GI resister Matthis Chiroux’s “Army Separation” hearing is today in
ST. LOUIS, MO) The U.S. Army will hear the case of Sgt. Matthis Chiroux, an Individual Ready Reservist who last summer publicly refused activation and deployment orders to Iraq, on April 21 at 1 Reserve Way in Overland, St. Louis, MO, at 9 a.m. 
Chiroux, a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War, refused to participate in what he described as "an illegal and immoral occupation" May 15th, 2008, in Washington D.C., after nine other veterans testified to Members of the U.S. Congress about atrocities they experienced during deployments to Iraq. Chiroux also vowed to remain public in the U.S. to defend himself from any charges brought against him by the military. (see matthisresists.us for a record of that speech and others by Chiroux)
"My resistance as a noncommissioned officer to this abhorrent occupation is just as legitimate now as it was last year," said Chiroux, adding, "Soldiers have a duty to adhere to the international laws of war described as supreme in Art. 6 Para. 2 of the U.S. Constitution, which we swear to abide by before the orders of any superior, including our former or current president."
Following Chiroux’s refusal to deploy, the military did not contact him until after he and 10 other IVAW members marched on the final presidential debate Oct. 15, 2008, in Hempstead, N.Y. demanding to question then Senators Obama and McCain regarding their war policies and plans to care for returning veterans. After the veterans were brutalized and arrested by police, (one suffered a fractured skull and is currently suing the police for damages) the Army charged Chiroux with "misconduct" for refusing to deploy, announcing their intentions to discharge him from the reserves as a result.
"I go now to St. Louis to honor my promises and convictions," said Chiroux. "Obama or No-Bama, the military must cease prosecuting Soldiers of conscience, and we will demonstrate to them why."
Following the hearing, Chiroux and other IVAW members will testify about their military experiences which led them all to resist in different capacities the U.S.’s Overseas Contingency Operation (formerly the Global War on Terror).
For more information, see matthisresists.us and ivaw.org.
You guys are all being snowed. I support my IVAW brothers. A lot of those guys are my friends. And most of them hate this guy. Dude is a poser. He has damaged the movement. Google him! Google his family. All the crap he spews about his sad life and his folks – BS, pure BS. He’s just milking the system and our hard-earned dollars. Nothing but a con, man. Your 15 minutes of fame are up, dude. Get a freakin job and leave us alone.
The “conflict” in Iraq is a war of agression according to Nuremburg standards. The government has no right to force individuals to act illegaly on their behalf. He already toured once, proving he’s not a coward. Disagreement is not cowardice. It takes a lot of courage to stand up to the status quo. He is choosing not to shoot people, but the U.S. military is refusing to acknowledge his choice as legitimate.
If he were sincere about the stoppage of this war then he should have deployed and tried to diffuse the conflict in Iraq instead of trying to state his case here. He was a coward not to deploy and take his point of view to the war. He wouldn’t have to shoot anyone if he chose not to.
what a joke this site is.