Stand up and be Counted

Article published: Friday, November 6th 2009

Lance Corporal Joe Glenton is facing a court martial for desertion. Earlier this year he refused to return to Afghanistan where he had served in the Royal Logistics Corps, on the grounds that the army was “bringing death and devastation” to the country. MULE spoke to Clare Glenton about her husband’s motivation and future plans.

Joe Glenton was the first soldier to speak out against the Afghan war and now faces up to two years in prison. In a letter to the Prime Minister he stated his belief that “the war in Afghanistan is not reducing the terrorist risk” and that he and his fellow soldiers had become tools of American foreign policy. He has since been gagged by the MOD.

Q What do you think the outcome of the court martial will be?

It’s difficult to say, they may want to make an example out of him and we expect him to do some time. But in Joe’s eyes he will win whatever the outcome and he is prepared for anything.

Q What do you think about his decision to take a stand?

I’m 100 per cent supportive. He is an amazing person who has shown incredible strength and courage. I am very proud to be his wife.

Q Are you glad he is no longer in Afghanistan?

Of course. I am unsure of our reasons for being there and so many people are dying in all the British taxpayer’s name. All troops need to be withdrawn or at the very least, the government has to start thinking about it now.

Q How is he the rest of your family coping?

Really well, we are there for each other 100 per cent, it’s hard to be apart but we know it won’t be for long in the scheme of things.

Q Is he traumatised by his experience in Afghanistan? What has he said about conditions there?

Being on tour affects people in many different ways. Even though his experience may not have been as difficult as others’ he saw and did things that were upsetting to him and this will always be with him.

Q What has been the reaction of his friends in his regiment and other servicemen and women?

Quietly supportive. A lot agree with him but they are just lads doing their job and don’t really question anything. This is what makes Joe unique. The first of his kind. There are others who are army through and through and don’t seem to question orders and get on with the job, be it right or wrong.

Q Does he see his resistance to the war as a political act or one of compassion?

It’s a mixture of both. Having been there, he has seen the way it has affected the Afghan people and how very little their lives have improved, but he is fighting the government and questioning the legality of the war so it has a very political angle too.

Q What will he do next?

Joe plans to go to university to study International Relations or Political Science.

Q How can people support him?

By thinking about the war and what it means to them. Please send in comments to joeisinnocent@hotmail.co.uk. Stand up and be counted, most opinions are important.

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Comments

1. What a fantastic wedding photo! Am behind Joe and Clare 100%! What a brave man! I had the pleasure of meeting Joe and Clare at Trafalgar Square, at the demonstration. What a determined couple they are with huge values. Very rare with our young people of today. They will make fantastic parents! They should open a centre in their home town for young people in trouble to try and get them on the straight and narrow. I’ll volunteer to help and do what I can.

   Comment by Jenny Hearle on November 7, 2009 at 5:51 am

2. Maybe someone should have pointed out to Joe before he enlisted that the military have been in the business of ‘bringing death and devastastion’ to countries for quite a long time now. It’s certainly not a career for anyone who doesn’t want to spend their time indiscriminately killing people.

   I realise it’s often the last resort of the desperate but if no-one joins up then there’s no-one to send on these insane imperialistic missions.

   Comment by Niall on November 7, 2009 at 9:20 am

3. Niall, you’re right that he shouldn’t have signed up in the first place but people are allowed to change their mind. Nobody would sign up to the army in the first place if it wasn’t for the government lying to them, telling them that they’ll be going to Afghanistan or Iraq for a noble cause.

   Comment by Si on November 7, 2009 at 5:01 pm

4. They’re not stupid, they don’t join simply because the government ‘lied to them’, they have a decision making process of their own. Imperialism and ‘peacekeeping’ is not forced on people by evil forces outside of their control, it’s part of our ethical fabric.

   By turning against the army, and publicly at that, he’s accepting his own responsibility. Saying he shouldn’t have joined in the first place misses the point, which is that we live in a militaristic society that treats murder as a virtue. But equally saying he has no control over that decision is very simplistic and reduces him to a rag-doll, which he clearly isn’t.

   Comment by Champ Beauchamp on November 7, 2009 at 8:17 pm

5. I heard that last night he was arrested. Amongst all the assorted war porn in the media over the last few days, they seem to have kept Joe’s story very quiet indeed.

   Comment by lou on November 11, 2009 at 9:15 pm

6. I guess remembrance ceremonies have selective memories.

   Comment by Champ Beauchamp on November 11, 2009 at 9:24 pm

7. He got arrested for speaking at an anti war demo.

   Comment by TIm on November 12, 2009 at 1:13 am

8. Another way to show support is to join one of the Facebook groups:
   ‘Support Lance Corporal Joe Glenton’
   Sadly there are Facebook groups that are taking the piss, joined by people who are really shaken by his move, clearly because it makes them reflect on their own choices.

   Comment by Emo on November 13, 2009 at 1:48 pm

9. Yep, the Facebook group is here:

   http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=112372698189&ref=ts

   Comment by andyl on November 13, 2009 at 2:01 pm

The comments are closed.