Leftist antiwar hero, Lt. Ehren Watada, the first commissioned officer in the U.S. to publicly refuse deployment to Iraq, returns to court today.
The antiwar peacenuts are gearing up for his trial and moving into position around Fort Lewis this month. His lawyer is upset that the court will not be arguing the “legality of the War in Iraq” (?) Instead, the prosecution will argue that the only real issue is whether or not an order was given to Lieutenant Watada, which he refused to carry out and whether he made certain statements to the media.
That won’t help the “Deserter not Dissenter” Watada, the spawn of an antiwar Bush-is-Hitler loon, who joined the military after the War in Iraq began and refused to deploy to Iraq with his unit when called to duty… And, then held a few public speaking gigs to bash Bush and the Iraq war.
Kevin Sites has an interview with Lt. Watada at Yahoo.
On July 5, 2006, U.S. Army First Lt. Ehren K. Watada was formally charged with three articles of the Uniform Code of Military Justice:
Two counts of contempt towards officials (Article 88) – specifically President G. W. Bush, three counts of conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman (Article 133), and one count of missing movement (Article 87). If convicted of all six charges by a general court-martial, Lt. Watada could be sentenced to over seven years in a military prison.
His charge sheet is here.
It is Watada’s own statements that the Army will bring to court as evidence against him!
From the Honolulu Advertiser back on August 18, 2006:
A lieutenant facing possible court martial for refusing to go to Iraq called on other soldiers to throw down their weapons in a video shown yesterday as the Army mounted its case against the officer.
The video, taken at the Veterans for Peace convention last weekend in Seattle, was presented by Army prosecutors at Fort Lewis during a hearing to determine whether 1st Lt. Ehren Watada will stand trial.
It’s really too bad about that video of Lt. Watada shooting off his mouth on YouTube!
(8 minutes 14 seconds)
It’s going to be a little difficult for the deserter Watada to flee from those “Two counts of contempt towards officials (Article 88) – specifically President G. W. Bush” when the army has it on YouTube!
As if this case needed more press… One of the subpoenaed Left-wing writer Sarah Olson to testify against Watada for an interview she had with him in 2005. She is, of course, disturbed by this.
Previously:
How George Washington Would Deal With 1st Lt. Ehren Watada
Army Uses Lt. Watada’s Own Words as Evidence Against Him
Update: Lt. Watada’s lawyer asked for reduced charges at the hearing today.
