US soldier seeks asylum in Germany over Iraq

A U.S. Army soldier says he is seeking asylum in Germany nearly a year-and-a-half after deserting his unit because he objects to the war in Iraq. Spc. Andre Shepherd says he deserted his unit in April 2007 after returning from a six-month deployment in Iraq. The 31-year-old from Cleveland, Ohio, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that he has been staying with friends in southern Germany and supporting himself working odd jobs and hopes the German government will approve his request for asylum because of its opposition to the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. The U.S. military confirmed that Shepherd had deserted.