Posted on 07/29/2009 9:31:48 PM PDT by Jet Jaguar
Army Maj. Stefan Cook sought out a notorious lawyer in February, formally volunteered for an Afghan deployment in May and was granted orders to deploy in June.
But the Army reservist’s intention appeared not so much to fight for America as to fight against President Barack Obama, in furtherance of a bizarre conspiracy theory.
In July, Cook filed a lawsuit against the Army, the defense secretary and the president, claiming that Obama could not lawfully order him to go to war because he is not the legitimate president of the United States.
Cook is one of the so-called “Birthers,” a small group of activists who subscribe to a fringe conspiracy theory alleging that Obama was not born in the United States and therefore cannot legally serve as president. The conspiracy theory, proven false by numerous media investigations as well as officials in the state of Hawaii where Obama was born, first surfaced early in the presidential campaign, but in recent months it has continued to fester on the Internet.
For a moment, at least, Cook’s lawsuit managed to revive the rumor — or at least gain his lawyer, Orly Taitz, a few more minutes of screen time on the cable news networks.
Taitz, a Russian-born dentist who got her law degree online, is the public face of the Birthers. She has been trying to get the conspiracy theory heard in court since before the election. So far, all of the lawsuits brought by the Birthers have been summarily dismissed.
And in Cook’s case, the Army refused to be baited.
Soon after Cook filed his lawsuit challenging the legitimacy of his deployment, the Army ruled that since he volunteered to go to Afghanistan, he was within his rights to change his mind. No lawsuit was needed.
In fact, said Lt. Col. Maria Quon, a spokeswoman for Army Human Resources Command, “he just had to call or e-mail.”
On July 14, the commanding general of Special Operations Command Central formally revoked Cook’s orders. Two days later, a Georgia court dismissed the case.
Lt. Col. Holly Silkman, a spokeswoman for SOCCENT, said the Army couldn’t let Cook’s critical engineer billet be hijacked by further legal wrangling. Cook was scheduled to deploy on July 15, and his position cannot sit empty.
The officer Cook was supposed to replace “is going to have to remain in Afghanistan a while longer,” Silkman said, noting the Army is seeking a replacement. “No one has been identified yet, but it is a priority fill, so we’re working on it and expect to fill it soon. Engineers are in high demand.”
Taitz, unfazed by the facts, claimed victory.
The military has shown its cards “and they have nothing to play with,” Taitz said. “By revoking the orders, it’s clear to anybody. Think reasonably: Why would the military undermine itself by revoking its orders?”
Her conclusion: The Army let Cook out of his orders because officials couldn’t prove in court that Obama was born in the United States and is therefore the legitimate commander in chief.
“That’s ridiculous,” CENTCOM spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Bill Speaks said, calling Cook’s claims “a bizarre conspiracy theory.”
“Suffice to say [that revoking the orders] is certainly not an acknowledgement or validation in any way of his claims,” Speaks said.
Taitz, who in a phone interview compared Obama to Hitler, often strayed from the merits of Cook’s case into broader political rants.
“I have one question: Why would any member of the U.S. military risk his life or take any orders . . . from someone who is refusing to prove he is the legitimate president?” Taitz said. “We can’t stand for the arrogant, obnoxious behavior of Obama. He wants to defraud the whole nation.”
Stripes requested an interview with Cook, but Taitz did not make him available before deadline.
Cook’s legal ploy drew condemnation from Brandon Friedman, vice chairman of VoteVets.org, a political action committee seeking to elect veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to public office.
“That’s not leadership. That’s not the way Maj. Cook was trained and brought up in the Army,” Friedman said. “You don’t leave a unit like that, and you certainly don’t do it because you’re trying to make a political statement.”
Ping!
So we are waiting for a soldier who is ordered to go to Southwest Asia to question the authority of Obama?
Does he see himself as being above that?
Uncovering the biggest FRAUD/SCANDAL/HOAX in world history is NOT “making a political statement.”
The man who exposes Omoslem as the CON MAN IN CHIEF, will be the greatest hero we have known in our lifetime.
Omoslem is the biggest enemy the USA has faced in 100 years. He is more dangerous to us than Hitler, because he is INSIDE our country, CONTROLLING it and DESTROYING it from within.
Hitler WISHES he had that sort of control over the USA.
And PS: Omoslem is NOT natural-born. He’s hiding something. Something big. If not, let’s see the birth certificate, my dear Communists! After we see it, we can MoveOn.org....
I wonder how admitted NAZI COLLABORATOR George Soros feels about Major Cook....
I thought soldiers made an oath to uphold The Constitution? Stars and Stripes is giving O spin.
This soldier is fighting for the very soul of his country. God Speed.
The Army just does not revoke orders, esp. in a critical field like MAJ Cook is in...and I dont think MAJ Cook is pregnant....
I think Taitz may have it right on this one....
Well, he should have read this announcement from the State of Hawaii first... :-)
http://hawaii.gov/health/about/pr/2009/09-063.pdf
“I, Dr. Chiyome Fukino, Director of the Hawai‘i State Department of Health, have seen the original vital records maintained on file by the Hawai‘i State Department of Health verifying Barack Hussein Obama was born in Hawai‘i and is a natural-born American citizen. I have nothing further to add to this statement or my original statement issued in October 2008 over eight months ago.”
Not surprised by the tone and choice of words in this article.
Had an opportunity not long ago to read the Stars and Stripes for about 16 months.
Was very surprised at how much of the writing was so liberal.
If I recall correctly it is owned and operated by a house that is known to be fairly liberal, other FReepers may know better.
Direct from the Votevets.org website. So much for Stars and Stripes objectivity.
You said — I thought soldiers made an oath to uphold The Constitution?
—
Well, if we’re talking about the three requirements for office, per the Constitution — in terms of Obama being qualified, the Constitution has been upheld...
As for the Army dropping the orders, how many single parents and families facing hardships were told, "Tough luck" when they were deployed under Bush? It does seem strange that they capitulated in this case.
You said — I mean, if he loved America, wouldn’t he want to honor the constitution?
—
In terms of the Constitution and the three requirements that it has, Obama has honored the Constitution...
http://hawaii.gov/health/about/pr/2009/09-063.pdf
“I, Dr. Chiyome Fukino, Director of the Hawai‘i State Department of Health, have seen the original vital records maintained on file by the Hawai‘i State Department of Health verifying Barack Hussein Obama was born in Hawai‘i and is a natural-born American citizen. I have nothing further to add to this statement or my original statement issued in October 2008 over eight months ago.”
A warning to other military members of how you will be treated if you contest Obama's eligibility.
I was trying to recall. Is this the one
that’s owned by Gannett? Nothing I’ve
found confirms that.
The article sure could be written by
them ... terribly biased.
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