[Editor's Note: I posted the Ehren Watada story to this web site when it first broke in 2006. The story was important because it was an Army officer refusing to go to Iraq to participate in an illegal and unjustified INVASION and subsequent brutalization of a sovereign country that did no harm, nor pose any threat to the United States. The invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq are utterly ILLEGAL, UNJUSTIFIED, and CONTRIVED. There was NEVER a constitutionally-required Declaration of War by congress. It's not a "war" and we're not in "war time" in you invade another country. It's an INVASION. There's a difference.

9-11 was an inside job, an act of internal subversion, treason, and betrayal. There were no 19 arab "hijackers." Osama bin Laden did not plan, orchestrate, or cause the demolition of three World Trade Canter buildings or the attack on the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. The United States government, working in collusion with Israeli Mossad agents, are responsible for the events of 9-11.

Ehren Watada is a man who displayed ENORMOUS courage and CHARACTER to go up against the Army and its legions of brain-washed trolls who would brand him a coward and vilify him at every turn. You will notice from the comments posted at the end of the article that only a few people possessed the Light to recognize Watada's true contribution; the majority being of the troll variety mentioned above. I might add that I agree with one of those Watada supporter in his comments that blog "comments" of this type are DOMINATED by government agents pretending to be ordinary readers. I feel certain that military counter-intelligence is involved in these efforts to heap scorn upon Watada. ....Ken Adachi]

http://educate-yourself.org/cn/watadadischarged02oct09.shtml
October 2, 2009

Lt. Ehren Watada Discharged (Oct. 2, 2009)

Watada discharged

http://blog.thenewstribune.com/military/2009/10/02/watada-discharged/

Posted By Scott Fontaine on October 2, 2009

The Army discharged Lt. Ehren Watada on Friday, writing the final chapter on the case of the most prominent military officer to refuse a deployment to Iraq.

Fort Lewis spokesman Joseph Piek confirmed that Watada, who had refused to deploy to Iraq in 2006 with his Stryker brigade because he believed the war was illegal, finished outprocessing shortly before noon Friday.

The Department of Justice dropped an appeal in May against a judge's dismiss key charges against the lieutenant, effectively leading to Friday's dismissal. Watada submitted a resignation request "for the good of the service in lieu of general court martial" at the end of June, Piek said.

The Department of the Army approved that request in September, and the remaining pending charges against Watada were dismissed late last week.

Piek couldn't confirm the type of discharge, citing privacy laws, but Watada lawyer Kenneth Kagan said it was granted under "other than honorable conditions."

Watada, through his lawyer, declined all requests for interviews and public appearances. Kagan said his client doesn't fear retribution from the Army and made no agreements to stay silent, but after three years of national attention, he "wants to reclaim his privacy and anonymity."

"I know it will be disappointing to supporters and media representatives," Kagan wrote in an e-mail, "but he no longer wishes to be a 'story.'"

Kagan added that Watada's actions and beliefs are well-known at this point, and his client has nothing to add.

Watada, a 31-year-old Hawaii native, plans to attend law school. Kagan added that his client wanted to thank his supporters and acknowledges not everyone agrees with his actions.

"He understands, too, that there are multitudes of vociferous detractors, and he realizes that nothing he says or does will change some people's minds," Kagain wrote.

Watada grabbed national attention in 2006 when he refused to deploy to Iraq with Fort Lewis' 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division. He believed the war was illegal and that participation in it would make him a party to war crimes.

He was charged with missing movement and engaging in conduct unbecoming an officer, the latter charge for denouncing President George W. Bush and the war in statements to the media. He faced up to six years in prison and a dishonorable discharge.

The charges against Watada languished in the military and federal court system for more than three years.

The breaking point of the Army's case came in October 2008, when U.S. District Judge Benjamin Settle ruled the government could not retry Watada because doing so would violate his constitutional protection against double jeopardy.

The Department of Justice eventually dropped its appeal against the lieutenant in May, but Watada remained in legal limbo. Two charges of conduct unbecoming an officer weren't part of the legal dispute upon which the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled, and the I Corps leadership at Fort Lewis had been examining its options, which included a court-martial or non-judicial punishment.

Watada, meanwhile, had been assigned as an operations officer with the I Corps Special Troops Battalion. The 3rd Brigade has since completed a 15-month tour to Iraq and returned this summer for a yearlong deployment.

His first court-martial was ruled a mistrial. At issue was a "stipulation of facts" statement Watada signed before the court-martial. In it, he admitted to missing his flight to Mosul, Iraq, and to making public statements critical of the war.

The stipulation, an agreement between Watada and prosecutors, meant the two sides didn't need to argue over the facts, but only whether they constituted violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

The facts in the stipulation became evidence that could be used against him, and judge Lt. Col. John Head threw out the case over concerns Watada didn't understand what he was agreeing to when he signed the document.

Head worried that an instruction proposed by Watada's lawyer – that the lieutenant had a legal defense for missing the plane to Iraq – was inconsistent with the facts listed in the stipulation.

The Army refiled the charges and convened a second court-martial in July 2007, but the federal courts issued an emergency stay and halted the trial.

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Comments
1.
uptodate says:
October 2, 2009 at 2:40 pm

What a pile of cr...

2.
mab says:
October 2, 2009 at 2:53 pm

He should have to pay us taxpayer back for all his room and board allowances. and all the legal. He knew what the job entailed when he signed up and he took advantage of us. What a coward he is to turn his back on his men like that. Maybe he didn't have a father to show him how to be a real man. Sick and sad!

3.
scott0962 says:
October 2, 2009 at 3:12 pm

If Watada had qualms about the legality of the war the honorable course of action would have been to resign his commission at which point he would have been free to go anywhere and say anything he liked. A military officer isn't just hired for a job, they take an oath that imposes certain obligations of service and conduct upon them. Watada deliberately broke that oath in a fashion calculated to undermine his fellow soldiers and embarass the military. To this veteran his actions were despicable and he is beneath contempt.

4.
Palin2012 says:
October 2, 2009 at 3:21 pm

Thank you Lt. Ehren Watada for declaring that the preemptive war on Iraq was illegal and for sacrificing everything so you could stand true to your morals and values. It was very courageous of you to stand up to radicals that would call you unpatriotic because you choose to fight an unjust war. I commend you for a job well done and for serving our country.

God Bless

5.
Jupiter25 says:
October 2, 2009 at 3:39 pm

He is a coward and should have served hard prison time. I don't know why the Army didn't handle his prosecution better. Instead, he got off on a technicality. For him to have drawn full pay and allowances for the last three years is a travesty and a slap in the face to all who serve honorably. (From an Army retiree with 22 years service).

6.
imaginetr says:
October 2, 2009 at 3:45 pm

I too did not support Bush's war in Iraq. But I also did not support Watada's actions. I think he had some ulterior motives (publicity, adoration, celebrity) and then found himself 'stuck' between a rock and a hard place. He said he is not opposed to all wars as a matter of principle. But I think that was an attempt to avoid the "coward" label. So, consider him a minor footnote in history that he will have to deal with during his lifetime.

7.
madmike272 says:
October 2, 2009 at 3:58 pm

Let us keep a close eye on this traitor! If any company hires him, a boycott is in order!

8.
abswhiten says:
October 2, 2009 at 4:36 pm

Good Riddance TURD!

9.
Daisydog says:
October 2, 2009 at 5:02 pm

I hope he burns in hell...... but I will probably end up seeing this POS in Olympia wearing Crocs, and having a bi racial, owl hugging male *friend*.......and protesting something he doesn't know anything about. Betcha he knows all about MS word and PowerPoint, and hopefully he knows he is waste of human DNA... So there.

10.
mdw47 says:
October 2, 2009 at 5:31 pm

The only ones that WILL burn in hell are the Butcher Bush and all his corrupt and immoral croonies. POS all of them.

11.
hellomouthbreathers says:
October 2, 2009 at 7:28 pm

Rotting in hell? Boycotting businesses? Wow, real level thinking there. Just keep hunting for those that disobey massa, I am sure you'll catch them all. As for someone calling him a coward, umm, get your round-mound of rear-flesh in gear, pick up a gun, and get over to the war, otherwise, you're an even bigger coward. What a load of mouthbreathers...

12.
donny253 says:
October 2, 2009 at 7:47 pm

He should have been at the working end of a ROPE! When did we go soft? Read what he ready did?

13.
evergreenmom says:
October 2, 2009 at 8:08 pm

I'm glad he is finally out of the Army. He is such a disgrace to the uniform and all those that wear it. I would be so ashamed to have him for a son.

14.
ashleyrose says:
October 2, 2009 at 9:32 pm

Ugh. This makes me sick. I hope he feels good inside knowing that so many of his soldiers are dying over them for his freedom. What a coward.

Ps. Love the Olympia comment, considering it's my hometown ;) haha

15.
stuffysmith says:
October 2, 2009 at 11:25 pm

"So, consider him a minor footnote in history that he will have to deal with during his lifetime."

He already has one minor "footnote" -

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=watada

1. watada 2 thumbs up love it hate it

"watada"- (wah-ta-dah)
1. to pose as something you are not

2. to take tax money freely under contract with the intent of not following the most important terms of said contract

3. to take an oath and betray it

4. to bite the hand that feeds you

5. to pee your pants and scream "mommy!" when the chips are down

16.
knowumsayin says:
October 3, 2009 at 12:07 am

Coward..

17.
knowumsayin says:
October 3, 2009 at 12:07 am

Coward..he's yellow.

18.
ipsut says:
October 3, 2009 at 1:42 am

I am rather sure that Lt. Col. Head did not wish to have the wars illegality to be discussed in the court. He is the coward. Lt. Watada is the hero in this case. Thank You Lt. Good luck to you in what ever you endeavor to do.

19.
bifdak says:
October 3, 2009 at 3:24 am

good riddance to bad rubbish. now he can go home and wear pink. what a rat.

20.
Howie says:
October 3, 2009 at 6:43 am

Now he wants to be a lawyer, probably has a job waiting for him with ACLU, he would fit right in with them, he is nothing but a low life coward. Retired MSG

21.
Aveteran says:
October 3, 2009 at 7:28 am

Good riddance to bad rubbish.

So he wants to be a lawyer. Real fine; a lawyer that going to have a military discharge under LESS THAN HONORABLE CONDITIONS. I wonder what law school is going to take his sorry azz?

22.
saissingh says:
October 3, 2009 at 8:02 am

He encouraged others to stand up against an illegal war and used his military uniform in a disgraceful manner. That is treason, punishable by death. Damn shame he'll live. He should ask Michael Moore if he can make a movie about his life.

23.
KDK says:
October 3, 2009 at 8:23 am

All of you indoctrinated fools that do not support people standing up for their beliefs need to be shot. Some of you claim that you fight for the right to NOT be forced to do something against your will (try looking up the definition of LIBERTY...as in LIBERTY and JUSTICE for all). You actually think the military is a good thing... pathetic. Promotion of war to increase corporate raping of the planet is hardly protecting the citizens.

I would expect this kind of reaction from drones. The 'war' is not a war, but a militant police action in a sovereign country. Wow.. seems the only WMDs are the ones used by the u.s. and britain--DU is a weapon of mass destruction.

Typical gov agents on this board.. You don't swear to uphold the constitution and defend this country only to say that when they, meaning our freedom of choice and liberty, is used, it is wrong.

Treason, saissingh, is using our military as a private force.

SIEG HEIL should be your slogans. Make sure you keep killing innocent people and calling it 'collateral' damage.

Long live the individuals that choose to stand for something they believe in.

24.
bobbysangelwife says:
October 3, 2009 at 10:12 am

Once again
this POS is being raked over the coals for ONLY a couple of reasons.
A: he refused a direct order
B: he did not use the proper chain of command for all of this
C: he decided to pick&choose what he was going to do, therefore making an azz out of himself.

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