Deterring Desertions in the Desert

The Guardian reports that the Marine Corps is spending out taxes to chase down and arrest men who deserted during the Vietnam War - more than 30 of them in the last couple years. Of course, this isn't just sticking it to men who committed crimes forty years ago:

Legal observers said the new drive to hunt down Vietnam deserters is designed as a deterrent for soldiers being sent to Iraq. "They're really hardcore about this," Ms Abney [the daughter of a recently-arrested deserter] said. "I think there have been a lot of these young guys now trying to get refuge in Canada, and they decided they were going to set an example."