Personally, I'd rather see the guy with the weasel sign.
Related thread: Watada court martial opens with feisty defense.
Posted on 02/06/2007 11:17:20 AM PST by RedRover
The court rejects defense witnesses who would testify about the war's legality
FORT LEWIS, Wash. — The judge in the case against the first American officer court-martialed for refusing to ship out for Iraq barred several experts in international and constitutional law from testifying yesterday about the legality of the war.
First Lieutenant Ehren Watada, 28, of Honolulu is charged with missing movement for refusing to ship out with his unit, the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division. He is also faces charges of conduct unbecoming an officer for accusing the Army of war crimes and denouncing the administration for conducting an "illegal war" founded on "lies."
As his court-martial got under way, the military judge, Lieutenant Colonel John Head, refused to allow almost all defense witnesses to take the stand. Head previously ruled that Lieutenant Watada's attorney, Eric Seitz, could not debate the legality of the Iraq war in court.
If convicted, Lieutenant Watada could receive four years in prison and a dishonorable discharge. He has requested that a military panel of officers, the equivalent of a jury, hear his case. It had not yet been selected by midday.
Outside the base, a small group that included actor Sean Penn demonstrated in support of Lieutenant Watada. A few others demonstrated against him, including one man who carried a sign calling Lieutenant Watada a "weasel."
Watada, who joined the Army in March 2003, has called the Iraq war "a horrible breach of American law" and said he has a duty to refuse illegal orders. Army prosecutors have argued that Watada's behavior was dangerous to the mission and morale of soldiers in Iraq.
"He betrayed his fellow soldiers who are now serving in Iraq," Capt. Dan Kuecker said at one hearing.
Today, prosecutors are expected to call on at least three witnesses as they try to prove that Watada's speech amounted to misconduct.
Seitz said late yesterday he would call two witnesses, Watada and a character witness, an Army captain who has known Watada for about two years. The captain has been brought back from service in Iraq to testify, the lawyer said.
Personally, I'd rather see the guy with the weasel sign.
Related thread: Watada court martial opens with feisty defense.
Note the link to jaz's earlier thread above.
This trial is about a person breaching his contract, not about the war. Judge was right.
Lets send Penn to the Muslims and see if the Penn is really mightier than the sword.
OK.....lets play along..just suppose that the war was ruled illegal. Missing ships movement, or missing deployment, is still against military regulations, punishable by reduction in paygrade, fines and possible imprisonment. guilty.
I'm seeing a Sundance Channel movie here. Maybe Susan Sarandon can play the lieutenant.
>>As his court-martial got under way, the military judge, Lieutenant Colonel John Head, refused to allow almost all defense witnesses to take the stand. Head previously ruled that Lieutenant Watada's attorney, Eric Seitz, could not debate the legality of the Iraq war in court.<<
Good judge, apparently. This is not about the war. This is abut whether or not the guy disobeyed orders, and other related charges.
The Left's favorite retired colonel, Ann Wright, was on O'Reilly last night. Her defense of Watada was incomprehensible.
I'm glad the POS didn't go to Iraq. He would be an insult to everyone who served under him. If I were king, Weasel Watada would be facing the death penalty.
You got that right, Red. Not only is this headline laughable but most of the articles in the press for the last couple weeks have been laughable. Many have tried to portray Watada as a hero standing up for his beliefs when in reality he's a soldier who has broken the oath he has taken.
He signed a contract that the Army expected him to fulfill which is why they said no when he offered to resign his commission. He's a lowlife loser, plain and simple.
Hard to believe that an officer was pulled out of Iraq, where every man counts, to testify on behalf of this turd.
Hiya, jaz! Saw your earlier thread but figured this story deserved another.
Another fake soldier?
****Full circle for the Penn family. Sean, Ehern wants to know if he can borrow your boat.
I didn't find much on a search for Dennis Kayne, although one leftwing anti-war pro-trees site came up with "listen to 'Skip for Peace' by Dennis Kayne. In their mess of a website I couldn't find it however. (Time to go wash my hands!)
I think that, maybe, Mr. Kayne is not wearing that uniform properly.
You're correct, it deserves many threads to point out the few Watada's we have had over the years don't deserve to wear the same uniform as the millions of people who have served our country honorable.
Watada and those like hime deserve to be sentenced to Leavenworth.
Tits Malone to the rescue.
I tried a short search on Dennis Kayne also and came up with the same result you did, zilch.
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