Army Lieutenant in Hawaii Refuses to Deploy

[Guest]

SEATTLE —  An Army lieutenant who has refused to deploy to Iraq with his Fort Lewis Stryker brigade was barred by his commanders from attending a news conference Wednesday.

Instead, 1st Lt. Ehren Watada issued a videotaped statement, saying he had appealed to his commanders in his wish not to participate in the war.

"It is my duty as a commissioned officer of the United States Army to speak out against grave injustices. My moral and legal obligation is to the Constitution and not those who would issue unlawful orders," Watada said, wearing a dark suit and blue tie rather than his military uniform. An American flag served as a backdrop.

Watada is a member of the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, the Army's first Stryker Brigade Combat Team. The unit is set to begin leaving later this month for a second mission in Iraq. This would be Watada's first deployment to Iraq.

Watada scheduled the news conference here, near Fort Lewis, but was barred from attending during his duty hours from 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. PDT.

In his statement, Watada said "it is my conclusion as an officer of the armed forces that the war in Iraq is not only morally wrong but a horrible breach of American law.

"Although I have tried to resign out of protest, I will be forced to participate in a war that is manifestly illegal. As the order to take part in an illegal act is ultimately unlawful as well, I must as an officer of honor and integrity refuse that order."

He said the war violates the democratic system of checks and balances and usurps international treaties and conventions.

"The wholesale slaughter and mistreatment of the Iraqi people with only limited accountability is not only a terrible moral injustice but a contradiction to the Army's own Law of Land Warfare," Watada said.

In a letter to his command in January, Watada said he had reservations about the Iraq war and felt he could not participate, his lawyer, Eric A. Seitz, told The Associated Press in a telephone interview Tuesday from his office in Honolulu.

A couple of months later, at the Army's suggestion, Watada resubmitted his request to resign, Seitz said. He was told last month that his request had been denied.

After his workday ended, Watada told reporters he will soon submit another request to resign but he added, "I feel it is inevitable ... I will be charged and I will be punished."

He added such punishment would be "no more and no less" than the sacrifices of the soldiers serving in Iraq.

The Army said Wednesday his request was denied because Watada's current unit is in a stop-loss category, and he has not fulfilled his service obligation.

Paul Boyce, a spokesman in the Army's national public affairs office, said Tuesday that Watada is "not the first officer, not the first enlisted, nor the first soldier" to refuse deployment to Iraq. An Army fact sheet dated Sept. 21, 2005, the most recent one available, said 87 conscientious objector applications had been approved and 101 denied since January 2003.

Watada, who is opposed only to the Iraq war, did not apply for conscientious objector status. He said Wednesday evening he wouldn't object to going to Afghanistan.

Army regulations define conscientious objection as a "firm, fixed and sincere objection to participation in war in any form or the bearing of arms, because of religious training and belief."

Watada's decision to publicly declare his intent to disobey orders "is a serious matter and could subject him to adverse action," Army officials said in a statement Wednesday. "No decision regarding personnel actions involving 1st Lieutenant Watada will be made until a thorough review by his commander occurs in accordance with military law."

Watada could be court-martialed if he refuses to serve as ordered, unless the Army allows him to resign his commission or assigns him to duties that are not directly connected to the war, Seitz said.

Watada enlisted in 2003 after graduation from Hawaii Pacific University. He reported for boot camp that June and began officer candidate school two months later.

His commission requires that he serve as an active-duty Army officer for three years ending this Dec. 3, Seitz said.

"He is willing to be court-martialed and go to prison because he believes the war is illegal," Marjorie Cohn, a professor at Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego, said after Wednesday's midday news conference.

Watada's case highlights the increasing resistance to the war in Iraq, Cohn said. She contends that the only way to stop the war is to pressure Congress to cease funding for the war.

"There are many here today who come from many different religious traditions, and we oppose this war in Iraq as an unjust war. We believe that the war is wrong and misguided," said Jim Davis, a United Methodist minister and chaplain of University of Puget Sound, who also attended the news conference. "As is now abundantly clear, Americans have been misled with distorted information to gain support for a pre-emptive strike against Iraq."

Watada's decision was criticized by Rebecca Davis, co-founder of Military Families Voice of Victory.

Davis, the mother of three sons, said in an e-mailed statement that she hopes Watada is prosecuted "to the fullest extent."

"He is a coward and a traitor. His actions will only serve to get his fellow soldiers killed so that he can save himself and become famous," Davis said.

Credit: www.Foxnews.com

I'm not a military man, but i have the utmost respect for the men and women in uniform. I think this Lt. is a complete disgrace to all branches of the service, and i hope - and anticipate - that he will get the maximum sentence: 4 years in Leavenworth.

I really am besides myself. This is the highest ranking officer as of yet to refuse deployment. How could you choose to become a career military officer and then REFUSE to obey orders. Right, wrong, or indifferent - no matter on how you stand on the war - the fact is we are there and soldiers will be called on to fulfill on aspect of being in military - combat. If your not willing to engage in combat, don't sign up. Being in the military encompasses alot more than quick money for college!

Sorry for the rant, but this kind of crap really irks me

[Guest alsfirefighter]

"The wholesale slaughter and mistreatment of the Iraqi people with only limited accountability is not only a terrible moral injustice but a contradiction to the Army's own Law of Land Warfare," Watada said.

Oh OK a$$hole. Nevermind those whom are not of Iraqi dissent blowing up the Iraqi's and such. We are not in the business of wholesale slaughter unless you are one of the less then desirables. Maybe you didn't realize when you went through OCS or whatever the Army does, that when you were issued a Kevlar helmet, flak jacket and a rifle that some $hit might go down.

Relieve him of duty immediately. I could care less about what they do to him, just get him out, he will be like a cancer to the unit and the military.

[DOC22 1]

I agree 100%!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This guy may stop just short of being a damn traitor, and should be treated accordingly! I believe in his right to disagree with the war, but if that's how he feels, he shouldn't have enlisted and made a career of it!

Just my $.02

[JBE 328]

I think he has his right to be against the war, but the only thing he does is demoralizes troops that are already demoralized by either the press, or protestors. If you agree with the war or not, those troops put themselves in harms way, and should be thanked for their service. If he didn't want to go to war, maybe he could have gone into a military specialty that didn't involve being the commander of an armored vehicle. Jail term or not, I think it is safe to say that many troops will look at him as a coward.

I enlisted in the Coast Guard fifteen years ago next week, I joined with the intent of saving lives at sea, but knew full well I could have been called upon to fight, and die for my country. I spent my first two years on a warship. Or as my brother would say it was only a peg and a half on the Battleship board. But I knew what was required of me and went in with my eyes open. This guy dishonors anyone and everyone who puts on a uniform.

Edited February 7, 2007 by JBE

[Guest]

JBE, i agree he has a right to not agree with the politics, but he cannot and should not (at least thats my understanding) do it in uniform. Regardless of feelings, this is a flagrant military code violation. He held a f*cking press conference and released a video statement for crying out loud! His commanding officer has already stated he is a disgrace to the service, and i hope all fellow soldiers do the same.

The United States military has exercised an unprecedented level of restraint in conducting this war - albeit against infinite odds! Our men and women conduct themselves with a truly humbling level of professionalism and restraint. If he wants to see wholesale death, lets go to the hole in lower Manhattan, give him a lesson about nazi Germany, and why don't you throw in some of Saddam's gassing footage. While the streets of Iraq are clearly not a walk in the park, they are the farthest thing from a U.S. military orchestrated "wholesale slaughter."

Edited February 7, 2007 by 66Alpha1

[SageVigiles 1,194]

Lock 'em in Leavenworth for four years then dishonorably discharge him. What a disgrace... you volunteered to follow the orders of the President and Department of Defense. Hopefully the men he was supposed to command get a worthy officer to replace this guy. I hope our troops don't think that the majority of their leaders follow such a belief, because that could destroy morale.

[weaselff 6]

If this guy wan't such a high rank(one doesn't become a 1st Lt. by showing up at a recruiter in the Peekskill DMV building), I would be thinking he joined the military just to pull a stunt like this. I mean he produced a videotaped statement and had a legitimate press conference planned out. The military should investigate his background prior to joining the service. Was he a member of some sort of left wing anarchist or communist group that is trying to embarass the US military? I'm interested, was he a college grad OCS Lt. or did he attend West Point?

I personally have been against the Iraq war from the beginning in 2003, but nobody twisted anybodies arm to join. There is no draft, this guy made his own bed. He is a disgrace to the uniform so many of my friends and family members have worn. He has every right to complete his tour of duty and come home and join Vets for Peace or whatever and get all the publicity he wants.

[JBE 328]

As far as officers go, he isn't a high rank. He's an O-2, O-7 being a one star General. He went OCS. Looks like he wants the publicity. Just hope he realizes it's going to be used by the bad guys against our troops who are fighting.

[weaselff 6]

If this guy wan't such a high rank(one doesn't become a 1st Lt. by showing up at a recruiter in the Peekskill DMV building), I would be thinking he joined the military just to pull a stunt like this. I mean he produced a videotaped statement and had a legitimate press conference planned out. The military should investigate his background prior to joining the service. Was he a member of some sort of left wing anarchist or communist group that is trying to embarass the US military? I'm interested, was he a college grad OCS Lt. or did he attend West Point?

I personally have been against the Iraq war from the beginning in 2003, but nobody twisted anybodies arm to join. There is no draft, this guy made his own bed. He is a disgrace to the uniform so many of my friends and family members have worn. He has every right to complete his tour of duty and come home and join Vets for Peace or whatever and get all the publicity he wants.

←

Ehren K. Watada was born in Honolulu, Hawaii to Robert Watada and Carolyn Ho. Robert Watada served for ten years as executive director of Hawaii's Campaign Spending Commission and himself refused to serve in the Vietnam War.[3] Ehren Watada attended Punahou School, then transferred in his sophomore year to Kalani High School, where he played cornerback on the varsity football team.

Watada is an Eagle Scout, and was a near straight-A student, graduating from Hawaii Pacific University in 2003.[citation needed] He joined the US Army after the war in Iraq began, stating that after 9/11 he was motivated "out of a desire to protect our country." He was commissioned from the Army's Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, GA as a Second Lieutenant in the Field Artillery. Watada first duty a tour in Korea, where he was rated by his superiors as "among the best", "exemplary", and recommended for early promotion ahead of his peers. Watada then returned to the United States in June 2005 and reported to Fort Lewis to begin preparation for deployment to Iraq.[4]

-Wikipedia

This is an update on my Lt. Watada post with info from Wikipedia. Notice his Father refused to serve in the Vietnam War, and he also joined the Army after the war began. This straight A student had to be smoking crack if he thought he wasn't gonna be deployed to Iraq, in a combat unit nonetheless. Looking at his personal history, it looks like my conspiracy theory might be right. I think he had this whole publicity stunt planned out long before he joined the army. Maybe he wants to be the next John Kerry?

[20y2 43]

He's pathetic.

[JBE 328]

Oh. it gets better...

FORT LEWIS, Wash. - The judge overseeing the court-martial of an Army lieutenant who refused to deploy to Iraq declared a mistrial Wednesday, saying the soldier did not fully understand a document he signed admitting to elements of the charges.

First Lt. Ehren Watada was fighting charges of conduct unbecoming an officer and missing movement for refusing to leave last June with his unit, the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division.

How could he not fully understand the charges against him???

[Howitser 0]

Yes, military officers DO have the right to refuse what they believe to be an unlawful order, but a troop movement is not unlawful! Plus, how much is our Field Artillery actually being used in Iraq? Not much! I agree, he's a disgrace to his uniform and the trust placed in him as a commissioned officer. Guilty to the max, some time in Leavenworth & dishonorable discharge.

[AS702 0]

How could he refuse to deploy and let the guys in his unit go? Just imagine how he would feel if one of those guys dies while in the sandbox..

[weaselff 6]

Oh. it gets better...

FORT LEWIS, Wash. - The judge overseeing the court-martial of an Army lieutenant who refused to deploy to Iraq declared a mistrial Wednesday, saying the soldier did not fully understand a document he signed admitting to elements of the charges.

First Lt. Ehren Watada was fighting charges of conduct unbecoming an officer and missing movement for refusing to leave last June with his unit, the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division.

How could he not fully understand the charges against him???

←

This thread got me reading into his background a little bit. If you look at Wikipedia, it looks like his father refused to serve in Vietnam, though it isn't clear on the details. His Father was also the Hawaii state Director of Campaign Finance. So its safe to say this kid comes from a politically connected, probably liberal family. The fact that he is an educated adult who joined the army after the war started also proves this guy knew exactly what he was getting himself into. I think he is trying to be the next John Kerry, hoping his political connections can get him out of deep sh*t(it kind of looks that way already).

Do you think we'll see Senator Watada D-Hawaii soon?

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

This guy can protest the war all he wants.........after he serves the time that he VOLUNTEERED to do

regardless of weather or not i agree with him he should serve his time either in jail or on the lines of iraq with his men

if there was no political message inside his protest I would say that he had one set of b@ll$ for protesting his deployment even thought he needs to go

[Guest alsfirefighter]

JBE...I didn't know you were a puddle pirate. Funny enough I was just thinking that 14 years ago this month I was in 29 Palms, CA. Nice to see another vet speaking up.

One thing I want to point out...in the Marine Corps there is no actual non-combat "job" as far as policy goes. Every Marine is a basic rifleman. He also should have not joined period. Remember one thing....he has no rights to some degree...he signed a contract.

[Guest]

JBE...I didn't know you were a puddle pirate.  Funny enough I was just thinking that 14 years ago this month I was in 29 Palms, CA.  Nice to see another vet speaking up. 

One thing I want to point out...in the Marine Corps there is no actual non-combat "job" as far as policy goes.  Every Marine is a basic rifleman.  He also should have not joined period.  Remember one thing....he has no rights to some degree...he signed a contract.

←

not to get off into a huge discussion about Marine Corps MOS's, but I can guarantee you that the only ppl who say "every marine is a rifleman" most likly arent actually rifleman or any other infantry MOS. Just cause you qualify to be a rifleman in BT, doesnt mean that you are, know what i mean. Not for one second am i trying to knock POGs (personnel other than grunts), cause all the jobs are important and require some intense training, but coming from a rifleman background, I KNOW i can vouch for most of them when i say that it P$##ES us off when some admin. guy or motor T comes along and compares the job and says they do the same cause "every Marine is a rifleman"....i'm sorry again to get off topic a lil, but thats something that's bothered alot of grunt personnel for a long time now...i know thats not what alot of them mean when they say it, but there are some who do, and the point is, i dont go around saying i'm a Comm. guy cause in the crucible i played with a radio.....

[COMMANDCHIEF 4]

The ARMY was good enough when they were putting money in his pocket and all he had to do is take long walks in the woods and camping out all night. But the minute he is going to be used for what we have paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to train him for he finds "moral issues". He needs to get thrown through the wood chipper along with the rags in "sand land."

Enough said.

[Guest]

ALS, JBE, Command, and most everyone else - couldn't have said anything better myself. I was completely blown away by the whole mistrial thing when i heard about it at work.

Its also nice to hear servicemen themselves speak about this, i think both ALS and JBE represent the prevailing voice of those serving our country, thanks to both of you!

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Truckie...I understand what you are saying. It may piss us off, however that is "Marine Corps Doctrine" and is what is preached. And you can believe me I'm not saying it because I was one of them. Non-combat MOS's received CET every year when I was there to attempt to keep them somewhat up to date with infantry concepts. I only received MCT prior to going to comm school and to be honest many battery operated grunts believed we should go to Grunt U and have the comm school within for the comm guys. But I learned fast, keep my head down, map close and when need be "adjust fire, over."

Commandchief...nothing urks me and many of my vet friends to hear anyone whine, especially reservists, "I joined for money for college." Well you got your money and now they are getting their time.

[Guest WolfEMT]

Hey man, if you're in an ALL VOLUNTEER Army, then you knowingly joined and you damn well better ship out when ordered to do so. If you had such a moral objection to war, then you shouldn't have joined.

[RescueKujo 130]

Here is the Oath he had to swear (or affirm) to be a commissioned offiecer:

"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." (DA Form 71, 1 August 1959, for officers.)

So, as a military member he can do what the F#@K he wants when he wants?? Put him in a friggin cell with no heat in the middle of Kansas with only bread and water. He's a disgrace to the uniform and should be treated as such. F#@k him and his so called rights!!

[Guest]

Well spelt out Kujo, thanks for the actual text. As my dad - a Vietnam vet always said - the military is a monarchy, not a democracy.

[Texanm 1]

And as a veteran of the US Army i think he needs to be reminded that desertion and treason can sometimes be worth more than a few years in Levenworth.

Gradmuacaded college and cant understand the charges...WTF??

Now if he was a second LT, i could understand that....

Just kidding ....