September 09, 2008
Profile: Peter Jemley - U.S. Army Deserter
(Toronto, Ontario) A 42-year-old deserter from the U.S. Army, Peter Jemley, is seeking refugee status in Canada claiming he feared being ordered to participate in torture.
In a complimentary profile, Canadian media describe Jemley as a unique, quiet and polite, independent, father of two young children who is principled about stopping torture in the world.
Jemley enlisted in 2005, not as a patriot, but because "Iraqis are people too" and immediately entered the two-year Arabic linguist training program at the U.S. Army Language School in Monterey, California. Jemley was then assigned as an Arabic linguist with a top security clearance to the 341st Military Intelligence Battalion at Camp Murray, Washington, where he started reading media reports about torture at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Consequently, when learning that he might be sent to Guantanamo, Jemley deserted. (more)
