Military injustice (LA Times editorial)

Los Angeles Times ^ | January 8, 2007 | Editorial

[jazusamo]

Army prosecutors are going too far in trying to conscript reporters to boost their case in a soldier's court-martial.

January 8, 2007

ARMY 1ST LT. EHREN WATADA may or may not have a good claim for conscientious objector status. It makes sense for the Army to prosecute him for refusing orders to deploy to Iraq last June, and Watada has at best an uphill battle in defending his actions, given that he joined the military of his own free will. But Army lawyers are overreaching when they try to prosecute their case by drafting reporters.

Watada faces a court-martial next month for missing his troop movement and for his published explanations of his refusal to go. The Army has his statements, but it subpoenaed reporters to authenticate that he, in fact, said what is in print and on tape.

Portions of independent journalist Sarah Olson's interviews with Watada appeared on the website Truthout.org and were broadcast on radio stations in New York and the Bay Area. Freelance journalist Dahr Jamail had simply videotaped Watada's speech at a Veterans for Peace convention. Honolulu Star-Bulletin reporter Gregg K. Kakesako also reported Watada's story.

[jazusamo]

The LA Times has no problem with reporters writing and taping activists to further the antiwar cause but don't want them to testify in court about who made the public statements they reported on.

I was under the impression the media sought the truth.

[sgtyork]

Nope, all propaganda, all the time.

[Vn_survivor_67-68]

"But Army lawyers are overreaching when they try to prosecute their case by drafting reporters."

Such contemptuous hypocrisy.......they LOVED it when the alleged "reporter" in iraq alleged the scenes and his statements regarding a situation he was not even a witness to!

[Eagles6]

I see they have no problem with trying Marines in the press with the help of reporters. Must be that inter-service rivalry thing.