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First US officer since Vietnam goes on trial for speaking out
The Guardian ^ | 2/3/07 | Suzanne Goldenberg

Posted on 02/02/2007 6:56:15 PM PST by TexKat

On the eve of America's invasion of Iraq, he was heartsick at the prospect that he might not be military material. He even shelled out $800 for medical tests to convince the recruiters that he was fit for duty despite childhood asthma that would ordinarily render him ineligible for service.

On Monday, that same eager recruit, now Lieutenant Ehren Watada, faces a court martial for refusing to deploy to Iraq and for making public statements against the war. He is the first officer to be prosecuted for publicly criticising the war - indeed the first since the Vietnam era when an army captain was court martialled for addressing an anti-war demonstration outside the US embassy in London. If he is convicted on all charges, Lt Watada could spend four years in a military prison.

(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: ehrenwatada; moonbat; waaaahhhh
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To: HuntsvilleTxVeteran

Hamg him.


41 posted on 02/03/2007 4:44:04 AM PST by flynmudd (Proud Navy Mom to OSSA Blalock-DDG 61)
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To: DakotaRed
As I have said all along, Watada is a coward. His parents are both war protesters, leading me to believe his 'enlistment' was an extension of their protests, designed for the notoriety it is receiving.

Whether he's a coward or not, I wouldn't know. However I do think the whole thing is a set up, he joined so that he could refuse to go, get the publicity for the militant pacifist left and so forth. In this case the rotten apple didn't fall far from the tree.

42 posted on 02/03/2007 9:20:57 AM PST by El Gato ("The Second Amendment is the RESET button of the United States Constitution." -- Doug McKay)
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To: TexKat

Instant replay - he's convicted. President Clinton grants amnesty and upgraded discharges for all those in his category. He's elected to Congress.


43 posted on 02/03/2007 12:59:51 PM PST by JDPendry
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