Putting the Iraq War on Trial

[G2099]

In one clip, from a Veterans for Peace convention held last weekend in Seattle, Watada explained that he is trying to put forward a "radical idea" first born during the Vietnam War. "The idea is this," he said. "That to stop an illegal and unjust war, the soldiers and service members can choose to stop fighting it."

That, prosecutors said, is exactly what they most fear. To give credence to Lt. Watada's argument, they said, would create a breakdown in military order and discipline. "It's just dangerous in our Army to allow that to happen," said Capt. Dan Kuecker, one of the prosecutors. Whether the war is legal, he said, "is not a decision for a lieutenant to make — it's a decision for politicians and legislators."

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0%2C8599%2C1228779%2C00.html

[Sherman A1]

1. I can understand the prosecution's desire

to frame the question as one for politicians and legislators and I don't think that entirely incorrect. The basic fact, however is that if the war is illegal then the Lt. is obliged to refuse to follow orders to go to that war, he then is following orders, not to follow an illegal order. It will be a very, very interesting case to watch unfold.

[Kagemusha]

2. This puts the old lie about US troops not "just following orders" to test

There's what the US claimed to the world, and there's what officers and soldiers are actually told to do in practice.