Andre Shepherd : "In US they think I'm a traitor"

Exclusive interview with the U.S. Army Specialist who applied for asylum in Germany on November 26, 2008. He is the first Iraq War veteran to pursue refugee status in Europe and only the second U.S. soldier to ever apply for refugee status in Germany. In the U.S. he faces prison and in the worst case - the death penalty. In an interview with Deutsche Welle Andre Shepherd spoke about his reasons for deserting from Iraq .

- Deutsche Welle: In April 2007, you, having served six months in Iraq and when you temporarily stayed at the U.S. base in southern Germany refused to return to Iraq and secretly fled from the base. What motivated you to take this decision?

- Andre Shepherd: I went to the army for financial reasons. I didn't have a choice. Before the military service, I had no home, no work. I lived in my car. The economy of US was going down. And when I was invited to go to the service contract they proposed me house and stable earnings (initially $ 400 per month, after six months - 2000, and after 15 months upon the voluntary extension of the contract award is calculated in the amount of 5000 dollars) it was really hard to refuse this offer.

At that time we still trusted the U.S. government and considered that the authorities do not let their soldiers risked their lives for nothing. When you go to war, you know, that there may be a situation where you have to take other peoples lives and of course that there is chance that you may loose your life as well.

We trusted to our government, we believed that Saddam Hussein poses a direct threat to U.S. That Iraq is making weapons of mass destruction and this is the reason for American invasion of Iraq. But when I, being in Iraq, figured out that it is not truth everything got changed for me. I realized that I do not want to kill people for no reason and don't want to die for nothing.

- Deutsche Welle: How did you get into Iraq? Was it your voluntary decision?

- Andre Shepherd: I received the order. They said that Iraq is a place where we need you, and you have to go there. None of the soldiers being in Iraq or Afghanistan, went there on their own. And I am sure that if the United States had a voluntary procedure for participation in military operations, they would never be able to get the number od soldiers required for this war. Nobody would go there.

- Deutsche Welle: You spent six months in Iraq. What kind of atmosphere prevails in the army?

- Andre Shepherd: None of the soldiers want to participate in this war. Most of the soldiers have famillys back home. Protest of the soldiers is seamless. Soldiers understand that they got in trap when they become dependent on U.S. government because they need money to feed their famillys. It is really hard for them to protest against the war. Nobody speaks about it openly. The soldiers in Iraq do not have the discussions on this topic because everyone is afraid to become a traitor. American soldiers in Iraq are afraid of problems, because there are a number of tough unspoken rules that can not be violated.

- Deutsche Welle: Do you keep in touch with former colleagues in Iraq?

- Andre Shepherd: I have some friends there. But we do not communicate because there are strict rules in Iraq. And if it becomes known that they are communicating with a deserter, they may cause serious problems. In US military, as well as in Washington they call me a traitor.

- Deutsche Welle: How does it feel like to be a traitor?

- Andre Shepherd: Looking at all this from another side, I still can not believe it's happening to me that I was the first soldier deserted from the U.S., asked for political asylum in Germany. But I feel better now because I know that I'm right. After I filed a petition in Germany for the status of political refugee, Finally I can talk publicly about what I think.

- Deutsche Welle: Your case has really unique. Is it really difficult to get the status?

- Andre Shepherd: The petition I filed in November 2008. Since then, the German authorities are trying to figure out how to resolve this difficult case. If they give me the status it violates the inviolability of the United States. Simply put, West Germany, thus declares that the United States are illegitimate war and violated a lot of laws. Then the U.S. could be accused of war crimes. If they denied my case - the German society will never understand why. This will cause a lot of indignation. I think we should not wait the final decision before the spring of next year.

- Deutsche Welle: How do your parents reacted to the fact that you become a deserter?

- Andre Shepherd: It was really hard for them. I didn't see my relatives for about six years. Since I challenged Washington, it is clear that I can not return because U.S. authorities want to put me in jail. I might get in to prison for a term of six months and up to two years. Theoretically, deserter could be sentenced to death.

- Deutsche Welle: And what was the reaction of American authorities?

- Andre Shepherd: There where almost no reaction. Last year, they said that my life depends on German authorities. They are counting on the fact that Germany will refuse me. It is really important for me that people understand that I have done this for only one reason - to stop this senseless war. This is a war not against terrorism but against humanity. I do not want people have a false impression that I have done this because of the convenience due to any means to stay in Germany. People are dying in Iraq and Afghanistan every day And I just wanted to do something to stop it.


source
Interviewer: Oksana Evdokimova
Editor: Vadim Shatalin
Translated by iPressCenter.com - Foreign News in English, Interviews, Opinions, Articles.Great Source of the News translations from all over the World.