Army to discharge Hawaii soldier who took stand against Iraq war

[The abyss]

Source: Honoluluadvertiser & AP & starbulletin.com/news

Posted on: Saturday, September 26, 2009

Ehren Watada's transformation from U.S. Army officer to internationally celebrated (and vilified) war resistor to private citizen is nearly complete.


First Lieutenant Watada, the first commissioned officer to publicly refuse deployment to Iraq, is being allowed to resign from the Army following a high-profile, three-year legal battle that included unsuccessful attempts by the Army to court martial him.
According to Watada's Washington-based attorney, Kenneth Kagan, the Army will grant Watada a discharge "under other than honorable conditions."

http://www.starbulletin.com/news/20090926_Watada_discharged.html


Read more: http://www.starbulletin.com/news/20090926_Watada_discharged.html

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I would suggest a moment to contemplate a true patriot.

New link added.

[virgogal]

1. Why on earth did he enlist in the army anyway? I never get it

and probabably never will.

[Bonobo]

3. Yeah, you will probably never get it, I agree. nt

[yodermon]

7. To defend America in a legal way.

[armyowalgreens]

11. It should be fairly obvious to anyone paying attention that the military is not defending America.

And the actions taken by the military are rarely ever legal.

[KamaAina]

2. Thank You Lt.!

it appears that Lt. Watada's page at that address is gone. :shrug:

[The abyss]

4. Thanks! New link to story

It appears to be raining on the internet butterfly somewhere in Napal

[Mist]

5. My respect for Ehren Watada is boundless. A true patriot indeed, and moral human being. nt

[Peace Patriot]

6. "...a discharge 'under other than honorable conditions.'"?? I'm glad he's finally free,

but that designation is disgraceful for one of the few officers in the military with the courage to object to the disgraceful, unjust, genocidal, thieving war on Iraq!

This man should be getting a Congressional Medal of Honor. There is no greater courage and no greater service to your country that to refuse to kill innocent people in an unjust war, especially if you are in a position to incur dire consequences for your act of moral courage.

Lt. Watada, you are a very great hero!

:applause: :bounce: :patriot: :bounce: :applause:

[Downwinder]

8. +

[malmapus]

9. I had the honor to shake his hand

At a rally outside Ft. Lewis back in '06. Glad things turned out OK for him.

[silver10]

10. A true patriot

What he did took unbelievable strength, courage, and character. I'm sure there are many, many soldiers who feel the way he does. But his battle in life is not at all over. I hope he will be able to live a normal life, be able to get employment and not be further hurt by the war-money machine, i.e. much of the U.S. government and the corporations who run the country.

[pasto76]

12. good news

been a fna of his for a while. Definite courage. Definitely a patriot. Unfortunate that the army has lost a good officer.

SGT PASTO

[The abyss]

13. May the name Ehren Watada be written large upon the hall of truth.

Hugh Thompson, please rest in peace.

Witness this: your spirit is free.

[Big_Mike]

14. I still think he should never have volunteered to be an officer

as the oath states:

"I, _____ (SSAN), having been appointed an officer in the Army of the United States, as indicated above in the grade of _____ do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign or domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservations or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which I am about to enter; So help me God." (DA Form 71, 1 August 1959, for officers.)

The part I object to is the "without any mental reservations" since it appears he did in fact have more than a couple. He agreed to lead, and when called upon to do so, failed utterly in that regard.

If he had been drafted, such as could happen to a doctor or other professional pressed into service, I my view would be significantly different. I simply think he enlisted and became an officer as a political stunt.

He beat the court-martial because the prosecutors were stupid. He did miss movement. He did act in a manner unbecoming for an officer.

Happily, this affair is now over and I don't have to hear about him, except when he begins his inevitable run for office.


Edited for hitting Post instead of Preview and adding a missing piece.