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| '''Ehren Watada''' (b. ]) is a ] in the ] who publicly refused to go to ] for the ] in June 2006, saying the war is illegal and it would make him party to ]. | '''Ehren Watada''' (b. ]) is a ] in the ] who publicly refused to go to ] for the ] in June 2006, saying the war is illegal and it would make him party to ]. | ||
| According to his supporters, he is the first ] in the U.S. armed forces to go public about refusing deployment to Iraq, although "the Pentagon said Lieutenant Watada, who turned 28 yesterday, was one of several officers and enlisted personnel who applied for conscientious objector status" . Watada has stated that "It is my duty as a commissioned officer of the United States Army to speak out against grave injustices. My moral and legal obligation is to the ] and not those who would issue unlawful orders. It is my conclusion as an officer of the armed forces that the war in Iraq is not only morally wrong, but a horrible breach of American law." | According to his supporters, he is the first ] in the U.S. armed forces to go public about refusing deployment to Iraq, although "the Pentagon said Lieutenant Watada, who turned 28 yesterday, was one of several officers and enlisted personnel who applied for ] status" . Watada has stated that "It is my duty as a commissioned officer of the United States Army to speak out against grave injustices. My moral and legal obligation is to the ] and not those who would issue unlawful orders. It is my conclusion as an officer of the armed forces that the war in Iraq is not only morally wrong, but a horrible breach of American law." | ||
| An Army spokesman said Watada's case was being reviewed, stating that Watada's case "is not the first case, nor is his case particularly unique" | An Army spokesman said Watada's case was being reviewed, stating that Watada's case "is not the first case, nor is his case particularly unique" | ||
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Ehren Watada (b. 1978) is a First Lieutenant in the United States Army who publicly refused to go to Iraq for the Iraq War in June 2006, saying the war is illegal and it would make him party to war crimes.
According to his supporters, he is the first commissioned officer in the U.S. armed forces to go public about refusing deployment to Iraq, although "the Pentagon said Lieutenant Watada, who turned 28 yesterday, was one of several officers and enlisted personnel who applied for conscientious objector status" . Watada has stated that "It is my duty as a commissioned officer of the United States Army to speak out against grave injustices. My moral and legal obligation is to the Constitution and not those who would issue unlawful orders. It is my conclusion as an officer of the armed forces that the war in Iraq is not only morally wrong, but a horrible breach of American law."
An Army spokesman said Watada's case was being reviewed, stating that Watada's case "is not the first case, nor is his case particularly unique"
Watada, who is from Honolulu, Hawaii and is a graduate of Hawaii Pacific University, joined the US Army in 2003. He had previously tried to resign his commission, but was refused leave to do so by the Army. Lt. Watada's initial term of service ends on Dec. 3, 2006. However, unlike enlistments, officers' commissions may be extended indefinitely at the discretion of the service; a well-known fact in the military. His father, Bob Watada, served as executive director of the state's Campaign Spending Commission, 1994–2005.
External links
- Website "Thank You Lt. Ehren Watada"
- Reuters story: Army officer says won't fight in "unlawful" Iraq war
- News-Tribune story: Army lieutenant who won’t go to Iraq issues recorded statement
- Honolulu Star-Bulletin story: Army officer from Honolulu refuses to report for Iraq duty, dated June 6 2006
- Aljazeera story: US army officer refuses Iraq tour, date June 8 2006
Listening
- Democracy Now! interview with Ehren Watada: Army Lieutenant Becomes First Commissioned Officer to Refuse Deployment to Iraq, date June 8 2006
See also
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