7 Comments

Refusal to follow deployment orders may result in six-year sentance

January 4, 2007 by in Politics,Stupid with 7 Comments

Straight off of Yahoo’s Hot Zone comes thee following article concerning one Lieutenants outright stand against what he feels is an “illegal” war (Thanks Syl).

First Lt. Ehren Watada, a 28-year-old Hawaii native, is the first commissioned officer in the U.S. to publicly refuse deployment to Iraq. He announced last June his decision not to deploy on the grounds the war is illegal.

Lt. Watada was based at Fort Lewis, Washington, with the Army’s 3rd (Stryker) Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division. He has remained on base, thus avoiding charges of desertion.

He does, however, face one count of “missing troop movement” and four counts of “conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman.” If convicted, he faces up to six years in prison.

The article includes an interview including First Lieutenant Ehren Watada’s justification and thoughts concerning the war in Iraq. What are you thoughts on the matter?


  • http://klogged.wordpress.com Kyle

    There is no justification, the military isn’t a democracy. Your vote doesn’t count. Who cares what his reasons are, you join the military you do what you are told. If you don’t like that, don’t join.

  • http://www.clunkclunk.com ClunkClunk

    First things first – check your headline. It’s sentence, not sentance.

    I don’t know exactly how to respond to this, other than I support his decision to refuse orders. He appears to be willing to accept the consequences, and is standing by his personal views on the matter, despite the charges he is facing. I commend the man for not whining about the punishment he may face, and also not eroding his stance.

    However, I do think his judgement was very questionable when he joined in March of 2003, when the Iraq war was well underway, and it was clear to many that it was a war of false pretenses.

  • emory

    @CluckClunk:… ditto

  • Matt W

    This sound like something that would have happened during the Clinton “Queen Beret” era.

    Just another publicity stunt at the cost of his own freedom IMHO.

    Did he REALLY think that when he joined, that he wouldn’t be deployed eventually. Every friend of mine with military ties has served at least once if not multiple times during the last several years, regardless of rank or role. He’s not a friggin politician, he signed up to be a soldier and is a disgrace to each and every American soldier that has died serving this country. He deserves what he has coming.

  • JJ

    When invading some other country actually is described to be legal…

  • Jerry

    Publicity stunt………….

  • Jimbo

    If he’s willing to serve his sentence… I say he should serve it in a jail in Iraq! After serving his sentence he should be forced to live in another country since he apparently doesn’t want to support the laws of this one.

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