Revolution #63, October 1, 2006
Army Escalates Attack on Iraq War Resister Lt. Watada
 |
Lt. Ehren Watada, the first U.S. commissioned military officer to refuse deployment in the current Iraq war, at a press conference with members of Iraq Veterans Against the War, Seattle, August 12, 2006. (Photo: Jeff Paterson) |
The U.S. Army announced on Sept. 15 that it was charging Lt. Ehren Watada, the first commissioned officer to refuse deployment to Iraq, with an additional charge of conduct unbecoming an officer. Lt. Watada now faces 8 years in prison on charges overwhelmingly arising from public political statements of opposition to the war and the lies of the Bush regime. The latest charge seeks to punish Lt. Watada directly for a speech he made at a Veterans for Peace convention in Seattle on Aug. 12, and in particular for his comment that “to stop an illegal and unjust war, soldiers can choose to stop fighting it.” (See “Iraq War Resister Lt. Watada vs the U.S. Military,” Revolution #60, available online at revcom.us.)
Watada’s lawyer, Eric Seitz, said, “His commander told him when they brought him in, if you continue to speak, we’ll continue to add charges. He’s not doing anything other than saying things he believes to be true, and that we believe are true. This makes it that much clearer that this is just a political prosecution, and that’s really all this case has been about from the beginning” (quoted in “Lt. Watada Faces New Charges,” by Sara Olson).
The military and government are seeking to punish and silence Lt. Watada for telling the truth, for publicly opposing the war and exposing the lies and injustice of the Bush regime in attacking and occupying Iraq, and for suggesting that soldiers can act on their conscience and refuse to fight. They have even threatened him with charges of mutiny and sedition.
This unjust persecution must be opposed and defeated, as part of developing an even broader and more determined opposition to the Iraq war and other crimes of this regime.
If you like this article, subscribe, donate to and sustain Revolution newspaper.
