Posted on 08/20/2006 7:12:11 AM PDT by Valin
SEATTLE - An Army officer who refused to serve in Iraq because he believes the war is illegal was steadfast in his resolve ahead of a military court hearing, saying the decision was "my obligation to this country."
"I made this decision a long time ago," Watada said during a telephone interview. "It is my obligation to this country. I‘m not happy about it and I didn‘t want to do it, but I had to."
His lawyer, Eric Seitz, said he has lined up two witnesses to support the soldier‘s claim that the war violated domestic and international law: University of Illinois professor Francis Boyle, an international law expert, and Denis Halliday, a former United Nations assistant secretary-general.
"You don‘t join the military just to blindly follow whatever orders you‘re given," he said. "An order to go to an unlawful and immoral war based on false pretenses is no different than to kill innocent civilians."
....aimed at the bridge of his nose.
"An order to go to an unlawful and immoral war based on false pretenses is no different than to kill innocent civilians."
Gotta throw in the moonbat talking points.
If you think that is your call to make, you have no business in the military. Whatever they do to this scumbag mole it too good.
I'm watching Band of Brothers right now on the History Channel. I can only imagine this guy's fate if he pulled this crap back then.
Seattle Washington......
I want that dolt bagging groceries, cutting - splitting and delivering firewood, refinishing wooden furniture, mowing lawns and shoveling snow for all the Fort's residents getting a dime a day, at Fort Leavenworth for a long loooonn looooooooooooooong time. Methuselah Time length would work.
"you don't join the military just to blindly follow whatever orders you're given"
Ahhh.....yeah....you do.
This guy is getting used. His lawyer is working overtime to get him a maximum sentence.
Arguements about the legality of the war aren't going to go anywhere, and his lawyer knows it. Congress could end the war tomorrow if they wanted to, and the Courts all know it. Even the 9th has never made any findings to suggest the war is illegal - so does the lawyer think a military court will?
NO! He knows it won't - but he is less concerned with his client than with getting headlines.
And then there is this:
"There, Watada voiced what he called "a radical idea. It is one born from the very concept of the American soldier. It became instrumental in ending the Vietnam War -- but it has been long since forgotten. The idea is this: that to stop an illegal and unjust war, the soldiers can choose to stop fighting it."
Watada spoke of the "wholesale slaughter" of Iraqis and said he did not want to be a party to war crimes by serving there."
Apart from the Lt's incredible ignorance of history, there is absolutely no doubt that he is actively encouraging other soldiers to disobey orders - orders that every court to date have held to be legal.
"Boyle, who said he studied at Harvard under the man who wrote the Army field manual concerning land wars, said the war constitutes "a war against peace" because the U.N. Security Council did not authorize it."
Again, this is testimony that can only get the LT in DEEPER trouble with a military court.
My prediction? The LT gets nailed for a near maximum term, and the lawyer goes around getting even more money by giving speeches about how the LT got screwed. The difference is that the LT will actually be serving time while the lawyer cries crocidile tears.
It is as though the LT doesn't understand that this isn't a game, and that the ending won't be a triumphant return to Hawaii.
What an IDIOT!
But a useful idiot to the anti-war movement.
Talk about a prison sentence for Watada is a bit premature.
The traditional penalty for cowardice is being hung with a placard around the neck advising the public that the individual declined to defend American women and children.
A prison sentence is totally too lenient, considering the facts of the case.
There is something called contract law. He signed a contract. There is another thing called an Article 15 Discharge. Just strip him of his rank and kick him to the curb. Spare us the noise.
For what it's worth
6,000 men ended up in prison during WWII for refusing to register for the draft.
My prediction? The LT gets nailed for a near maximum term, and the lawyer goes around getting even more money by giving speeches about how the LT got screwed.
Could not agree more.
I filed this man under "Unclear on the Concept" and moved on.
What does he think war is? Playing post-office with the enemy?
Nope. As Rush says....it's to kill the enemy and break things.
Thank God this moral coward is not deployed in our war theaters any more. He's going to have many years in the brig to read about real men in our nation's history who bequeathed the freedom to him to be a holier/smarter-than-thou elitist jerkoff.
Leni
"His lawyer, Eric Seitz, said he has lined up two witnesses to support the soldier‘s claim that the war violated domestic and international law"
I want to see them prove this one!
IF he had gone to his commander and said, "I understand the war is legal, but I believe it is immoral and I cannot go. I will plead guilty to any charges and accept my punishment.", I would agree with you.
However, he has gone around giving speeches, like ""There, Watada voiced what he called "a radical idea. It is one born from the very concept of the American soldier. It became instrumental in ending the Vietnam War -- but it has been long since forgotten. The idea is this: that to stop an illegal and unjust war, the soldiers can choose to stop fighting it."
Watada spoke of the "wholesale slaughter" of Iraqis and said he did not want to be a party to war crimes by serving there."
He not only is guilty, but there is nothing he could do to make himself any guiltier. Therefor, I'd give him a maximum sentence. And my guess is that a military court will think along the same lines.
And once he is in prison, his 'friends' in the 'peace' movement will forget him and Move On to the next cause. I think he is going to be a VERY lonely prisoner...
Then you should never have taken the oath:
I swear to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic. I also swear that I will obey the orders of the Commander IN Chief and those appointed over me by the authority of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.
There ya go. I love it when some dingbat makes a statement like "...not having to blindly follow orders...". You bet you do, sorry, that's life.
****"An order to go to an unlawful and immoral war based on false pretenses is no different than to kill innocent civilians."***
Yep, Watada has a point. Coffee Anus said the war was illegal.
In hindsight I guess we should have waited for the Foreign Minister of Toga to give the go ahead. 
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