‘It was mainly Canada or return to Afghanistan. So, I went and got here to Canada,’ stated Sgt. Christopher Vassey, who was a Toronto ironworker whereas preventing for refugee safety
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The American soldier who walked throughout the border from Canada and surrendered to U.S. brokers for army desertion is a U.S. Military sergeant with the 82nd Airborne who sought refugee safety in Canada 16 years in the past to keep away from one other fight tour in Afghanistan.
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Christopher Vassey, 38, was dwelling and dealing in Ontario as an ironworker whereas he fought for asylum, with hope of Canadian citizenship.
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U.S. border authorities wouldn’t launch his title, citing privateness concerns, however the Nationwide Put up confirmed Vassey’s title by his Military unit and traced his army file and 16 years in Canada, the place he spoke publicly about his deserter standing.
In Toronto, Vassey connected with anti-war activists and different U.S. army deserters and have become an outspoken critic of America’s battle efforts.
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“It grew to become increasingly more evident that we actually screwed up in Iraq,” Vassey stated in an interview in 2012.
“When it actually hit house, although, was after we have been in Afghanistan. I’m being commanded by all the identical individuals who had simply gotten away with battle crimes in Iraq… they introduced the Iraq battle with them to Afghanistan,” he stated, standing on camera sporting his U.S. Military uniform in entrance of a Toronto courthouse throughout an anti-war rally, to activist media Cuzdcrow.
“It’s simply my mother again within the States,” he stated. “My sister had died whereas I used to be up right here, and I couldn’t return for the funeral as a result of I’d have gotten arrested on the border. In order that’s been robust. My mother’s alone, my dad died after I was a child.”
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Vassey has an extended and, at one level enthusiastic, connection to the U.S. army.
He joined the Junior Reserve Officer Coaching Corps whereas in highschool and enlisted within the New Jersey Military Nationwide Guard when he turned 17, in 2003, in accordance with courtroom data. He earned promotion and even labored as a recruiter for the Nationwide Guard.
Unhappy with the Nationwide Guard, he joined the U.S. Military in 2006, and reported to what was then referred to as Fort Bragg, in North Carolina, the U.S.’s largest military base. It’s now referred to as Fort Liberty.
In January 2007, Vassey was deployed with an infantry unit to Afghanistan, the place the battle was raging. By the tip of that yr he was promoted to sergeant.
He grew to become disillusioned with the mission, nevertheless. In Afghanistan, collateral harm by U.S. army strikes have been mounting and civilian casualties soured public help for the battle.
Vassey alleged at his refugee hearings that he was ordered to do issues that have been opposite to the principles of armed battle, akin to firing randomly in an try to impress an enemy engagement with out precautions in opposition to civilian hurt. He stated they referred to as it “recon by hearth.” He stated his unit strapped lifeless our bodies of Afghan insurgents to the entrance of army automobiles and drove by villages to intimidate the inhabitants, in accordance with courtroom filings.
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When he returned to america from his fight tour, in April 2008, he stated he had psychological anguish over his expertise as a soldier, regardless of excelling sufficient to have been promoted. Dealing with an impending return to fight, he determined to depart.
“I had to select whether or not I used to be going to partake of this anymore,” he stated in his 2012 interview. “It was mainly Canada or return to Afghanistan. So, I went and got here to Canada.”
It grew to become increasingly more evident that we actually screwed up in Iraq
On July 7, 2008, Vassey packed his issues at Fort Bragg and left, making himself AWOL, that means absent with out go away.
He grew to become an American soldier on the run.
On Aug. 4, 2008, he crossed into Canada and claimed refugee safety that very same day.
Buddies he made in Canada within the battle resistance motion began a web-based petition in 2009, asking for a public present of help for his asylum bid to keep away from a courtroom martial and jail in america.
“Chris asks nothing greater than to remain in Canada — to work, to dwell in peace, to settle into his new life,” the petition stated.
“I’ve had regular work the previous few years,” Vassey stated in his Toronto video interview. “I’m a building employee up right here, iron work. I constructed hospitals.” He turned and seemed behind him, down College Avenue and pointed: “I constructed that constructing proper there, a part of it. So I’m simply, you understand, doing my half for Canada, making an attempt to construct up Canada.”
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He had his refugee standing listening to on the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) in 2009. He was denied asylum in 2010.
It’s tough for an American citizen to acquire refugee safety standing in Canada. Not solely should they show persecution, but in addition that the state can’t adequately shield them, which is a excessive threshold when speaking about Canada’s closest ally. In 2022, for example, 339 claims by U.S. residents for refugee safety have been rejected and 0 claims have been accepted, in accordance with IRB statistics.
Nonetheless a fighter, of types, he appealed that refusal to the Federal Court docket.
The courtroom’s determination in 2011 discovered the IRB’s evaluation of skilled proof on the independence and impartiality of the U.S. army courtroom system was insufficient and one sided. Choose André Scott ordered the IRB to convene a brand new refugee listening to for Vassey.
After his second listening to, the IRB once more denied him refugee safety. Vassey appealed that call to the courtroom, as properly. Federal Court docket Choose Alan Diner dominated in 2015 that the IRB wanted to convene a 3rd refugee listening to to once more hear his case.
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It’s not recognized what the result of that listening to was. Refugee instances are thought-about confidential by the IRB. The IRB couldn’t be reached for remark. There isn’t any file of a 3rd courtroom problem.
On Tuesday, carrying one bag, Vassey took the pedestrian walkway throughout the Rainbow Bridge border crossing between Niagara Falls, Ont., and Niagara Falls, N.Y., and surrendered, in accordance with U.S. Customs and Border Safety.
He advised Customs officers he was “turning myself in” for army desertion. They confirmed his identification and located an energetic U.S. Military warrant on file within the Nationwide Crime Data Middle, a U.S. regulation enforcement database.
He was held in custody till he was turned over to the U.S. Military.
The U.S. army had little to say in regards to the affair.
“Sgt. Christopher M. Vassey entered the Military an Infantryman in April 2006 and is at the moment assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division,” Lieutenant Colonel César Santiago of the 82nd Airborne Division advised Nationwide Put up.
“As this matter is topic to ongoing authorized proceedings we’re unable to offer additional data,” Santiago stated.
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The 82nd Airborne Division of the U.S. Military is a storied, hard-fighting unit specializing in forcible entry parachute assaults in hostile territory, shaped throughout World Battle One. It has additionally been criticized by human rights teams over remedy of prisoners and civilians.
Vassey knew what awaited him in america.
“I may very well be in a army jail for as much as two years, only for having spoke out. Not simply going AWOL but in addition over being AWOL and talking out in opposition to my authorities,” he stated in his 2012 video interview.
Beneath U.S. army regulation, desertion is outlined as being absent from army duties with out authority, with intent to stay away completely.
The rationale for his give up is just not but recognized. Vassey couldn’t be reached for remark; neither might his final recognized lawyer of file.
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