American troops stepped up the pace of their withdrawal from Iraq over the weekend, turning over garrisons and combat positions to Iraqi security forces. Armored vehicles lined up in long columns traveling towards Kuwait for shipment to other American bases around the world. Soldiers’ families rejoiced in the United States, while some Iraqis celebrated the withdrawal by burning American flags.

The Iraq War had a polarizing effect in Costa Rica. When the country ended up in the “Coalition of the Willing” list of nations that supported the controversial invasion by Allied forces in 2003, many Ticos protested President Abel Pacheco’s judgment call by staging a peaceful demonstration in Plaza de la Democracia and writing a strong letter of reproach to the Executive. Supporting a contentious invasion was not in line with the general pacifist sentiment felt by the citizenry. The country was later removed from the list after its inclusion was deemed unconstitutional.

For two Tico families, the Iraq War hit very close to home. Costa Rica’s constitutional decree against organizing an army make it unusual for Ticos to become involved in armed conflict, but the twists, turns and constraints of modern life can place anyone in harm’s way, even the traditionally peaceful Ticos.

The stories below call to mind the words of former U.S. President and Army General Dwight D. Eisenhower: “I hate war as only a soldier who has lived it can, only as one who has seen its brutality, its futility, its stupidity.”

Carlos Arredondo

As a young man growing up in Costa Rica, Carlos Arredondo remembers watching news about events he couldn’t fully comprehend. The Central American turmoil in the 1980s, the bombing of the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut, the Iran-Contra scandal, and even the American involvement in the Vietnam War. Growing up in a country without an army, young Carlos was afraid that one day the U.S. would invade Costa Rica, since it seemed to him at the time that American foreign policy consisted of invading countries with tropical climates.

Carlos left Costa Rica for the United States as a young adult in search of better economic opportunities. He settled and began raising a family. One of his American-born children, Alex, made a brave decision to join the United States Marine Corps at the tender age of 17. Carlos was initially reticent about Alex’s career choice, and he did not sign the necessary paperwork for his underage son to join. Alex’s mother, however, contributed her signature and soon Alex was on his way to boot camp in Camp Pendleton. Carlos then decided to support his son and applaud his patriotism and courage, even as he left to fight in Iraq.

On August 25th of 2004, Carlos’ birthday, he was at home in Miami while Alex’s grandmother baked a cake. Carlos wanted to get a phone call from his son in Iraq, but instead he got a knock at the door from three solemn Marines decked out in full dress blue uniform regalia. The Marines delivered some very sad news to Carlos: his son, Lance Corporal Alexander Scott Arredondo had been killed by an enemy sniper in Baghdad. The shock of the news drove Carlos to lose his mind and set fire to the vehicle the Marines arrived in, suffering severe burns to half of his body. Once he was released from the hospital, Carlos apologized for his irrational actions and avoided being charged with arson.

Carlos Arredondo wrote a heartfelt letter about his experience which was published in The Nation, a highly respected New York-based publication that features opinions from some of the world’s brightest minds. Lance Corporal Alex Scott Arredondo will forever be remembered in the Boston suburb he grew up in: the local post office in the town of Jamaica Plain is named after him. His grieving father Carlos later became strongly involved in anti-war activism.

Camilo Mejía

As the first Iraq war veteran to take a pacifist stand against the conflict, Staff Sergeant Camilo Mejía’s story is a shining example of pacifism as an article of faith. Camilo was born in Nicaragua, the son of a famous folk singer who penned songs for the Sandinista revolution. His family later settled in Costa Rica, leaving the violence in their country for a tranquil life in a new peaceful land.

In the mid-1990s, Camilo found himself studying at the University of Miami. He joined the Florida Army National Guard, taking advantage of a scholarship. His unit deployed to Iraq in 2003, and while on leave in the United States after completing a tour of duty, Camilo became a deserter and filed for conscientious objector status. The basis for his claim was that he foresaw the human rights violations that would later be known to the world as the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal.

Camilo was detained by the United States Army and indicted on serious charges. Under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, desertion in time of war could have lead to his execution. Camilo fought the charges and stood his ground, gaining the support and respect of several anti-war organizations. He was convicted at a court martial and spent one year in military prison. Amnesty International strongly denounced Camilo’s incarceration, admonishing the U.S. military and the George W. Bush administration.

Camilo’s court martial draw the attention of the international law community, since as a Costa Rican citizen Camilo could not be forced to prolong his military service to the U.S. In the end, Camilo was vindicated. Abu Ghraib and many other horrors of the Iraq war were exposed, and he received many awards for his peaceful convictions. Camilo is the author of Road from Ar Ramadi: The Private Rebellion of Sergeant Camilo Mejia.