The Will to Resist

Soldiers Who Refuse to Fight in Iraq and Afghanistan

Dahr Jamail, author of Beyond the Green Zone and winner, with Mohammed Omar of the 2008 Martha Gelhourn Prize for Journalism brings us inside the movement of military resistance to the occupation of Iraq.

The U.S. project in Iraq has been condemned by a vibrant and vocal antiwar movement as illegal and unjust since before the invasion began. Since 2006, a majority in the United States have opposed the contination of the occupation, and reported to pollsters that they believe the invasion was a mistake. But how do the soldiers who carry out the occupation see the war?

Fragmented reports of battalions refusing orders, of active duty soldiers signing antiwar petitions, of individual soldiers refusing redeployment and taking a public stand against the occupation have trickled into the mainstream reportage over the last five years. But how deep does the current of resistance run? What makes soldiers deployed in Iraq decide to go AWOL, file for conscientious objector status, or even serve sentences in military prisons to avoid taking part in this unpopular engagement?

Dahr Jamail's comprehensive study of the today's military resisters sheds new light on the contours of dissent within the ranks of world's most powerful military, documenting the fight for justice inside the belly of the beast.

About the author

Dahr Jamail is an independent journalist who has covered the Middle East for more than four years. Jamail writes for the Inter Press Service and many other outlets and is a regular guest on Democracy Now! His ongoing coverage of the occupation and soldier’s resistance can be read at: http://dahrjamailiraq.com/

Video

Dahr Jamail reads from his book on one of his most groundbreaking contributions: on the ground reportage from the siege of Fallujah:

Interview with Anthony Arnove during the March, 2008 Winter Soldier hearings near Washington, D.C. on the nature of the occupation, and Jamail’s forthcoming book (contains graphic images):

Reviews

"The Will to Resist: Soldiers Who Refuse to Fight in Iraq and Afghanistan is the true story of those within the U.S. military service whose consciences prompt them to resist the war efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. From battalions that refuse orders, to active-duty soldiers who sign antiwar petitions, individual soldiers who refuse redeployment, those who dare to take a public stand against the occupation, and more, The Will to Resist is a fascinating examination of what motivates such opposition amid the United States' loyal defending force. The Will to Resist is not a politically neutral book; chapters reflect a decidedly negative and critical view of the American occupations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Yet the heart of The Will to Resist is not its politics, but rather the true stories of the men and women who serve--and who choose to resist what they perceive as unjust, whether it be sexism, discrimination, or apparent crimes of war. An eminently readable account that, once started, cannot be put down."
—Midwest Book Review

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