Fort Lewis officer refuses to go to war.

[Squatch]

Now, I am 100% dead-set against this war (any war, for that matter) in every respect. However, as I am a servicemember who has taken an Oath of Office, I believe that what this LT did (actually from my old unit) is tantamount to desertion and he should be tried under the articles of the UCMJ.

----------------------------

Link

SEATTLE -- An Army lieutenant based at Fort Lewis says he has such grave objections to the war in Iraq, he's refusing to deploy.

The attorney for First Lieutenant Ehren Watada says Watada submitted a letter to his command stating his reservations, but the Army refused his request to be re-assigned or to resign his commission.

[Redstone]

1. They should all do it. They should mutiny.

It would be the honorable thng to do.

Redstone

[napi21]

2. That's the ONLY way something like that oculd work. They ALL

or at least a large majority of service men have to refuse. At some point, the military leaders will have to realize that they can't put them all in the brig!

[goddess40]

3. I agree 100%

It makes me ill to hear of our men and women dying because bush and co. thirst for power and wealth!

[Sequoia]

4. So we should line him up against the wall and have a firing

squad. No, wait, that's the old days. Well, if we can ignore the Geneva Convention anything goes. He took the oath to protect our country and Iraq was no threat to us.

[Squatch]

5. Yeah...that's what I said.

:sarcasm:

It's not up to a Lieutenant how US foreign policy should be implemented. He signed up and took and oath.

[Gato Moteado]

6. i see your point but look at the other side

i mean, it's so obvious what's going on. the war is a scam. the president is a puppet. would you condemn a nazi soldier for refusing to kill jews even though he took an oath?

[AlwaysQuestion]

7. I salute the lieutenant

You're right, Gato. Moreover, the President also took the oath to uphold the Constitution which many American legal scholars have said he has not done. Should the young lieutenant be held to a higher standard than the President of the United States?

[deFaultLine]

8. Lawful orders

As far as I know, service personnel are only required to follow the lawful orders of their commanders.

The evidence revealed over the past few weeks is compelling enough I believe that any service people would be well within their legal responsibilities to refuse to go to Iraq.

The French mutiny was actually a turning point in WW I as the strategy employed by their commanders was ineffective. It just got a lot of people killed and nothing was gained...which is exactly where we stand now

[Redstone]

9. So, if you're "dead-set against any war", why are you

"a servicemember who has taken an Oath of Office?"

Just curious.

Redstone