War deserter released from U.S. prison

[StarfarerBill]

By CBC News

An American soldier who had been serving time in a U.S. military prison for desertion — and who was granted an early release on Saturday — said he stands by his decision to oppose the war in Iraq and wants to return to Canada.

"If I had to do it again I would, because I'm not killing innocent people," Cliff Cornell told CBC News on the phone from Fayetteville, N.C. "I still stand behind my decision 100 per cent.

"I am going to spend a few months with my family and then try to head back to Canada. I have friends up there and a whole community for me to come back to," he said.

Cornell, who held the rank of specialist, pleaded guilty to desertion last April and was sentenced to one year behind bars at a prison at the U.S. Marine Corps base at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

"Prison was rough," he said.

More:
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/01/16/cliff-cornell.html