in it he wrote -- james branum?> i think when we have to respect the profound sincerity and depth of what he is saying there. he is speaking as someone who is seen firsthand what the american machine is about. he is responding from a very visceral place. one can't help but be moved by that. the challenge here was there were no good options -- at least that he understood, and he likely understood. even of yet applied for conscientious objector status, that would not get him out of that deployment. he was still be there. the only thing the radiation says that would change the situation is he would not be required to carry a gun and be given duties that conflict as little as possible with his believes. the problem in this situation is that when you are in a forward operating position like this, when you're on deployment, not having a gun is pretty much a death sentence. you are in an incredibly vulnerable position and your entire unit is made vulnerable by you. even if yet exercised his rights in this situation, there