1st Lt. Ehren Watada, How can we help him NOT be court-martialed?

Education and appealing to the media.

Regardless whether or not we agree with Iraq, I believe it is important for soldiers to refuse orders they feel are illegal. If we attempt to come down on Lt. Watada for doing so then we are fostering an army similar to what the Nazis had with all the soldiers committing horrific acts and later defending themselves with the famous saying: " I was just following orders!"

We need to allow soldiers to stand up against what is illegal or highly immoral.

I, of course, understand that we can not have an army that decides for themselves what wars they want to fight, however In this case Lt. Watada is correct and we should all applaud his professionalism in reminding all of us that we are a country of morals and values that will avoid the pitfalls that other countries fell into such as North Korea, Nazi Germany, and Italy under Mussolini.

We need to take a step back and see what the real issue is and not attack someone that we on the surface we believe has different opinions then us.

I am curious what someone who would disagree with me do, as a soldier, if they knew an order they received was both illegal and highly immoral. If they would answer something like: "I would do it no matter what!" then you are just a 21st century Nazi in training. The armed forces do not want mindless officers.

Nobody can help him not get courts-martialed. Once the wheels get turning, they are near impossible to stop.

I'm kinda divided on this issue. I was in the Navy, and I knew that if they say go, you go. I knew it when I signed up, when I accepted my orders, etc. I didn't however, join during a war, but when Desert Storm happened, I knew that I would go if they said go. They did. I didn't have a choice. I didn't try to get out of what I had SIGNED UP FOR.

I'm not really worried about what happens to this one guy, other than this case will set a precedent and then our soldiers will think that they were tricked into war too. If he thinks that he is showing good character by dissenting, then he is sadly mistaken. He should do the honorable thing and do as he is told. There is no room for that kind of BS in the military. If he wants to whine about it, then he should fulfill his duty and then when he gets out he can cry all he wants to.

At this point it's a matter of survival for the troops, so at some point they probably don't really care why they are over there. That becomes unimportant when you have to watch (literally) your every step.

I can, however, see the guy's point, and understand where he's coming from. But ask ANYBODY who has served, and they will tell you that he is way out of line for even questioning the orders that he was given.

If the point of him going through all of this is to show that the gov't misled the American people into a war, then he's stupid because I think we all know that by now.

LT Watada took the following oath when he joined the Army:

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.)

Notice it says, Support and Defend....against all enemies, foreign or domestic. It does not say, "Against the enemies I chose." Too many Soldiers enter the Army now, take the oath and when the stuff hits the fan all of the sudden discover religion or that they are a consciencious objector.They don't object to the benefits of the military however. An officer is supposed to set the standard.

(Active duty for 20 years)

The LT became into tried simply by fact he ignored deployment, a criminal offense under the UCMJ. He tried to be reassigned simply by fact he's a coward. hastily he felt the conflict became into unlawful. The gutless LT became into fascinated by donning that uniform to electrify the girls and amassing his officer pay for years in the previous deployment orders have been issued yet whilst it got here right down to the incontrovertible fact that he'd relatively could guy up and bypass right into a wrestle zone, he wuzzed out, claiming he desperate it became into an unlawful conflict. He had a lot of time to be sure that, in his innovations, the conflict became into unlawful and renounce from the army. Years in fact. isn't it precise coincidental that he waited till he had deployment orders that he sought CO status at that distinctive time? Hmm. He merits a while in Levenworth finished with DD and the repercussions of dropping the cleansing soap. Oh, and he's no longer in double jeopardy. His first courtroom martial led to a mistrial, to that end permitting retrial.

What was his crime?

Oh now I see after reading the answers. If he is in the Military and refuses an order, he should be court martialed. If you do the crime, you must do the time. Military is not for fun and games and you have no right to choose which orders to obey and not to obey. Suppose all the soldiers did this, where would that leave us.

You can't help him; and regardless of what you may think about this war, you shouldn't want to. He may be "only a lieutenant," but the fact is, he is a US military officer, a senior military official and an elite among mankind (at least that's what he's supposed to be).

I don't know if his actions constitute high treason, warranting execution, but any officer guilty of desertion must be dealt with extremely harshly.

I really expected a bunch of bleeding heart answers when I clicked on this question.

I was pleasantly surprised and proud of the fact that so many of your answerers have the sense and intelligence to fully realize that this jerk VOLUNTEERED for military service and now apparently considers himself above those who have served before him. He is a disgrace to the American people and to his fellow soldiers.

He'll get no support what so ever from me.

It frightens me to think that you advocate a military where the officers feel free to obey only the orders they please.

This generally occurs in the type of countries known as: 'military dictatorships.'

BTW - if _you_ felt something was necessary, would you support anybody who refused to fight?

And why would you want to do that? The guy is guilty of missing troop movements and conduct unbecoming of an Officer. He knew this going in. He is in the Military, you butt is theirs, and he knew that to! 4 years in a federal penis NOT enough for him!

Thank you for asking this question.

Apparently, many answerers of this question have never found themselves in a situation where they signed up for something, or began something, and did not realize until later that it was wrong.

If I recall correctly, Watada has proven himself to be a soldier on the up and up by serving before without flinching. However, after what he saw on his first? tour, he decided that it was wrong and that he could not in good conscience continue to support it by engaging in it.

In no way is he saying that he is above the other soldiers. They must decide and do what they see to be right. However, I can't understand how so many so called conservatives, are screaming for court-martial because somebody finally and in an aactive manner stood up for something that they believed in.

Also, for those who are citing military law, think on this. Military law also says that those who receive orders that are wrong, who go ahead and follow them are subject to penalty. Bush and his team have acted in this war as war criminals, and though I wouldln't suggest that every soldier who chose to follow those orders should be subject to punishment,. I certainly think that nobody should be punished for refusing to obey orders that were not in good faith by the commander in chief.

This site has links to a petition to sign, and information on where to send financial donations.

http://www.thankyoult.org/