Posted on 06/06/2006 7:57:37 PM PDT by markomalley
SEATTLE (AP) -- An Army lieutenant in Washington state is expected to go public Wednesday with his refusal to deploy to Iraq. Attorney Eric Seitz tells Seattle's K-O-M-O Radio that Lieutenant Ehren Watada (wah-TAH'-dah) opposes the war and first asked to be re-assigned and also asked to be allowed to resign his commission.
Seitz says after both requests were denied, Watada told his superiors he wouldn't go to Iraq.
Two anti-war groups say the soldier will announce his refusal at a news conference in Tacoma.
A Fort Lewis spokeswoman had no comment.
I think he has every right to say what he wishes to say. I think his unit has every right to issue deployment orders. I think if he actually misses his unit's movement, then he has every right to a fair general court martial.
If it's true, and he refuses, he ought to be shot.
Well . . . how about a decade hard time in an Army stockade.
Harvard/Colombia/Brown/Princeton/Georgetown University will each pay him $50,000 (no exageration) to speak when he gets out of jail.
Book deals..... He's set for life now.
Unfortunately, they don't give officers wall-to-wall counseling.
Sure, give him a break. Then give him 50 years in the stockade. Or better yet, let some gold star mothers sit by his cell and read Ulysses to him.
A few years of hard labor at Levinworth is what's in store for this idiot.
Actually, he does not have the right to say whatever he wishes to say. The UCMJ is not as free speech oriented as the Constitution.
This is court martial and probably hard time in prison for a time before turning him loose with his life destroyed.
He's very young. It is astounding that he has not been well counseled. Generally Lieutenants can do no wrong because they are so young and when they make an error they are taken aside to be helped.
He has to have gone a very long distance in the wrong direction for it to reach this stage. Lts are always handled carefully because they are so young. This is as sad as ugly.
He doesn't have every right to go public, hold a press conference, and undermine his country. That kind of outrageously political behavior is not permitted to serving officers, and should be properly punished.
He can refuse to go. And be reduced in rank to Private, and serve 10 to 20 in Leavenworth. Nothing less.
Maybe there's a case to be made for "showing cowardice in the face of the enemy"... which changes things somewhat. But failing that, I'll settle for Leavenworth.
If he refuses to follow a lawful order to deploy, then he has a right to expect to be dismissed from the Army after a fairly lengthy confinement. It's the UCMJ way.
They could probably make a good Article 88 case out of this one.
You're absolutely right. I'm ex-Air Force and what this jerk is doing is beyond stupid. But that's what the leftists and the news media's saturation of negative news, seditious rantings and defense of the indefensible is attempting to foster. Constant negative saturation to scare these kids into doing things that are stupid and will ruin their lives. But, hey. They're all useful tools and will be used and discarded.
That's putting it mildly. "Not free speech oriented" indeed!
You sign away those rights when you join. I understood that when I joined as just a dumb airman. You'd think a highly educated officer would grasp such a simple fact.
I really wish they'd start making a public example out of these clowns. These cases always seem to fly under the radar.
Ugly and sad covers it. How could he think officers have the right to only serve where they choose?
Actually, enlisted soldiers are not as prohibited in their free-speech as the officers are. Article 88 specifically states "commissioned officers". Back during the Clinton years, when a General called Clinton a pot smoking draft dodger in a speech, he was forced to retire. We, as enlisted were not bound by the same Article 88 that ended this General's career.
Heck, i wouldn't put it past the leftists to send an operative to OCS just so he could refuse a movement order.
Give him a fair trial and a fast hanging.
I will believe this one doing time when I hear him sentenced.
These days a wrist slap is what they get.
Nationality?
Yellow Bellied Sap Sucker.
1. He has not, from what we've read, expressed any disrespectful speech toward anybody in his chain of command or any elected official. (Rule out Article 88)
2. He has not deserted. He is still at his post (Rule out the death penalty then)
3. He has asked to resign his commission. If he feels that he cannot serve, that is exactly what he should do. (Having said that, I hope, for his sake, that his unit is not getting ready to deploy soon)
4. He has not disobeyed any lawful orders as of yet. If he receives deployment orders and does not report, he then becomes guilty of disobeying a lawful order and missing movement. But, for him to be a deserter or AWOL, he would have to absent himself from military control.
Actually, he does not have the right to say whatever he wishes to say. The UCMJ is not as free speech oriented as the Constitution.
Back when I went through basic training, lo those many years ago, my TI had a very wise and profound statement in regards to that. He said: In the Air Force you can say whatever you want or do whatever you want...just be ready to accept the consequences of your statements or your actions. That held with me throughout my entire 21-year career.
That's why I say he has the right to say what he wishes to say. There is every indication (since he's still at his post) that he is willing to take the consequences for his actions.
I wouldn't put it past the slime balls. They don't know the definition of honor and duty. I try my best to live by it.
More like Article 85.
Desertion. Slam dunk case.
What I think of this "soldier" depends on whether he volunteered to serve, or sponged on the educational benefits of joining and then refused to deliver on his part of the bargain.
Have we (President/Congress) formally declared war, or is that another little formality our government wishes to ignore?
We're told we are at war, but why don't we declare war anymore?
He better enjoy making big rocks into little rocks.
Then again, we're at war. Hang him.
Semper Fi
He stated his intentions of violating future orders. He should be prosecuted as soon as he violates those orders.
No. He's a commissioned officer in the U.S Army. I haven't been one since '72, but I expect more of an officer, and a greater penalty for the crime alleged, if it happens.
The good news is that he won't have any responsibilities over our brave troops in the war zone.
I suspect that Lt. Watada just might realize how horrifically he dishonored the uniform one day, and that it might eat away at his conscience.
Pity.
.
Poor young fool becomes a useful idiot.
Yes, at this point you're correct. But I suspect that once he starts Cindy Sheehaning about, that he'll say something disrespectful. Remember, it sounds like he's already hooked up with two anti-war groups already.
It can't be considered unlawful. I repeat, it can NOT be considered unlawful. I see I did a good job of playing devil's advocate on 6-6-06. That lieutenant needs some good Senior NCO to pull his ear and show him the error of his ways.
Agreed, fully. Once that happens.
They followed the process they should. When he makes the announcement...and then does not show ....the Jag can tell the the AG folks to process him for Dishonorable.
That will far more damage him and his cause (and that's what he is up to with these groups...pushing for some pr).
Great minds think alike. There is however a lot to be said for two decades.
I wonder what this moron, Ehren Watada (wah-TAH'-dah) was doing in my Army in the first place.
Where's my parade?
I understand it's lovely this time of year.
In the event he does comply with his orders, and does deploy, his career is in serious jeopardy. His superiors need to keep a close rein on this kid. He screwed up more than he realizes. His new found "friends" just put a serious obstacle to his career...
You're right, of course. He will be squeezed dry by the lefties as if he were a sponge.
Those people in Tacoma (Ta-co-muh) are nuts (crazy).
I want to drink a cold beer out of the empty eye socket of Mullah Omar's skeleton. I would do that after I put his "good" eye in formaldehyde.
I don't agree with you. That will make him a martyr. His picture can be on the next series of protest posters put out by ANSWER.
And I expect the Army to publicly put his cowardly butt in jail.
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