[.uk] Road from Ar Ramadi: The Private Rebellion of Staff ... (ISBN 1595580522)

One brave voice in a nation of silent cowards:
I couldn't put Mejia's book down b/c he takes readers back to the early days of the war when we had to rely on biased governmental claims about what was going on in Iraq. I really appreciated hearing from an eye-witness about what truly went on in the war zone. He shows how from its inception, this war was based on a stronger nation's sense of superiority over a weaker one and how the US went there with a belief that Iraqis were less than Americans and proceeded to do dehumanizing things to them. It's embarrassing to read how our military had no respect for Iraqis, whom our leaders never bothered to understand culturally or religiously. Mejia describes more bravely & honestly than i believe most people would his own internal struggle with what he was assigned to do and how he was torn between being a good soldier & feeling morally aghast at the military's cruelty. He is not only a good role model for other soldiers, who should refuse to participate in immoral acts--no matter what propaganda the government attach to a mission--but also for regular citizens, who should be denouncing this war more vociferously & demanding that all the money (5 billion a month)our leaders are spending there be brought back to our communities. This book is a very gratifying read; it's good to see that all individual thinking has not been co-opted in our service people!

Nothing simple:
There is nothing simple in this book; nothing simple about the situations that Staff Sergeant Mejía faced in Iraq, nothing simple in the moral decisions he was forced to make, and nothing simple about the way that he eventually came those decisions. This is a story about fundamental moral questions of right and wrong, yet those who are looking for a simple good-versus-evil narrative won't find it here. Staff Sergeant Mejía has written a deeply honest and profoundly human book, one that will hopefully continue to be read for many years after the war in Iraq is over.

A Real Look into Iraq:
Amazing is not enough to describe this book and Camilo's personal story. Reading this book, you become a passenger on the arduous journey into Camilo's soul, and for that I cannot thank him enough. We all know what this war has done to the US image abroad, to the citizens at home, and to some extent, to the people of Iraq. However, we conveniently ignore the effects it has on our soldiers. Whether you are a staunch supporter of Operation Iraqi Freedom, or a pacifist opposed to all war, you NEED to read this book. While I was lost in the stories of atrocities, camaraderie, and battle, I kept forgetting it was real. This isn't a tale invented by the mind of a brilliant writer, as Camilo is, but a glimmer into his world, a story that intersects the many stories being laid out daily in this seemingly unending war. These stories must stop being ignored by the American people, who sit at home comfortable, flipping channels when news about Iraq breaks. Camilo's story not only brings us closer to Iraq than we can ever hope to be, but also brings us closer to true courage. We have all done things we are not proud of, or have sat idly by when we knew we could stop injustice. And Camilo is no exception. But after his experiences totaled more than he could bear, he realized what he needed to do. And the road he had to take was not any easier because of it. Standing up for ideals is what makes change in this world, and Camilo realized he needed to sacrifice to do just that. The book takes us from the tough streets of Ar Ramadi to the tougher streets of discovering one's own resolve and human responsibility. For all these reasons, people need to read this book. As Camilo says in his book, "Whether we squeeze the trigger, give the order, or simply stand idle in the face of senseless missions that result in the spilling of innocent blood, it doesn't make a difference. We die, little by little, each time someone gets killed, until there is no soul left, and the body becomes but a corpse, breathing and warm but void of humanity." As citizens, we can no longer stand idly by as this war progresses. Read this book, learn where you stand, and become an instrument of your ideals. That, I believe, was the point of Camilo's sacrifice and the gift he has given us.

A title important for both military and general-interest libraries.:
Conscientious Objector status is suppose to exclude one from military service - but what if you're already in the military? "Road from Ar Mamadi: The Private Rebellion of Staff Sergeant Camilo Mejia" tells this story as a veteran of the war has enough of it, and requests discharge - only to be marked as a deserter and imprisoned. Now free, Mejia tells his story and urges Americans to support an end to what he calls an unjust war in Iraq. A chilling first person perspective not often heard, "Road from Ar Mamadi: The Private Rebellion of Staff Sergeant Camilo Mejia"is a top pick for any community library collection focusing on current events.

Think Before You Act:
Carlos Meija moved with his mother to the USA in order to seek a better life. As often happens, this "better life" didn't exactly turn out the way things had been planned or promised. The US Military has a number of programs whereby they pay for your uni or college classes, and this attracts a lot of low-income earners, such as the author. I have never served in the military, but I know that it's the type of organisation where you do as you are told. They expect certain things of you, which includes going to war. In return for you serving in the military you get certain benefits, which can include paying for your education. You get something, they get something. Mejia took this money willingly, and signed up for the purpose of having his education paid for. Suddenly the US is at war and they're calling on him to fulfill his part of the contract. Now, he's made Staff Sergeant in about 8 years, so he's obviously not too much of a dope when it comes to doing his job in the army. When the war comes he wants out. He's prepared to take, but not to give. If everyone who "wanted out" got their wish then the world would be a mess. Sometimes you just have to do what you are told to do. Police don't have to agree with a law but they do have to enforce it. Same principle applies to soldering as far as I am concerned. Most military do as they're told, but Carlos took the system on. I don't agree with what he did, but he is a brave guy to do it. He may have seen a lot of horrible things, I think a lot of soldiers over the years in all kinds of wars would have. He may have felt bad about what was going on, as a lot of soldiers over the years would have, but he had a job to do and did it for a short time, until he had the chance to get out. If I'd been there I like to think I would have stayed to do my job, like it or not. I think it's a good book, a lot of explanations are given for the things he says and does, but it's all very left wing to me. Even the publisher notes in the back give this indication. If that's the way you think, then maybe the military is not for you.