War Resisters Helping Break War Concensus

It may be the story the government spin doctors aren’t telling you but the ever-growing movement of deserters from the U.S. armed forces are making an impact in government circles and on public opinion across North America.

Many war resisters have risked imprisonment to escape the war they see as morally and ethically corrupt. Some have fled to Canada following their Vietnam War forefathers when thousands made their northern neighbour their new home. During the Vietnam War, deserters became the spokes people against their government’s involvement in Vietnam and spurred the growth of a movement against the war.

Despite Canada having no troops in Iraq, the same as in Vietnam, the Canada’s authorities have so far refused refuge to any war resister, forcing them to remain illegally in the country or flee back into the United States.

Canadian PM Stephen Harper has set himself apart as a war leader and fierce U.S. ally since coming to power in early 2006. He fully supported the continued supply troops to prop up the U.S. backed rulers of Afghanistan. Stephen Harper has also aimed to cut ties with Canada’s “peacekeeper” tag and sees a closer relationship with the Bush Administration as vital for the countries security, even comparing John Howard’s relationship with Bush as something to aim for.

Groups like the War Resisters Support Campaign in Canada and the War Resisters League in the United States have sought to accommodate the war resisters by providing safe housing and protection. They have also, however, provided them with a platform from which their stories can be told to an ever growing audience. The very stories about the war the government don’t want you hearing.

War resisters involved in these organizations have been traveling around to make sure these stories are getting out across the country. With the rising consciousness, the crowds of people willing to listen to these stories having grown contributing to the growing movement against the war we are now seeing in North America.

In Canada, public opinion has been turning decisively against the Prime Minister and with a yet to be called election believed to be not too far away we could be quickly saying goodbye to the conservative government, a rare occurrence in a liberal dominated political history of Canadian governments.