Army finally accepts Lt. Ehren Watada resignation

[uppityperson]

http://www.couragetoresist.org/x/content/view/777/1/

By Audry McAvoy, Associated Press
September 25, 2009

The Army is allowing the first commissioned officer to be court-martialed for refusing to go to Iraq to resign from the service, his attorney said late Friday. First Lt. Ehren Watada will be granted a discharge Oct. 2, "under other than honorable conditions," attorney Kenneth Kagan said. Watada told the Honolulu Star-Bulletin he was happy the matter has finally been closed. "The actual outcome is different from the outcome that I envisioned in the first place, but I am grateful of the outcome," he said.

Fort Lewis spokesman Joseph Piek wouldn't confirm Watada's type of discharge, citing privacy rules. But he said late Friday that Watada's manner of resignation is described in Army regulations as "resignation for the good of the service in lieu of general court martial."

Watada, 31, refused to deploy to Iraq with his Fort Lewis, Wash.-based unit in 2006, arguing the war is illegal and that he would be a party to war crimes if he served in Iraq.

The Honolulu-born soldier was charged with missing his unit's deployment and with conduct unbecoming an officer for denouncing President Bush and the war — statements he made while explaining his actions....(more @ link)

[Solly Mack]

1. K&R

[Poll_Blind]

2. I don't think he deserved an other-than-honorable. I understand it was highly likely that...

...he'd get one: what's right and correct and what's likely going to happen are often two different things.

PB

[Cid_B]

16. He deserved a dishonorable and jail...

I agree with the poster below. Bring him out in front of his entire unit, stripped and had his insignias broken...

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. K&R

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. Good news other than become honorable

after some years

God speed LTEE.

[Treo]

5. You have to request it and they can deny it

And I hope they deny this slugde ball.

[uppityperson]

6. What? Please clarify what you mean. Thank you.

[Treo]

8. clarification

he joined up after the war started he knew exactly what he was getting into and there's some serious speculation that the whole thing from his commissioning to his missing movement for Iraq was orchestrated. If the privates have to go the Officers have to go

[uppityperson]

9. Thank you for clarifying you were insulting him.

I disagree with your assessment, but thank you for clarifying.

Edited to ask, do you think the Iraq war was done legally? Do you think it should have been done? Why or why not? Finally, you do understand that he was being prosecuted for speaking out against the war?

Thank you.

http://www.couragetoresist.org/x/content/view/250/39/
<"div class="excerpt">... Lt. Watada never had a chance to take the stand in his own defense. Yet, on the basis of prosecution’s case alone, where appeared little hope for the Army that they would win a conviction on either of the two “conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman” charges. These stemmed from two of Lt. Watada’s numerous public statements in opposition to the “illegal Iraq War” and the conduct of the Bush administration in selling the war.

What if the most vocal active duty opponent to the Iraq War were to be acquitted of making “unbecoming” statements? This would send a clear message to all of the troops now in the middle of an unpopular occupation war that public political speech is allowable—or at least legally defendable. This alone may have given the judge pause....

[Treo]

10. I really don't care if the Iraq war is legal or not

we're there, we either really fight to win or get the fuck out right now. I spent my entire adult life in the military and there's certain things that are unacceptable especially for an officer and one of them is letting your unit go to war while you sit on your ass at Ft. Lewis

you do understand that he was being prosecuted for speaking out against the war?

Again, I don't care. He was an officer in the United States Army he betrayed the trust of the troops under him. You do NOT send your troops to war while you stay behind. AFAIC they should have lined up the entire 9th ID and stripped the rank and insignia off his uniform in front of them then marched his ass out the main gate in disgrace. He joined up AFTER the war started he KNEW what he was getting into. He took the oath and he broke it.

If you've never worn the uniform you'll never understand

HTML screw up

[uppityperson]

27. You don't care that he was prosecuted for speaking against the war.

You don't care that he was prosecuted for speaking out.

[Treo]

32. Speaking out

He was a Commissioned Officer in the United States Army. He voluntarily forfeited his right to speak out when he raised his right hand.

It's a military POV that you are NEVER going to wrap your head around if you haven't ever been in.

[gopiscrap]

18. Go Fuck Yourself!

Watada was one of the galvinizing forces behind the anit-war movement. It was because of him that our church has become asanctuary church for military who need to discern their place in the war machine. We had him and Sean Penn for dinner at our church one night with a packed crowd that got energized to protest the war!!!

[Treo]

19. Watada is a disgrace to the uniform

He abandoned the troops under him. He broke faith W/ those that had the misfortune of serving W/ him. and His action brought grave discredit upon himself and the Officer Corps. of the United States Army. If it were my call he would have been charged with desertion in the face of the enemy and spent the rest of his life at the Disciplinary Barracks at Ft. Leavenworth at hard labor.


Sean Penn is a civilian, it is his right (paid for in blood by far better men than him) to speak for or against the war as he sees fit and I respect him for being involved enough in the political process to do so.

Erhen Watada was a soldier he voluntarily gave up that right when he was commissioned as an Officer in the United States Army.

Your opinion means less than nothing to me. Unlike Watada, I served W/ honor. I did not violate my oath nor, the creed of the Non Commissioned Officer Corp. I did not break faith W/ the soldiers that served under me nor the NCOs that served W/ me nor, the Officers appointed over me. Watada can’t say any of that. He dishonored the traditions of the 2nd Infantry Division, The Field Artillery Corps, the United States Army Officer Corps, And the United States Army. He has earned my undying contempt, as well as, the contempt of many , many other soldiers.

Changed title it is no longer HIS uniform and If I am ever mis fortunate enough to see him wearing it, so help me God, I will rip it off of him

[Raineyb]

23. Given the choice between him or you, I'd take him as a citizen every time. n/t

[Treo]

25. Well you're stuck W/ both of us

BTW now that Watada is a civilian he is free to speak his mind as he sees fit and I support his right to do so, so long as he doesn't do so while wearing the Uniform he disgraced

[ClayZ]

7. His speech on "Citizenship" is one of the best speeches ever!

Lt. Ehren Watada on Citizen Responsibility Feb 3rd 2007


I am happy for him today!


http://journals.democraticunderground.com/ClayZ/20

[Vickers]

11. He joined *AFTER* the "war" in Iraq started?

:wtf:

[Treo]

13. Please see my post on the subject below

Watada joined the Army after the war in Iraq had begun, stating that he was motivated "out of a desire to protect our country" after the September 11 attacks. He was commissioned by the Army's Officer Candidate School, on November 20, 2003, at Fort Benning, Georgia as a Second Lieutenant of Field Artillery -- one month after UNSCR 1511 authorized a multinational force in Iraq.<10> Watada served one year in South Korea, and was subsequently reassigned to Fort Lewis, Washington.<11>



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ehren_Watada

[uppityperson]

28. many people joined in the "post 9-11 hysteria" time

He was one of them.

[Treo]

33. Consequences

He wasn't just any redleg, he was an Officer he was held to a higher standard he took the oath (some of us actually take that very seriously) and he betrayed it. If that is his choice so be it let him deal W/ the consequences.

Do you remember back in the 80's when Ozzy Osbourne pissed on the Alamo? The rest of the country didn't understand why Texas was willing to string him up (literally) over it. But Texas takes the Alamo very very seriously. This is the same thing if you're not one of us you will never get it but this AFAIC this guy pissed on the Alamo

[malmapus]

46. He stood up to an illegal action

I served, I support his actions. I had the honor to shake his hand outside of Ft. Lewis during a rally against our actions in Iraq. The man went there and saw it was BS, and wasn't afraid to call it what it was. Granted not everyone in the military will do that, or admit it. When he signed up, he like a lot of Americans wanted to get those people that attacked us. Put his faith in the leadership to do that. The leadership let him and our Armed Forces down with this Iraqi Freedom BS instead of where they should have been in Afgan. Hell, I just about re-enlisted after 9/11 to serve this country again and go after those who attacked us. Now I'm glad I didn't seeing how useless the "W" administration was at doing the right thing at the right time.

[uppityperson]

48. Thank you for putting it so well. eom

[Treo]

12. Lt. Ehren Watada

When the war started I supported it 100%. Now? Not so much. But I’m now a civilian and I have that luxury Lt. Ehren Watada (IMO) did not. He joined the Army a couple of years after the war started. He went infantry, Infantry has one mission to find, fix, close with and destroy the enemy. He knew he was going to go to Iraq when he took the oath and when it was time for him to do what he signed up to do he abandoned the troops under his command and stayed safe in the rear while they went to war. IMO this has nothing to do with the legality of the war, if he thought the war was illegal or immoral he was under no obligation to join. Had he been in the Army when the war started and been stop lossed or said then that his conscious didn’t permit him to participate I would have respected his decision, I would have Court-Martialed his ass, but I would have respected his decision. But the fact that he joined after the war started and then backed out makes him 100% guilty in my eyes he broke faith W/ the troops under him and for that I will loathe him until the day he dies.

Correction Watada was an Artilleryman, which speaking as a former redleg myself, makes him that much more of a disgrace.

[ClayZ]

14. Listen to the speech I posted in this thread.

You just might be lucky enough to get your mind changed about Lt. Watada.

[Control-Z]

15. Perhaps it took him until

2006 to realize the lie. It took that long for a lot of people to figure it out.

[Treo]

17. It's not about the lie

He broke faith W/ his troops if he really thinks it's worth it let him take his DD and get the fuck out of my army

[Hekate]

21. Sorry you feel so bitter about the war the rest of us here spent so many years trying to avert...

... and then end. I notice you are fairly new to DU, or at least a recent sign-up -- did you perhaps lurk through our many discussions and strategies on how to stop this massive lie of a war from taking place? If so, what did you think? And if you disagreed so vehemently, why did you decide to stick around?

Just asking, because we have many veterans here at DU, many families of military personnel, and some active duty.

Hekate

[Treo]

22. This isn't about the war to me

At this point (IMO) it really doesn’t matter, we’re knee deep in it. The actual fighting is over let’s help these folks rebuild and get out Let’s not break faith with the boots on the ground. That’s as far as I can even wrap my head around the war. I don't talk about the war, I don't read about the war I don't think about the war I did my time the war can leave me the fuck alone. My issue W/ Watada is that he knew what he was getting in to when he jumped he’s a big boy let him take the consequences. Had he been enlisted his ass would still be in the stockade

[uppityperson]

30. It is no longer your army. nt

[Treo]

34. It will be MY Army until the day I die

Never mind

[uppityperson]

29. It seems you do not believe in learning. Joining under false "rah rah" and then figuring out, as

more info came out, that the "rah rah wmds depose saddam 9-11" was total bullshit.

[Treo]

35. I don't believe in Breaking your oath. NT

[uppityperson]

42. Since you don't answer and seem such a fine guy, guess you are always against divorce also

since that would be breaking an oath.

Thank you for letting us know.

[Treo]

43. I am done participating in this discussion good day

[uppityperson]

47. Being called on a hypocrisy can be annoying. Tata. eom

[Treo]

36. I don't believe in Breaking your oath. NT

[uppityperson]

38. Is divorce ever acceptable to you? nt

[Treo]

39. Look

you disagree W/ my position and I disagree W/ your's ( difference being I'm not being nasty about it) let's leave it at that and let it go.
Good day

[uppityperson]

40. You "aren't being nasty"? No, you aren't answering. Is divorce ever acceptable to you?

see if you can answer

[uppityperson]

41. By asking you to clarify, I am "being nasty"?Try again.Is divorce ever acceptable to you?

If you don't have an answer, or answer yes, then....you do believe in breaking your oath.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

20. Good for him. Too bad there aren't more like him.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

24. Should be dishonorable, but this is a reasonable outcome.

[xocet]

26. Treow Sceadugenga...

It is always good to see a thread taken over by a purported ex-soldier who is puffed up on self-aggrandizing patriotism past. Similarly, it is interesting to see how he takes the army to be his: the army is not yours.

If you were totally true to your here-paraded values, you would have stood up against the war in Iraq. Isn't it hard to know that you were too weak to do that? Isn't it hard to know that you were just a sheep grazing in a herd of sheep?

BAA...patriotism...BAA...honor...BAA...my army...BAA...BAA....

[uppityperson]

31. Indeed. I am amused by an "ex-soldier" still calling it "my army".

baaa

[malmapus]

49. Well in all fairness...

Once you served you can call it that IMHO. I still call it "my Army" at times too. One of the biggest reasons I'm so against Iraq and have been. Hate seeing my buddies and my Army being wasted on a useless mission, especially when there is real work to be done.

[Treo]

37. ya'll can have your thread back

And i'm not a patriot I never said he dishonored his country I never mentioned the country once good day

[Mimosa]

44. Treo, not everybody is rude

Last time I checked Sean Penn was not Commander in Chief. Some of you are forgetting that President Obama, whom some of us worked to elect, is Commander in Chief. He has not essentially changed policy from what President Bush was doing in the middle east. Whether you like it or not or even understand it it's true.

If I had my way all the guys and gals would have been coming home and the war would be over. Let the crazy Islamists slaughter each other until there's none of them left. I wouldn't care. I care about our military.

But the President and his administration have other ideas. I understand where Treo is coming from. He's supporting the President and the troops. What's wrong with that?

Divorce is not a relevant issue within the context.

[Treo]

45. Thank you

And FWIW this "purported soldier" served in

A 3/321 FA FATC Ft. Sill Oklahoma
A 3/35 FA Peden Barracks Werthiem FRG
HHB/ A 3/11 FA Ft. Lewis Wa. Deployed to Desert Storm the day the war started
423 Medical Clearing company Ft. Lewis Wa
Madigan Army Medical Center Ft. Lewis Wa
Co. E 187th Medical Training Detachment Ft. Sam Houston Texas
C 4 FSB Ft. Carson Colorado
Evans Army Community Hospital Ft. Carson Colorado
and
B 2/157th FA Co Army National Guard

[FreedomRain]

52. Thank you for your service, Treo

I was Navy in Desert Storm and saw very little "action," for which I am grateful.

The point about breaking the oath is invalid, because his argument was that the men, including him and you, had their faith broken first by the Commander in Chief, who intentionally authorized the use of force based on lies.
No contract is binding on a party if the other party breaks it first.

[uppityperson]

53. Thank you for explaining the reasoning. I appreciate your taking the time

[Treo]

54. My reasoning is 100% emotion based I'm sorry but that's really where I'm at. NT

[Jakes Progress]

56. I think the point being stressed

is that kind of emotion and illogic is the stuff of which they make cannon fodder. I'm sure the guards at the death camps felt it was their duty to their comrades to keep the lines moving.

[Kickin_Donkey]

50. The man is a hero ...

a true patriot. He was courageous and righteous in opposing the illegal, immoral Iraq war.

My hat is off to him.

If only more had done what he did.

And to you "good German" naysayers, both in 2006 and now, you lost. Tough shit. Stick it up your ass.

[Toasterlad]

55. Is The Guy Who Wouldn't Go to Iraq Because He Thought Obama Was Born in Kenya a Hero Too?

Joining the military isn't like getting a job at Burger King. You don't get to quit because you don't want to work the drive-thru window two days in a row.

BTW, since Obama is continuing Bush's policies in the Middle East, I'd say the ones who REALLY lost are the people who want an end to the wars.

[Treo]

57. The agreement

Like it or not, when you voluntarily join the military you are agreeing to fight their wars. If you join during peace the agreement is implicit. If you join during a war you are explicitly agreeing to fight. When MY unit got orders to deploy for Desert Shield we had one little maggot that deserted because, in his words, "I joined the army to get college money not to fight a war." Well screw you buddy , you knew that was part of the package when you signed up.

Soldiers don't get to decide which wars are just and which aren't they voluntarilygive up that right when they choose to enlist. When Ehren Watada chose to disobey a lawful order he also chose to accept the consequences of his actions. He left his platoon short its leader, he messed up the morale of his men right before they went into battle and he made the army waste the resources to prosecute him. If he really feels that this is right fine, but he's gong to have to live W/ the consequences as well.

[malmapus]

58. Still not entirely true..

As soldiers we were taught about Illegal Orders, and it is our duty to question such orders. This (Iraqi Freedom) is the same thing except on a larger scale. Lt. Watada did do time in country so knew what he was talking about. It's not like the man just got orders for Iraq for the first time and was going "Hell no! I joined for college money!" He had been there, saw the BS for what it was and recognized that this was an Illegal Order from the highest authority.


EDIT: I know we are on opposite sides of the fence on this one, I'm going to stop responding to your posts because I don't want to seem like I'm picking a fight with you or something. Just going to agree to disagree on Lt. Watada. I support him because I guess in some ways I wish I had the strength he has to stand up for what he sees as right against a wrong. Not only him but the other servicemen and women who have stood up to this BS. Which is a strength I didn't entirely have in some cases when I was in and saw things I knew to be wrong, but didn't do a thing because of the persons in the wrong being my buddies. Weakness of the buddy system there!

[Treo]

60. Malmapus

I do not think in anyway that you are trying to pick a fight. I think you are right that we are just going to have to agree to disagree because there really IS no right or wrong to this issue. For better or worse Ehren Watada made a decision that he is going to have to live with for the rest of his life.

[midnight]

51. K&R.

[Irreverend IX]

59. It's foolishness to support his behavior.

There are some countries where military officers can make decisions based on their own consciences. Those countries are called military dictatorships. The absolute submission of US military officers to the civilian command is the only thing that keeps them from taking over the country, because there's no force on Earth capable of stopping them otherwise.