canadian monarch—represented by her governor general—the Senate, and the House of Commons, each element having its own officers and...
visited Long in prison. They were Olivia Chow
Olivia Chow
Olivia Chow is a Canadian New Democratic Party Member of Parliament and former city councillor in Toronto. She won the Trinity—Spadina riding for the New Democratic Party on January 23, 2006, becoming a member of the Canadian House of Commons. Most recently, she was re-elected in her riding for...
(New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
), and Borys Wrzesnewskyj
Borys Wrzesnewskyj
Borys Wrzesnewskyj is a Canadian politician who represented the riding of Etobicoke Centre in the Canadian House of Commons in the 38th, 39th and 40th Parliaments. He is a member of the Liberal Party.-Background:...
(Liberal Party of Canada
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
).
On July 9, 2009, Robin Long was finally released from prison.
On August 12, 2009, the Boise Weekly
Boise Weekly
Boise Weekly is a newspaper in Boise, Idaho, USA. It was founded in 1992 by Andy & Debi Hedden-Nicely and Larry Regan.It has an unaudited circulation of 35,000 and is published weekly on Wednesday. Its market is southwestern Idaho from McCall on the northwest to Sun Valley to the east....
published this statement:
"In addition to his incarceration, Long was stripped of his rank and given a dishonorable discharge. His discharge remains on appeal. As he tours the country speaking out in opposition to the war, Robin Long remains in the Army, getting military medical benefits, though he is no longer being paid.
He argues that his desertion was not dishonorable and that the unfavorable discharge status--a felony--affects his ability to return to his family in Canada and his ability to get work in the United States.
In Long's open letter to ObamaBarack ObamaBarack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
, he asked for a better discharge status: "I have given this to many different organizations and people to ensure that you receive a copy."
He has not heard back but continues the appeal. His wife is unable to move to the United States because she receives full medical benefits for her MSMultiple sclerosisMultiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms...
in Canada and would not be able to get treatment here, his lawyer, Branum said."
As of August 2010, Long lives in San Francisco and survives on odd jobs in gardening and carpentry to pay for a college program to become a massage therapist.
Continued activism
After his incarceration, Long toured the U.S. speaking out in opposition to the Iraq war. In October 2009, he was sponsored on a trip to Israel and Palestine to speak to Army resisters there and meet with high-school students. As of August 2010, Long has been sharing his experience on college campuses.See also
- Canada and Iraq War ResistersCanada and Iraq War resistersDuring the Iraq War, which began with the 2003 invasion of Iraq, there were United States military personnel who refused to participate, or continue to participate, in that specific war. Their refusal meant that they faced the possibility of punishment in the United States according to Article 85...
- Canada and the Iraq WarCanada and the Iraq WarThe Iraq War began with the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The government of Canada did not at any time formally declare war against Iraq. Nevertheless, the government of Canada, and Canadian citizens had complex relationships to that war...
- Citizenship and Immigration CanadaCitizenship and Immigration CanadaCitizenship and Immigration Canada is the department of the government of Canada with responsibility for issues dealing with immigration and citizenship...
- Conscientious ObjectorConscientious objectorA conscientious objector is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, and/or religion....
- DesertionDesertionIn military terminology, desertion is the abandonment of a "duty" or post without permission and is done with the intention of not returning...
- Immigration and Refugee Protection ActImmigration and Refugee Protection ActImmigration and Refugee Protection Act is an Act of the Parliament of Canada, passed in 2001 as Bill C-11, which replaced the Immigration Act of 1976 as the primary federal legislation regulating Immigration to Canada....
- List of Conscientious objectors
- List of Iraq war resisters
- Nuremberg Defense
- List of Iraq War Resisters
- Right of asylumRight of asylumRight of asylum is an ancient juridical notion, under which a person persecuted for political opinions or religious beliefs in his or her own country may be protected by another sovereign authority, a foreign country, or church sanctuaries...
- War Resisters Support CampaignWar Resisters Support CampaignThe War Resisters Support Campaign is a Canadian non-profit community organization, founded in April 2004 in Toronto, Ontario to mobilize support among Canadians and worldwide to convince the Canadian government to offer sanctuary to all U.S...
Videos
- Global Television NetworkGlobal Television NetworkGlobal Television Network is an English language privately owned television network in Canada, owned by Calgary-based Shaw Communications, as part of its Shaw Media division...
television program 16:9 (TV series)16:9 (TV series)16x9 is a Canadian investigative newsmagazine television program which airs on Global. The series debuted on November 30, 2008...
documentary entitled "War Resisters." Carolyn JarvisCarolyn JarvisCarolyn Jarvis is currently a Vancouver-based correspondent for 16x9 - The Bigger Picture and a substitute anchor for Global BC. She is also the Saturday anchor for Global National. Prior to her current position, she worked at Global Edmonton from spring 2005 to January 2009...
interviews war resisters Robin Long and Rodney Watson, and Canadian Member of ParliamentParliament of CanadaThe Parliament of Canada is the federal legislative branch of Canada, seated at Parliament Hill in the national capital, Ottawa. Formally, the body consists of the Canadian monarch—represented by her governor general—the Senate, and the House of Commons, each element having its own officers and...
Gerard KennedyGerard KennedyGerard Michael Kennedy is a Canadian politician in Ontario, Canada. He served as Ontario's Minister of Education from 2003 to 2006, when he resigned to make an unsuccessful bid for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada...
. January 24, 2010. (duration 8:56) http://www.globalnational.com/programs/16x9/Resisters/2468254/story.html