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Joshua Key (soldier)

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 68.204.29.215 (talk) at 14:42, 1 December 2009 (→‎Controversy: ok, this whole section is useless, it addresses a non-existent "controversy" by bombastically engagin in some of the most ridiculous POV defensiveness I've ever seen, and OR as well). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Joshua Key
AllegianceUnited States of America
Service/branchUnited States Army (now deserted)
Years of service2003 -
RankPrivate
Battles/warsIraq War
Other workvarious

Joshua Key is a United States Army deserter, who fled while on leave from the Iraq War, and is a current resident of Canada. He is the author, with Lawrence Hill, of The Deserter's Tale,[1][2] a book chronicling his service in Iraq and his subsequent departure from military life.[3]

See also: Canada and Iraq War Resisters and List of Iraq War Resisters

Biography

Joshua Key was born in 1978 in Guthrie, Oklahoma, which is located just outside of Oklahoma City.

At age 20, he married Brandi Johnston and had three children.

Military service and desertion

In 2002 Key enlisted in the United States Army. He attended basic training and was stationed in Fort Carson, Colorado. He was deployed to the Middle East in the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

"Key served as a combat engineer for eight months in Iraq 2003." [4] "Mr. Key had told the IRB that while in Iraq with a unit of combat engineers, he took part in at least 70 raids on civilian homes."[5] When he returned home on leave, he deserted the Army in November, 2003.[4]

Key states he holds no regrets about deserting the US Army, as illustrated on the back cover of The Deserters Tale. In the book Key gives a short summary of his own life prior, during and after his tour of duty and subsequent desertion. In the book Key claims to have witnessed many troubling acts: systematic vandalism of Iraqi homes during house raids, murder of an Iraqi child, and sexual abuse of innocent women, all purportedly committed by American Soldiers and officers.

Life in Canada

He fled to Toronto, Canada on March 8, 2005,[6] and made a claim for asylum as a conscientious objector seeking refugee status.[4] He had a hearing at Canada's Immigration and Refugee Board, represented by Jeffry House, but the Board rendered a negative decision on Oct 20, 2006.[6] He appealed to the Federal Court.

Canada's Federal Court Ruling of July 4 2008

On July 4, 2008, Joshua Key won a Federal Court appeal thus forcing the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada to re-examine his claim for refugee status in Canada.[4][5][7][8] [2]

Canada's refugee board was ordered to take another look at Key's failed bid for asylum in an unprecedented court ruling that could affect scores of other U.S. soldiers, now in Canada, who have refused to fight in Iraq. In the decision the Federal Court found the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada made mistakes in turning down Joshua Key's claim for asylum.

While the earlier board deemed him credible, it nixed his claim for refugee status on the grounds he was not required to systematically commit war crimes. The earlier board rulings deemed that it was not important enough that he had to violate the Geneva Conventions. Federal Court Justice Robert Barnes disagreed with that earlier analysis. "Officially condoned military misconduct falling well short of a war crime may support a claim to refugee protection," Barnes wrote. Military action that "systematically degrades, abuses or humiliates" either combatants or non-combatants could provide such support, he said.[4][6]

Previous to Justice Barnes ruling, and after turning down several similar asylum claims, the refugee board had consistently held that the United States is a democracy, which affords deserters due judicial process. However, the Federal Court said the board should hear evidence on whether deserters can rely on the American government to treat them fairly --regardless of its status as a democracy.[4][6]

On July 14, 2008, a Los Angeles Times editorial referred to the July 4 ruling from Canada's Federal Court with these words:

"...we should take a second look at our procedures for dealing with soldiers who allege human rights violations -- before they become deserters…[If] we would prefer not to hear shameful allegations from our own deserters and be judged by our neighbors, we cannot lightly dismiss expressions of moral outrage..."[9]

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's July 4, 2008 coverage of the story said that there is now a possibility that he "could qualify as a refugee."[10] (See Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and Canadian immigration and refugee law)

June 3, 2009 Hearing

On June 3, 2009, Joshua Key had a new hearing in front of the Immigration and Refugee Board.[11][12][13][14] Ken Atkinson,[12] the immigration board member who heard Key's case, reserved his decision.[15] (It will be forthcoming.) Lawrence Hill was present at this hearing,[12] while supporters held a vigil outside.[16] He was represented by attorney Alyssa Manning.

Controversy

Together with author Lawrence Hill, Joshua Key co-authored the book, The Deserter's Tale: The Story of an Ordinary Soldier Who Walked Away from the War in Iraq.[2][17] Then, on March 27, 2007, Key's claims in that book were disputed by anonymous blog writer "GI Korea" (pseudonym) who claimed that Key "became the first US soldier to flee to Canada and seek refugee status there since the Vietnam War." [18] The Toronto Star, stated that Jeremy Hinzman, not Joshua Key, was "the first American Iraq war resister to seek refugee status in Canada...in January, 2004."[19] The anonymous "GI Korea" blog posting is used as the source of information that Key's claims have been widely disputed by other members of his unit, as well as many other Soldiers who served in units near Key's in Iraq.[18]

Canada's Immigration and Refugee Board "deemed [Key] credible."[4][20]

See also

Template:Multicol

General

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Links relevant to refugee status claims in Canada
Decision-makers in Jeremy Hinzman's experience with the Canadian Legal System

Template:Multicol-end

References

  • Key, Joshua; Hill, Lawrence (June 2007), The Deserter's Tale: The Story of an Ordinary Soldier Who Walked Away from the War in Iraq, Atlantic Monthly, ISBN 0-87113-954-5
  • Key, Joshua; Hill, Lawrence (June 2007), The Deserter's Tale: The Story of an Ordinary Soldier Who Walked Away from the War in Iraq, House of Ansi Press, ISBN 0-88784-208-9

See Lawrence Hill's Writings page for The Deserter's Tale [3]

Notes

  1. ^ Key, Joshua; Hill, Lawrence (2007). The Deserter's Tale: The Story of an Ordinary Soldier Who Walked Away from the War in Iraq. Atlantic Monthly. ISBN 0-87113-954-5. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  2. ^ a b Key, Joshua; Hill, Lawrence (2007). The Deserter's Tale: The Story of an Ordinary Soldier Who Walked Away from the War in Iraq. House of Ansi Press. ISBN 0-88784-208-9. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  3. ^ a b Hill, Lawrence (November 24, 2007). "Just desertions". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 30 January 2009. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Perkel, Colin (2008-07-04). "U.S. deserter wins appeal". The Canadian Press. Cite error: The named reference "Perkel" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b Ha, Tu Thanh (July 4, 2008). "U.S. deserter wins appeal in fight for refugee status". Globe and Mail. Retrieved 24 January 2009. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  6. ^ a b c d "Key v. Canada (Citizenship and Immigration) (2008 FC 838) IMM-5923-06,". Federal Court (Canada). July 4, 2008. Retrieved 21 July 2009. {{cite news}}: line feed character in |title= at position 58 (help) Cite error: The named reference "Federal Court Canada" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  7. ^ Perkel, Colin (2008-07-04). "Refugee board ordered to rehear U.S. war dodger's failed asylum bid". The Canadian Press.
  8. ^ Carter, Lee (July 5, 2008). "Canada ruling boosts US deserter". BBC. Retrieved 30 January 2009. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  9. ^ "Seeking Asylum in Canada: The case of U.S. Army deserter Joshua Key should prompt the U.S. to do some soul-searching". Los Angeles Times. July 14, 2008. Retrieved 24 January 2009. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  10. ^ "U.S. deserter could qualify as refugee: court". CBC News. 2008-07-04.
  11. ^ Byrne, Ciara (June 3, 2009). "War deserter Joshua Key says he will be treated unfairly if sent back to U.S." The Canadian Press, and Metro International (Vancouver). Retrieved June 7, 2009. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  12. ^ a b c laura k (wmtc blog) (June 5, 2009). "joshua key irb hearing, part one". Retrieved 2009-06-07.
  13. ^ Serba, Andrew (June 3, 2009). "Hazing, persecution cited in U.S army deserter's bid to stay in Canada". NewsFIX (Toronto Community News). Retrieved 2009-06-07.
  14. ^ Joshua Key being interviewed on June 2, 2009, by Janette Luu, the host for CANOE Live, a local TV program on Sun TV in Toronto, Ontario, Canada [1]
  15. ^ Byrne, Ciara (June 3, 2009). "War deserter Joshua Key says he will be treated unfairly if sent back to U.S." The Canadian Press, and Metro International (Vancouver). Retrieved June 7, 2009. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  16. ^ NewsFIX Staff (June 3, 2009). "Protesters want war resister to stay in Canada". NewsFIX (Toronto community news). Retrieved June 7, 2009. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  17. ^ Key, Joshua; Hill, Lawrence (2007). The Deserter's Tale: The Story of an Ordinary Soldier Who Walked Away from the War in Iraq. Atlantic Monthly. ISBN 0-87113-954-5. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  18. ^ a b GI Korea (March 24, 2007). "Useful Idiot: Joshua Key". ROK Drop ("the leading military weblog out of Korea"). Retrieved 29 January 2009. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  19. ^ Kyonka, Nick (2008-08-13). "U.S. deserter to be deported". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2009-01-09.
  20. ^ "Key v. Canada (Citizenship and Immigration) (2008 FC 838) IMM-5923-06, (see paragraph 4)". Federal Court (Canada). July 4, 2008. Retrieved 21 July 2009. {{cite news}}: line feed character in |title= at position 58 (help)

Why is this nonsense included

Form the Controversy section

"Then, on March 27, 2007, Key's claims in that book were disputed by anonymous blog writer "GI Korea" (pseudonym) who claimed incorrectly that Key "became the first US soldier to flee to Canada and seek refugee status there since the Vietnam War." [18] The more established and not anonymous source, the Toronto Star, stated that Jeremy Hinzman, not Joshua Key, was "the first American Iraq war resister to seek refugee status in Canada...in January, 2004."[19] Information about Jeremy Hinzman and Brandon Hughey coming to Canada was already publicly available to "GI Korea," and already known worldwide (including Britain) on July 6, 2004, three years before "GI Korea" published his erroneous information;[20] and much press coverage of Hinzman being in Canada occurred within those years.[21][22][23] The anonymous "GI Korea" blog posting is used as the source of information that Key's claims have been widely disputed by other members of his unit, as well as many other Soldiers who served in units near Key's in Iraq.[18]"

Please explain why someone devoted an entire paragraph to the discrediting of a single blog source, in a way that is very non-encyclopedic and reminiscent of the kind of thing children do to other children? The section is awful, poorly written, and overly defensive. Edit it or I will, and by "I will" I mean I'll take the whole section out as it's currently pretty worthless.

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