NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A U.S. Army soldier wants to leave the military service as a conscientious objector based on his beliefs as a Muslim, but he’s concerned he may be deployed to Afghanistan anyway.
Pfc. Naser Abdo, a 20-year-old infantryman assigned to the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Ky., said Monday that if the military orders him to deploy, he will refuse to go despite the fact that it may result in a military charge against him.
Rick Rzepka, a Fort Campbell spokesman, said Abdo’s deployment has been deferred, but the military could deploy him while a decision was being made on his request.
Abdo said when he joined the Army more than a year ago, he initially felt he could be a soldier and a Muslim at the same time. But he said he now believes Islamic standards would prohibit his service in the U.S. Army in any war.