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Iraq
First (only) U.S. Army Officer (Lt.) Refuses To Deploy To Iraq
2006-06-07
As thousands of Fort Lewis Army troops prepare to head back to Iraq, one of their officers is making a stand. A lieutenant says he is going to refuse to go, saying it's an unjust war. Anti-war groups are rallying to his defense.

Lt. Ehren Watada of the Stryker Brigade writes, "I refuse to be silent any longer. I refuse to watch families torn apart, while the President tells us to ‘stay the course.’ I refuse to be party to an illegal and immoral war against people who did nothing to deserve our aggression. "I wanted to be there for my fellow troops. But the best way was not to help drop artillery and cause more death and destruction. It is to help oppose this war and end it so that all soldiers can come home." - signed LT.

His name had been kept a secret until now, but Lt. Watada's father confirms that his son is taking this bold step and told the Honolulu Advertiser newspaper that he's proud of his son.
Posted by:Anonymoose

#24  shoot him!
Posted by: long hair republican   2006-06-07 22:11  

#23  "Ehren Watada"

Amish, no doubt....
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut   2006-06-07 22:02  

#22  Either I'm getting crazier, or joe's getting saner, I actually understood that.
Posted by: Redneck Jim   2006-06-07 22:00  

#21  And iff my memories of the MASH TV Show is correct, not even HAWKEYE's numerous, famous,
"Liberal" anti-War Rationalist Humanist intellectual-comical quips saved or prevented him from doing what soldiers wid guns pointing at him told him to do.
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2006-06-07 21:37  

#20  In my day, all recruits andor officer candidates the needs of the Army, the Armed Services [including Coast Guard], USDOD and the United States of America come first. Its the same or predomin the same for US Merchant Marine officers. GOOD FENCES = GOOD NEIGHBORS > PEACE THRU STRENGTH > PROTECT THE PEACE BY PREPARING FOR WAR = WILLING TO FIGHT SAID WAR. Gotta wonder whether he's willing to risk the women in his family become one of 72 Virgins - eeerrrr, RAISINS??? What is he gonna do when he realizes America's enemy(s) will still kill him and his own and his country no matter how ALAN ALDA-esque, no matter how many concessions or how reasonable or compromising or non-threatening, etc. he is???
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2006-06-07 21:30  

#19  I'd think a prison on the Aleutians with minimal blankets? Hey! He's a pacific islander..should feel at home
Posted by: Frank G   2006-06-07 21:26  

#18  Technically speaking, Leavenworth is the civilian prison, both federal and state. Fort Leavenworth, on the north side of the town and on the west side of the Missouri River, is the military installation where the United States Disciplinary Barracks [USDB] is located. Inmates go through a lengthy classification process and are assigned to facilities accordingly, though, if convicted, this dude will be segregated from the general population till the standard appeals process is completed. He could end up on the grounds detail, in the plant nursery, the upholstery shop, the barber shop,... Trustees can even work in the community at the local auto dealership service department or even KFC among many opportunities. There has been talk of closing the military prison and just shipping the inmates to the federal system. However, their life expectancy and health will not be optimal given the quality of ‘careÂ’ they currently enjoy. YouÂ’re not going to find Â’gangsÂ’ running floors at the USDB. And unlike untrained reservists, the guards at the USDB are professional. So much so, that their credentials of training make them recruiting targets of most state and local detention operations.
Posted by: Uleng Sheth5937   2006-06-07 21:04  

#17  The liberals are already prompting up this asshole. Cue Cindy Shithan, all the Hollywierd celebs, Feingold, etc.

Since there is no draft and he volunteered, there should be no such thing as conscientious objector.

Does Leavenworth have a nice ping-pong table?
Posted by: Captain America   2006-06-07 20:27  

#16  The more I learn about him the more I smell a rat. First off he signed up AFTER we invaded Iraq, second dear old Dad is a Vietnam War protester, and that makes me feel like he was a plant. If the Army can prove he planned this all along, then they can (and should) HANG him for muntiny.
Posted by: Cyber Sarge   2006-06-07 19:11  

#15  p*ssy.
Posted by: Broadhead6   2006-06-07 17:32  

#14  If he's a lieutenant, how much family will he have? Besides his proud papa, I mean.
Posted by: trailing wife   2006-06-07 15:37  

#13  Until he leaves the service you can bet that every day will be a living (subtle) hell for him. OUr guys know how to fix problems without leaving a trace.....there will most likely be mass quantities of under-inflated tires on a car that suddenly develops extremely poor gas mileage, his family will also suffer ostracism; in other words: he's Phuqued. and that's before the Courts-Martial.
Posted by: USN, ret.   2006-06-07 14:45  

#12  This guy has it all worked out. My guess is the Army will give him a dishonarble discharge rather than punish him as they should. He might do some time but not much. When its over he will write a book telling how brave he is and it'll be the toast of the left going into the 2008 elections he'll be a minor celebrity.

After that he'll be long forgotten.
Posted by: rjschwarz   2006-06-07 12:08  

#11  What was the final disposition of the case of the sailor who refused to embark in San Diego about a year ago?

Pedro or Pablo something, IIRC. I'm too lazy to go look. I do remember the irony that the ship he refused to board was sent to do relief work after the tsunami in Aceh. Curse that Evil Bushmongering War Machine!
Posted by: SteveS   2006-06-07 11:41  

#10  But then what troops would follow him in combat of patrol?

I'd follow SARGE. REAL CLOSE(FRAG)
Posted by: ARMYGUY   2006-06-07 11:02  

#9  What was the final disposition of the case of the sailor who refused to embark in San Diego about a year ago? Name was Perogin or something? That's the only other similar incident I'm aware of.
Posted by: flyover   2006-06-07 11:00  

#8  I am with tu on this, call him out and send him to Afghanistan. But then what troops would follow him in combat of patrol? For those that have served can you imagine your reaction to a Lt that refused a deployment? If they need a fire squad there would not be a shortage of volunteers.
Posted by: Cyber Sarge   2006-06-07 10:53  

#7  not against all wars, just this one?

Whatta dumbass! He might have had a chance if he claimed he was against all wars. No conscientious objector status for you!
Posted by: GORT   2006-06-07 10:51  

#6  "Welcome to Kansas! I'm your chief Guard, Lance Corporal Magilla..."
Posted by: mojo   2006-06-07 10:35  

#5  This LT is in for a shock. The Army HAS to make an example of him. Decisions about what wars to fight are a bit above his pay grade.

But - once he is openly "wobbly", there is no way to send him on involuntarily - because no one will trust him to fulfill his duty when crunch time comes.

So - he is looking at charges for (best case) insubordination) or (worst case) desertion or mutiny. Hard time, then dismissal - probably with Less Than Honorable discharge.

Unless - he secures reassignment to the Afghan theater - through some "give the kid a second chance" miracle.

He just better be glad that GEN Patton's not around any more!
Posted by: Lone Ranger   2006-06-07 10:16  

#4  Lt. Watada asked for reassignment and tried resigning his commission, but the Army refused. His attorney tells us from Hawaii that Watada is not against all wars, just this one.

So his beef's with Iraq supposedly? Call him on it. Tell him he's going to Afghanistan instead.
Let's see what happens then.
Also, a little research indicates proud papa is an escapee from the Age of Aquarius, so who knows what he's been putting in his head.
Posted by: tu3031   2006-06-07 10:13  

#3  Deserter.

Do they still hang deserters?
Posted by: Rob Crawford   2006-06-07 09:54  

#2  
One word: COWARD!

-M
Posted by: Manolo   2006-06-07 09:39  

#1  Seems to have missed the incident when a military doctor refused orders in Gulf War I. She spent time in the United States Disciplinary Barrack, Fort Leavenworth. Had her sentence commuted by Pres. Clinton. However, she has a federal felony conviction on her record. Jobs are not quite as lucrative with that kind of information on your resume.

All members of the armed forces are volunteers. The wordings of the current oath for commissioned officers is as follows:

"I, _____ (SSAN), having been appointed an officer in the Army of the United States, as indicated above in the grade of _____ do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign or domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservations or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which I am about to enter; So help me God."

Posted by: Uleng Sheth5937   2006-06-07 09:38  

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