Public Inaction Dismays Watada

Team Infidel

Forum Spin Doctor
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
January 13, 2007
Officer faces court-martial for refusing Iraq deployment
By Paul Nyhan, P-I Reporter
Less than a month before his court-martial begins, Army 1st Lt. Ehren Watada turned to the public Friday, urging it to get involved in the discussion about the Iraq war.
Seven months ago, Watada made headlines when he refused to deploy to Iraq with a Fort Lewis-based Stryker Brigade, saying the war was illegal. His decision drew the attention of the anti-war movement, and eventually charges for conduct unbecoming an officer and missing a troop movement.
On Friday, Watada continued to talk, wondering about the lack of public outrage over the nearly four-year-old war.
"Could it be that ... many people don't care about the illegality of this war?" Watada asked students and others who packed a hall at Seattle Central Community College. "It is my belief that the American people have relinquished their responsibility."
He also blamed elected officials.
Watada, 28, said initial reasons offered to justify the Iraq war -- the presence of weapons of mass destruction and Iraq's purported ties to terrorists -- turned out to be unsubstantiated.
"We have all been deceived," Watada told the audience. The "American people have the power to end this war."
Officials at Fort Lewis were unavailable for comment Friday.
Watada compared the Iraqi engagement to the Vietnam War. "The arguments used against me are the same ones they used 30 years ago," Watada said. "Vietnam is now Iraq."
Watada's public stance and looming trial have spurred Seattle-area students and others to rally outside Fort Lewis and call for student walkouts Feb. 5, the day his court-martial is scheduled to begin.
Even though the Democratically controlled Congress is questioning the war and President Bush's plan to deploy more troops, Watada doesn't expect the shift to play a role in his case. Watada could face up to six years in prison if found guilty of one count of missing a troop movement and four counts of disobeying an order.
"No, I don't think it will have any bearing on my case," Watada said. "Knowing you will probably lose is no excuse not to take a course of action."
 
wah wah wah wah

Traitor and coward... sorry but I dont speak his language, can't understand a :cen:ing thing he said.
 
As I said before.... 1st Lieutenants in the United States Army do not have the power to declare an entire War to be Illegal.
The United States Army is funny like that.
The U.S. Army is a very strange place, where 1st Lieutenants are viewed as low level management, instead of being on par with a United States Supreme Court Justice.
I still believe that the Military Court will uphold the view that the Iraq War is legal, so I'm guessing he is SOL.

As for the rest of his rant, well....
"It is my belief that the American people have relinquished their responsibility."

The United States of America still holds elections all the time, perhaps Lieutenant Watada missed the last one, although I cannot see how, it was all over the news, because Federal Power shifted from one Party to the other.
"We have all been deceived,"

That happens from time to time, 1st Lieutenants do not get to rewrite US Military Law to suit their own needs because of it.
"American people have the power to end this war."
And the American people will have a shot in less than 2 years at the next Federal Election.
"The arguments used against me are the same ones they used 30 years ago,"
Military Law is not known for changing a whole lot, goes back to the old adage of "don't fix what's not broken".
Funny how Lieutenant Watada did not know all this beforehand, he must not be the sharpest knife in the drawer.
"Vietnam is now Iraq."
Checking my handy map, Vietnam is still Vietnam, and Iraq is still Iraq. The Iraq War can be said to be Vietnam-like, but the more Wars change the.... well, the more they stay the same.
Cassius Clay went to jail for not going to Vietnam when asked, he did his time, and moved on. Seems Lieutenant Watada just does not wish to be responsible for his own actions, seems Lieutenant Watada wants a free pass.
"Knowing you will probably lose is no excuse not to take a course of action."
And knowing you can be killed in a War you do not personally believe in is no excuse for not showing up for Duty when one is in the United States Military, but Lieutenant Watada may see things differently.

In short, the Court will look at the facts.... was Lieutenant Watada legally ordered to deploy? And if so.... did Lieutenant Watada deploy as ordered?

I remember when Clinton was President and a Soldier serving with the United Nations was ordered to don his blue beret, and he refused. There was a small stink in Congress, as it was political, just a few Republicans wishing to make the President look bad, but in the end the Soldier was cut lose because he failed to follow an order, and yes, even though he did not agree with the order in question.
The US Military is funny like that.... orders are given, and orders are followed, or people get into trouble.
Makes me wonder what someone out of the same mold as General Patton would do to someone like Lieutenant Watada?
I doubt Lieutenant Watada would want to find out any time soon.
 
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My response:
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