Robin Long

Robin Long
Born	Boise, Idaho, U.S.
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	2003–2008
Rank	Private)
Unit	(see details)
Awards	National Defense Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon

Robin Long is one of several U.S. Army deserters who sought asylum in Canada because of his opposition to the Iraq war and became the first of those to be deported to the United States after being rejected for refugee status. He was deported from Canada on July 15, 2008.

In July 2008, the Toronto Star quoted Bob Ages, chair of the Vancouver-based War Resisters Support Campaign who said that since the time of slavery, Canada has been known as a place of asylum, and Long's removal marks the first time an army deserter has been deported from Canada to the United States The Globe and Mail also reported this quote from Ages:

At the time he voluntarily enlisted in July 2003, Long believed that his country was justified in going to war in Iraq, his lawyer Shepherd Moss said at the court hearing to halt the deportation of July 2008. Long intended to train as a tank commander. "He wanted to go to defend his country", his lawyer stated.

Long trained for two years at Fort Knox in Kentucky. His perspective changed while in training at the Army base at Fort Knox. After hearing that weapons of mass destruction had not been found in Iraq, Long thought the U.S. had no reason for being at war. Also, in 2004 he was troubled by evidence of abuse of Iraqi detainees that came out in May 2004, according to his lawyer, Shepherd Moss, in July 2008.

Long concluded the abuse was systemic and condoned by the U.S. administration, Moss said. After some soul-searching, Long decided he would not go to Iraq and would not participate or be complicit in what he believed were war crimes, the lawyer said.

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