City Seattle P-I Calls for Release of Lt. Ehren Watada
posted by on October 5 at 9:12 AM
In a short editorial posted yesterday afternoon online:
The twists and turns of the court-martial proceedings against Fort Lewis 1st Lt. Ehren Watada continue to cause pain and division.Watada came to an easily debated but apparently sincere decision that the Iraq war was wrong, even illegal. He had one mistrial, and his attorneys are trying to block a second proceeding as violating rules against double jeopardy. But the court-martial is scheduled to begin Tuesday.
However the defense appeals turn out, we think there is a case for letting Watada leave the Army without further ado. That could be taken as a statement of higher-level confidence, a choice to focus on the larger military mission that President Bush and Gen. David Petraeus insist is making new progress. At a minimum, many of those who oppose the Iraq war would welcome the leniency for someone they view as a person of conscience.
A wise choice.
Listen, it doesn't work that way. I'm all for letting conscientious objectors out, like the guy who went to Iraq as a medic and couldn't even bring himself to load his rifle.
But soldiers have to follow orders, at least legal ones, and while he's free to disobey any illegal order he receives once he's there (and there would no doubt be many), he's gotta go. I hate this war as much as anybody else, but really, if you don't wanna participate in wars, don't sign up for the military.
i really admire watada for taking a stand. but part of that admiration is because of what that stand is costing him. because i pretty much agree with gitai above.
gitai ever heard of the un charter? it made preemptive war illegal for all signatory states unless approved by the security council.
"But soldiers have to follow orders, at least legal ones, and while he's free to disobey any illegal order he receives"
He's not just free to disobey illegal orders, he is duty-bound to disobey them. His defense basically boils down to this being an illegal war, and therefore it is his duty not to participate in it.
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