A Muslim soldier from Texas who joined the U.S. Army last year now wants to leave the military, claiming he is a conscientious objector whose devotion to Islam has suffered since he took an oath to defend the United States against all enemies.

Pfc. Naser Abdo, a 20-year-old infantryman assigned to the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Ky., filed for conscientious objector status in June because his faith and the military simply don't mix, he told FoxNews.com. The Army has deferred his scheduled deployment to Afghanistan.

"Islam is a peaceful religion, it's not a religion of warfare," Abdo said. "And it's not a religion of terror. As a Muslim, we stand against injustice, we stand against discrimination, and I feel it's my duty as an individual to do this."

Abdo, the Texas-born son of a Muslim father and a Christian mother, said his relatives and wife stand by his decision and that he will likely refuse to deploy if his application for CO status is denied.

"I was more faithful to God before I joined the military and that's what kind of stirred me," he said. Military duties have really consumed every part of my day and did not allow me time to involve myself with the Islamic community to maintain what duties I felt that I owed God. This is really what made me come to the conclusion that I'm not ready to die....

"I knew that if I went to Afghanistan and, God forbid, something were to happen, that my faith was so weak that I wouldn't be admitted into heaven….

"The conclusion I came to is that I can't participate in the U.S. military, including any war it's involved in or any war it will be involved in in the future," he said.

Fort Campbell spokeswoman Kelly DeWitt said Abdo's deployment has been deferred, but according to Army regulations he may be deployed to Afghanistan at any time like other members of his unit.

"The Army recognizes that even in our all-volunteer force, a soldier's moral, ethical or religious beliefs may change over time," an Army statement read. "The Army and Fort Campbell has procedures in place for soldiers who declare themselves to be conscientious objectors and who apply for conscientious objector status."

According to documents obtained by The Associated Press, Abdo cited Islamic scholars and verses from the Koran as reasons to seek separation from the Army.

"I realized through further reflection that God did not give legitimacy to the war in Afghanistan, Iraq or any war the U.S. Army would conceivably participate in," he wrote.

J.E. McNeill, an attorney and executive director of the Center on Conscience and War, a Washington-based group that defends the rights of conscientious objectors, said it's difficult to predict the chances that Abdo's application will be approved. But on the surface, she said, it appears Abdo's case meets the standard for conscientious objector status.

"What he has to show is that he's opposed to war in any form," she said. "So the question is, is he opposed to any war or is he opposed to [Iraq and Afghanistan]?"

Applications for conscientious objectors -- defined by Army Regulation 600-43 as a person who is "sincerely opposed, because of religious or deeply held moral or ethical (not political, philosophical, or sociological) beliefs, to participating in war in any form" -- can take up to six months to process. Approval rates in the Army over the last seven years have averaged 58 percent. Across all U.S. military branches, 53 percent of conscientious objector status applications were approved from 2002 through 2006.

Of the 1.4 million enlisted U.S. military personnel as of Sept. 30, 2009, less than half of 1 percent identified themselves as Muslim, according to military statistics, and roughly the same rate of U.S. Army soldiers identified themselves as Muslim. Religious affiliation for military personnel currently serving in Iraq or Afghanistan was not available since servicemembers are not required to disclose that information.

Citing Army regulations, Abdo's attorney, James Branum, said Abdo will be interviewed by a chaplain and a psychologist prior to an informal hearing with an investigating officer, who will recommend whether to approve or deny the application.

If the claim is denied, Branum said Abdo could re-file with new evidence; seek to take the matter to a federal civilian court; refuse to deploy or drop the matter altogether. He acknowledged that Abdo could go to jail if he refuses to obey orders to deploy.

"We're trying to avoid that kind of showdown," Branum told FoxNews.com. "At this moment, Abdo is in a place where he's not going to violate his conscience."

Branum said he's received a "fair number" of emails regarding Abdo's case, some of which he said included death threats against the soldier and suggestions that his citizenship be revoked.

Abdo, for his part, said he has endured harassment, discrimination and intimidation due to his religious beliefs since joining the military, particularly during basic training at Fort Benning in Georgia. He also claimed to be the target of "resentment" from fellow soldiers due to his prayer schedule.

"Some of them would say I hate Jews, some of them even asked me, 'Would you kill your own family? Are you sure you're not on the wrong side?'" Abdo said. "It was daily. It was daily for sure."

A website detailing Abdo's situation has resulted in roughly 15 donations totaling about $250 for his legal defense. He's also received dozens of messages protesting his decision, which he said were "disgusting and hateful."

"You make me sick," read one message. "You make everyone I know sick."

Another message read: "I am not sure why you joined the Army to begin with, but as an Army Wife here at Fort Campbell, KY, I wouldn't want someone like you deploying with MY husband. It's good to stand by your religion and beliefs and I would be lying if I said I understood what they are, because I don't."

Abdo said he understands the dissension.

"By no means am I expecting a standing ovation," he said.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/09/02/muslim-soldier-refuses-deploy-afghanistan/

Put his a$$ in the brig. Refusing to deploy? C'mon now an Airborne Soldier who's beliefs won't let him go to war? This was a guy obviously joining the Army for a free ride here in the states for a couple years, then realized that he was going to war and it just got to deep. Look at what he say's, "I'm not ready to die." That tells you right there what he's about.

He had no business joining the military. He knew we were in the middle of several conflicts when joining. He should at the very least get a dishonorable discharge and deported.

Thousands of other Muslim soldiers and you don't see them bitching.

Hell he probably supports AQ and the Taliban and doesn't wanna hurt his brother's.

Worthless piece of garbage. This is the kinda of a$$hole that give our troops a bad name.

wow, a twenty year old confused about the concept of dying for country is an *******? I know many young people who are DUPED by recruiters selling them pipe dreams, I wouldnt be so assured that he had a TRUE understanding of things when he enlisted,,,,

my sons father enlisted STRAIGHT out of high school, and the navy recruiter told him he would NOT have to go on a ship(he never liked water).........kids are not always sophisticated or worldy just because they turn eighteen, they trust whatever an adult has told them sometimes,,,,this kid probably DIDNT actually think through the big picture in that millisecond it took to sign his name, he PROBABLY was focused on the nice perks the recruiters sell,like having an education paid for,,,enlistment bonuses,,,etc,,,,

its the recruiters job to SELL the idea to the kids and thats exactly what they do,,,,,

They sell the idea, they don't lie. When I tried to go in I talked to a TON of different recruiters from ALL the branches and not once was I lied to. They told me that I could have to goto war if conflict arose, I cant let them know what I am interested in career wise but that wont mean I get that etc.

If he is refused his request and he refuses orders, he can spend whatever time they give him in Leavenworth.

If he is deployed to a war zone to kill other Muslims and refuses to, his buddies can take him under their wing.

I say put him in the Brig.

they DO lie, did you not hear me say the recruiter told my husband he didnt have to be on a ship? and there is also the tactic of avoiding the lies by FOCUSING on the 'perks' instead and not talking at all about the REALITIES,,,

They don't lie. They pull a Hussein and just misinform. Politispeak, if you will.

They tell everyone, they can't guarantee what the enlistee does or where he's sent.

Any halfwit knows to consult an attorney before signing any major contract.

Joining the Military is signing a major contract.

So what?!!

He shouldn't have to serve if he has a conflict.

Man that sorry excuse for news Fox is at it again.

Leave the man alone.

He hasn't violated any patriotic or otherwise morality for America.

Stop with the Islamophobia already.

He should'nt have been let in to begin with

To get into Airborne you have to be pretty gung-ho and work hard to qualify for it.

He had to have had full knowledge that Airborne Infantry are troops trained ony fo killing.

I suspect, he turned coward.

Now, if he is forced to deploy, he has lost all the respect and trust of the others he trained with. In their eyes, he would put their lives at risk. He is a liability and they have the frag factor to deal with his type.

His best bet, in that case would be to apply for a Dishonerable Discharge and accept his fate.

Or, he could desert and go to prison.

why doesnt he have an equally viable consideration for deployment based upon his TRUST being violated through muslim bigotry in his own unit,


people are typing about how he lost the respect and trust of others in his unit,, but it seems like they were the first to lose HIS

I saw that.

But even with that, he should have the right to get out if he doesn't want to be there.

I can't see how they can keep people outside of their will.

I agree. I think I will look up the numbers for objectors yearly and see how many are christians,,,,

seems the emphasis here is on WHAT his religion is instead of WHAT his reasons are,,,

He lost their trust when he made the decision not to guard the backs of his fellow troops.

Airborne Infantry is a team sport.

If one team player decides he doesn't wasnna' play, it puts the rest in the way of danger.

The Military isn't a job you can just quit. Paperwork, applications. They just might find him another job. But, wherever he goes, he will be treated just like any other coward.

If he refuses orders, he will be Court Martialed, tried and sentenced.

He can get anything from a Dishonerable Discharge to time in Prison along with Dishonerably Discharged.

Happens all the time.

Cowards come in all religions.

most 18 year old 'nitwits' know no such thing, not to mention most dont have or deal with attorneys,,,

his fellow troops may have lost HIS trust long before this decision,,like, BOOT CAMP

from the article
'Abdo, for his part, said he has endured harassment, discrimination and intimidation due to his religious beliefs since joining the military, particularly during basic training at Fort Benning in Georgia. He also claimed to be the target of "resentment" from fellow soldiers due to his prayer schedule.

"Some of them would say I hate Jews, some of them even asked me, 'Would you kill your own family? Are you sure you're not on the wrong side?'" Abdo said. "It was daily. It was daily for sure."

It's one thing to whine discrimination and quite another to prove it.

If he can prove it, his Court Martial will decide if it's real or false claims from a coward.

What baffles me is, he went through all that training and now, decides to quit.

Why, waste all that tax payer money and quit in basic?

I still predict it's because he went weak-in-da-knee coward.

Again, nobody begged him to go into specialized training to kill.

He could have chosen to be a secretary.

a twenty year old quitting something,, theres a traitor if ever there was one,,,

plenty of twenty year olds are unsure of what they want and toggle back and forth,, look at college majors in their first several years and how often they change,,,there is just no public outcry or civil punishment for such decisions about education,,,

Who said traitor?

I said coward.

If his request is denied and he's ordered to Afghanastan to kill Muslim Terrorists, he still has the choice to say no.

He did "Volunteer" to train to kill Muslim Terrorists or, whoever the Gubament decides is the enemy at the time.