Two US military airmen seek to become conscientious objectors over Gaza war
Al Jazeera
Months after US airman Aaron Bushnell set himself on fire to protest against the war, two others are protesting.
Two active members of the United States Air Force wish to leave military service and become conscientious objectors over Washington’s support for the Israeli military in Gaza.
Larry Hebert and Juan Bettancourt say they no longer wish to serve the US military due to its role in the war, which has killed more than 37,400 Palestinians, mostly children and women.
They have officially requested, through an existing procedure in the military, to become conscientious objectors, people who refuse to participate in military service on ethical or moral grounds.
Hebert, a senior airman on active duty in the US Air Force, told Al Jazeera there is a long history of conscientious objectors from the US, including in protest against the wars in Vietnam and Iraq.
He said he hopes to highlight that becoming a conscientious objector is an option for other active-duty US soldiers.
