Truth has consequences for soldier of conscience
It is a sad day in American jurisprudence when a soldier of conscience is court-martialed not for lying but for telling the truth, not for breaking a covenant with the military but for upholding the rule of law in wartime.
Army 1st Lt. Ehren K. Watada was out of uniform on leave over a year ago when he delivered a moving address to a Veterans for Peace convention.
1st Lt. Ehren Watada at the 2006 {Video} Veterans For Peace National Convention in Seattle
Lt Watada was joined onstage by about 50 Iraq war veterans and other members of Iraq Veterans Against the War.
Video was taken with a digital camera by VFP Greater Atlanta Chapter 125 member, Debbie Clark, ‘not a professional filmmaker, and is not of professional quality’ {Debbies words}. Video was unfortunately taken in segments due to the limitations of the digital camera and cut a little short due to the memory card getting full before the end of the speech. However, most of the speech is there and the full text of the speech can be read HERE
All the major issues of imperial occupation – the fraudulent basis for the war, the absence of a formal declaration from Congress, the systematic nature of war crimes in Iraq, the flagrant violations of international treaties such as the U.N. Charter – are coming to a head in this historic battle between a soldier of conscience and an Army whose Abu Ghraib scandals shocked the world.
The legality of Lieutenant Watada’s orders pursuant to a “war of choice” is the central issue of the trial.
No American soldier has any obligation to participate in military aggression, in “crimes against peace,” or in any operations that violate the Geneva Conventions. Under constitutional government, the authority of military command derives not from one person alone but from the rule of law itself.
There are only two conditions in which a war is legal under international law: when force is authorized by the U.N. Security Council, or when the use of force is an act of national self-defense and survival. Apart from these conditions, war is an act of aggression. The U.N. Charter, based on the Nuremberg Conventions, prohibits war “as an instrument of policy.” And the war in Iraq is just that – a war of choice.
Article VI, of the Constitution, states:
“All treaties made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme law of the land, and the judges in every state shall be bound thereby.”
There is no exception for the military, no wall between domestic and international law.
“Treaties relating to the law of war have a force equal to that of laws enacted by Congress. Their provisions must be observed by both military and civilian personnel with the same strict regard for both the letter and spirit of the law which is required with respect to the Constitution and statutes.”
Oath of Enlistment
Military Oath: In the Armed Forces EXCEPT the National Guard (Army or Air)
I, (NAME), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
So help me God.
In the National Guard (Army or Air)
I, (NAME), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States and the State of (STATE NAME) against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the Governor of (STATE NAME) and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to law and regulations.
So help me God.
More information on the Oath and other Military related topics can be found at HERE
Lieutenant Watada is being persecuted because he is challenging the legality, not the political wisdom, of the war. The commander in chief is the final arbiter in foreign policy, but only so long as policies are in accordance with the law. Law trumps politics, not the other way around. The “political question doctrine,” as attorneys call it, is nothing more than judicial abdication.
Lt. Watada is not the only one speaking out, but is the officer facing a Courts Martial and Prison time for doing so, a Soldier of Concious, understanding his role as a Leader, for the troops under him, as to the U. S. Military.
Thank You Lt Watada Website
This testimony is from the hearing regarding LT WATADA – Iraq War Tribunal: Iraq Veterans Against the War.
Darrell Anderson (purple heart, ’04)- MP3 Download
and
Chanan Suarez-Diaz – MP3 Download
Appeal for Redress
Now with over 1200 signatures of Active Duty Military Personal!
The wording of the Appeal for Redress is short and simple. It is patriotic and respectful in tone.
As a patriotic American proud to serve the nation in uniform, I respectfully urge my political leaders in Congress to support the prompt withdrawal of all American military forces and bases from Iraq . Staying in Iraq will not work and is not worth the price. It is time for U.S. troops to come home.
Feb 5 National Day of Action
On Monday, February 5, 2007, when Lt. Watada goes on trial, supporters will rally outside the gates of Fort Lewis, Washington for a peaceful, non-violent demonstration.
Monday, February 5, 2007
9am – Lt. Watada’s Military Court Martial begins
11:30am – Student Rally with Iraq Veterans Against the War
1pm – Political Art Performance
3pm Rally and Vigil
Fort Lewis, WA. Exit 119, off I-5
National Event Listing
Transportation to Fort Lewis – Buses, Carpools and more!
Attend Lt. Watada’s Court Martial
Travel and Housing Information
Welcome Event Feb 4, 2007
This was just sent to me by a KOS reader:
Update:
The Citizens Hearing on the Legality of the Iraq War issued findings today. The Hearing Panel found the Iraq War to be illegal in both national and international law. In the findings the Panel has issued a Call to Conscience for Congress to hold hearings on the legality of both the war itself and the ways that the war is being conducted.”
In regards to Lt. Watada, the report presents findings on Disobeying Illegal Orders, in which they state:“The oath to support and defend the Constitution implies that if in conscience a person believes an order to be illegal, he or she has an obligation to refuse the order.” The panel was explicit in its support for Lt. Ehren Watada, the Army’s first commissioned officer to refuse deployment to Iraq based on his assertion that because the Iraq War is illegal, it is his duty to refuse orders to deploy.
Contact your Senators and Representatives Today and let them know you support Lt. Ehren Watada’s right to stand up and speak out for his principles and for the rule of international law and the U.S. Constitution. Call Congress to hold hearing on the legality of both the war itself and the ways the war is being conducted.
PRESS RELEASE
Subject: Preceding Watada Court Martial: Citizens’ Hearing Panel Declares Iraq War Illegal
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 2, 2007
TRIBUNAL REPORT:
War Tribunal Report – PDF (65 pages; 31 MB)
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The Failed Policies will Haunt Us and the World for Decades!
