WATADA REFUSES DEPLOYMENT TODAY

[marmar]

FIRST U.S. ARMY OFFICER LT. WATADA REFUSES ILLEGAL WAR DEPLOYMENT TODAY
Submitted by davidswanson on Thu, 2006-06-22 18:51. Nonviolent Resistance
FAMILY & FRIENDS OF LT. WATADA
www.ThankYouLt.org

Ft. Lewis, WA-- First Lieutenant Ehren K. Watada refused orders today to deploy to Iraq as his Stryker Brigade began deployment. He reported to duty at 2:00 a.m. at Ft Lewis, WA, and refused orders to move to the adjacent McChord Air Force Base to prepare to fly to Iraq. Lt. Watada believes that the war and occupation in Iraq are illegal, and thus participation in the war is also illegal. Lt. Watada's attorney Eric Seitz said, "This morning Lt. Watada has been restricted to base without any actual charges or proper process. By placing a complete gag order on Lt. Watada, the military has again shown that their first concern is silencing Lt. Watada's speech in opposition to the illegal war in Iraq. We will immediately challenge these highly questionable and improper restrictions."

Lt. Watada is the first commissioned officer to publicly refuse deployment
to the war in Iraq. By refusing to participate in the on-going Iraq war
and occupation, Lt. Watada joins a growing number of high ranking military
officers, West Point graduates, and current and former members of the
armed services who have expressed their opposition to the actions of the
United States in Iraq. Lieutenant Watada's refusal comes in the wake of a
series of charges and convictions against lower ranking soldiers for
participation in war-related crimes: 9 Marines charged with premeditated
murder yesterday, charges of a massacre in Haditha, Iraq and convictions
at Abu Ghraib Prison.

The rest is at: http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/node/12240