NEWS: Please, Shoot Me Now: Iraq Soldier Hires Hitman...for Himself

CULTURE: Please, Shoot Me Now: Iraq Soldier Hires Hitman...for Himself

20-year-old Jonathan Aponte, an American soldier who has already completed one traumatizing tour of duty in Iraq, was so disturbed by the experience that he hired a hitman to shoot him.

He didn't want to die—he just wanted to be wounded so that he could avoid redeployment. Now he and his wife, who hooked him up with the hitman, are facing charges of conspiracy and filing a false report.

Aponte, who paid $500 to be shot under a bridge on the day he was to be redeployed, smoked a cigarette and closed his eyes before the gun was fired. He says he'd rather go to prison than back to Iraq.

Soon the military will evaluate Aponte to determine whether he's fit for duty and can be sent back to Iraq, needs counseling before being redeployed, or should be given some kind of discharge.

An evaluation? They actually need to evaluate him? He should not go back to Iraq, period. It's that easy.

I say give him a dishonorable discharge, maybe more.

That's awful, he should be given the freedom he deserves.

But I can help but think that it would have been much easier for him to just say he was gay; kissing a few guys is surely better than getting shot. Or he could have copied Corporal Klinger and started crossdressing. Poor guy...

Post traumatic stress disorder should be enough of a reason for the military to discharge a person.

Why did he enlist in the army in first place was he unaware of the job of a soldier.He should be put in the brig sending him to Iraq now would be a burden to the army.Its not like he is afraid to take a bullet.

Why am I not suprised that the same side that jumps on the left for "not supporting our troops!!!!11" is the first to tear into this troop with "lock him up and throw away the key!!!!11"

No this man has shown that he is completely worthless to the united states army and to our country as a soldier. I think he deserves a government paid vacation to fort Leavenworth Military prison, where for the next ten years his anus will quadruple in size. I have no pity for soldiers who cannot do their jobs, especially when guys get their legs blown off and try to join up again with a prosthetic. He should have just done his time and left.

He paid someone to damage goverment property (himself). The only true support of the troops is to support the mission. Its like saying you support the police but you dont want them to enforce the law.

Self inflicted wounds to get out of military service are nothing new. It's an old dodge. When you join the military, you don't get to pick and choose where and what you do. That's not how armies work. If he does in fact have PTSD that's another matter, but this is hardly proof of it. I think the sympathizers and the lock-him-awayers are kind of jumping the gun as the article is rather lacking in details. If he wasn't suffering from any major problems, then I agree, Fuck him, he belongs in a military prison. If he is, then he should be given whatever help he can be given on the taxpayers' tab.

Ridiculous. If the sentiment the Right wanted to express was "Support the mission," they should have made the buzzword "Support the mission." Instead, they deliberately chose a phrasing - "Support the troops" - intended to convey the idea that they valued the lives and well-being of American soldiers more than anti-war types. But of course, as the Walter Reed scandal, the Bush adminstration's consecutive budget and health care cuts for veterans, and their knee-jerk condemnation of Jonathon Aponte here all bear out, it was never about supporting the troops, it was and is about supporting the specific agenda of the neocon regmine.

I can't blame him, it sucks over there. I know. He's just a little extreme.

and yet none of this "info" is in the mind of a young blood signing up to do some good for an ideal....

thank god

or we wouldn't be able to point out these little factoids, and opins so easily

my .2 cents


now charge that fucking hill!

support the troops was a slogan that has been aroud since the first gulf war dont you remember all the yellow ribbons..WE did not become the greatest counrty in the world because of anti-war type did we.One building on the whole entire campus of walter reed was in disrepair and that was turned into a talking point by the left to attack the administration when the officers in charge of the hospital were at fault. I recieve outstanding care at the VA when i need it and its free.

1940s Germany shared the same type of nationalism as you.

The ultimate responsibility lies with the President. The DoD and the VA fall under the executive branch. Who is the elected official who runs the executive branch? That's right, the President. Do I really have to explain this further? (To alpha22, probably yes. You fail at American democracy. )

Furthermore, don't wave your supposed military service in our faces to hide your ignorance. I am a 8+ year active duty military veteran and I'm calling bullshit on the hiding behind the "Support our Troops" slogan. Your arguments are devoid of logic.

You should really stop digging yourself into holes here.

How have you served our country, Student/Lazy Bum? Please prove me ignorant here.

I'd actually disagree, in my eyes that's one of the best parts of the US. That kind of spirit.

i was active duty from 88-96 and i dont give a fuck what you think . Trying to bully me into thinking that you are right and iam wrong. Iam not a BRAINWASHED LIBERAL that thinks a two term president and people that beleive in him are wrong . I watch as the last two term president would rather get his dick sucked then protect the country.Then send SANDY BERGER to STEAL CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS TO COVER HIS ASS. the saddest thing is when he let reno KILL all those people in WACO. So dont lecture we with your bullshit

That is not what this article is about, no one cares about your misguided ramblings. All I see is a bunch of Clinton bashing, how does that make the current administration correct. I am extremely nationalist, I think that I should defend my country and my family and sometimes that means not starting a war in the first place. You should of spent your time in the military wisely and got an education.

You are right...BRAVO ZULU for serving now and i admire your MOS that got to be tough. I did use my time wisely and got to live in Hawaii for three years and already used my gi bill. But i also had Clinton as my CIC and it ruffles my feathers the bullshit he did. Being in the servce when HW Bush was great good moral then there was a down turn when Clinton took over.

Where's Joseph Heller when you need him?

I think bringing up Clinton ought to be grounds for a Godwin at this point.

I'm with MrStitches for right now. More details are certainly needed. I cannot imagine being at the point of having to make a decision like that, though.

Thats why i tried not to use his name

He joined the military thinking he was going to be doing WHAT exactly?