The memoir of an Oklahoma-born soldier who enlisted to help his family and was deployed to Iraq describes the horrific conditions to which Iraqi civilians were subjected, his forced participation in raids on accused terrorists he believes were innocent, and his decision to seek asylum in Canada. 50,000 first printing.
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"The case of Joshua Key . . . is unique. He is the first U.S. soldier who actually served in Iraq to claim sanctuary from the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, based on his 'personal experience with atrocities' in Iraq. . . . Combatant Key will be able to raise the question of the war's legality as a defense." -- Michael Roberts
"The American Army is having a lot of trouble attracting new recruits, in part because of the war in Iraq--its horrors, the lies, and the sixteen hundred Gls who are dead. Joshua Key enlisted. But after eight months in Ramadi and Fallujah, taking advantage of home leave, he deserted. . . . He left behind the hardship of war, the blood, the lies. Like thousands of others."
"If anybody invaded America and did to us what we did to the Iraqi people, I'd be right up there with the rebels and insurgents, trying to blow up the occupiers. I would hole up in my hometown in Oklahoma and rig mines in trees (they kill more people when they go off overhead) and set them to explode when tanks passed below. I'd lob all the mortars and rocket-propelled grenades that I could get my hands on. No doubt about it, if somebody ripped apart my home and my family in the United States, I'd be a force to be reckoned with, and I'd keep giving the occupiers hell until I was dead and gone, twice over."
*Starred Review* In 2002, Key, a good ol' Oklahoma boy with a wife and two children (but no money), enlisted in the U.S. Army so he could learn a trade and provide for his family. He was assured that he would be sent to a "non-deployable" military base: he would never see combat. Instead, he was sent to Iraq to hunt for terrorists, a mission that involved beating civilians, kidnapping innocents, and destroying homes and families (all of which he relates in precise, damning detail). Stateside, on a two-week furlough, Key decided he couldn't go back to Iraq, couldn't participate in what he decided were mindless atrocities being committed in the name of world peace. Thus, he did what so many Vietnam protestors did: he took his family to Canada, where he now lives, a wanted man in his own country. This memoir, which can fairly and accurately be called a searing indictment of America's "war on terror," is vividly written ("Hayes slammed her in the face with the stock of his M-16"), but as difficult as it sometimes can be to read, we respect Key's courage to tell the story without sugarcoating. The book is timely, important, and haunting. David Pitt
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Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 1.1. Seller Inventory # G0887842089I4N00
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Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine. First Edition. We're happy to combine shipping to save you some money. We're also always buying collectible book collections. Contact us for details. We're happy to provide pictures of any and all books for you, please just ask! Canadian first edition, first printing. Contains number line 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. Virtually no wear to jacket. Jacket is NOT price clipped. Covers are clean and bright. Edges are sharp. No tears or creases. The book itself is in Near Fine condition. The binding is straight and tight. NO remainder mark. "Lionel Gelber Foundation" donation label attached to the front end page. Seller Inventory # ABE-17052309804
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Hardcover. 8vo. Negligible shelfwear, appears unread; near fine in near fine dustjacket. Seller Inventory # 057171
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Seller: Edmonton Book Store, Edmonton, AB, Canada
Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. 8vo pp.ix 237.this book tells the story of a young man who went to war in iraq believing in his governement and who was transformed into someone who ethically,morally and physically could no longer serve his contry. book. Seller Inventory # 179461
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Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. The Deserter's Tale: The Story of an Ordinary Soldier Who Walked Away from the War in Iraq This book is in very good condition and will be shipped within 24 hours of ordering. The cover may have some limited signs of wear but the pages are clean, intact and the spine remains undamaged. This book has clearly been well maintained and looked after thus far. Money back guarantee if you are not satisfied. See all our books here, order more than 1 book and get discounted shipping. . Seller Inventory # 7719-9780887842085
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Seller: Heroes Bookshop, Paris, ON, Canada
Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. First Edition. Signed and personally inscribed by Hoshua Key and Lawrence Hill.this copy has a solid tight binding with clean unmarked pages.light edge wear. Signed by Author. Seller Inventory # js1033
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Seller: COOK AND BAKERS BOOKS, PARKSVILLE, VANCOUVER ISLAND, BC, Canada
Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Near Fine. Black & White Photographs (illustrator). First Printing. A very nice copy without flaw. 6.5 X 9.5" 237 pages. This first-ever memoir from a young US soldier who fought in Iraq, and then deserted his army and his country, offers a vivid and damning indictment of how "the war against terrorism" is being waged. The war he found was not the campaign against terrorists and "evildoers" he had been told to expect. He saw Iraqi civilians beaten, maimed, and shot for little or no provocation. He witnessed the killing of a seven-year-old girl who was scrounging leftover army rations, and watched while dead bodies provided sport for US soldiers. Seller Inventory # 39619
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