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     Commentary on CURRENT EVENTS  June 12, 2006


As the carnage continues unabated with the dead and wounded coming in from Afghanistan and Iraq, as resistance continues to rise against the illegal wars perpetuated by the ' Bush regime ', an historic  event recently occurred whereby a line officer for the U.S. Army submitted his resignation, yet was denied by his commanding officers. So this Army First Lieutenant has become the first commissioned officer to refuse to be deployed to the war zone and request another assignment! 

Why?  Because he decided his ' OATH OF SERVICE ' was more important to his personal moral code and conscience than any ' order ' given to him by the alleged ' Commander in Chief '  for  a  war  started  over false pretenses!    

Pursuant to Title 5, Part III, Subpart B, Chapter 33, Subchapter II, Section 3331, everyone in the uniform services is required to take the following ' Oath ' : 

          " I, (name), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution
          of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith
          and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reser-
          vation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of
          the office on which I am about to enter.  So help me God. "

Here is the STATEMENT OF 1st  LT. EHREN WATADA,  3rd Brigade,  2nd Infantry Division,  Fort Lewis, Tacoma, Washington, 7 June 2006:     
   
           " Family, Friends, Members of the Religious Community, Members of the Press, and my
           fellow Americans -- thank you for coming today.  My name is Ehren Watada. I am a First
           Lieutenant in the U.S. Army and I have served for 3 years.    

           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.

           I stand before you today because it is my job to serve and protect those soldiers, the
           American people, and innocent Iraqis with no voice.  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. 

          Although I have tried to resign out of protest, I am forced to participate in a war that is
          manifestly illegal.  As the order to take part in an illegal act is ultimately unlawful
          as well,  I must as an officer of honor and integrity refuse that order.    

          The war in Iraq violates our democratic system of checks and balances. It usurps inter-
           national treaties and conventions that by virtue of the Constitution become American
           law.  The wholesale slaughter and mistreatment of the Iraqi people with only limited ac-
           countability is not only a terrible moral injustice, but a contradiction to the Army ' s own
           Law of Land Warfare. My participation would make me party to war crimes. 

           Normally, those in the military have allowed others to speak for them and act on their
           behalf.  That time has come to an end.  I have appealed to my commanders to see the
           larger issues of our actions.  But justice has not been forthcoming.  My oath of office is
           to protect and defend America ' s laws and its people. By refusing unlawful orders for
           an illegal war, I fulfill that oath today.   Thank you. "    

As a direct and proximate result of 1st Lt. Watada ' s courage to, '  Just Say No!  ' he could face a court martial, imprisonment, and dishonorable discharged ~ if the U.S. Army wishes to turn this into a ' test case ' with wide publicity!  Or, the U.S. Military can either accept his resignation, or deploy him to some non-combatant area, such as New Orleans or the Mexican border.      

Of major importance in this case is the fact that obedience to be deployed would make Lt. Watada a
' war criminal ' !  That reality faces every single officer, soldier, and marine already deployed in the war zones of Afghanistan and Iraq ~ especially true since these wars were started without any provocation against the USA, without any declaration of war, without international approval as a sanction by the
United Nations, and since the ' Bush regime ' boasted these wars as ' unilateral actions ' and as
' preemptive strikes ' !

In short, the NEOCONS in the ' Bush regime '  have become ' international vigilantes ' working outside International Law, the Geneva Convention, and in violation of the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and even the
War Powers Act!    

The only bright side of these illegal wars is that once those in the ' Bush regime ' are removed from office, and/or their terms expire, whichever comes first ~ they all can then be formerly charged with ' war crimes ' and taken to The Hague in the Netherlands to stand trial just like all the others similarly charged! 

What America needs is for more courageous U.S. Military Officers to step forward and STAND UP FOR THEIR OATH, shoulder to shoulder with 1st Lt. Ehren Watada!     

On 8 September 2002, the Reform Party USA became the first political party to oppose any illegal wars by passing Resolution No. 8, to wit:    

         " Resolved, that before any war on Iraq is instigated; we demand that Congress make a
         declaration of war.  Congress shall consider the consequence of any act of war, specifically
         if such an act is preemptive, which would be an egregious violation of a sovereign nation ' s
         rights.  Congress must consider the destabilization of the region and must consider the un-
         intended consequences of any and all retaliation. "

That was four years ago, and all we can now say is:  " We told you so! " 

That ' s why the ' 10 POINTS of REFORM for AMERICA '  remains the only solution for a better America tomorrow ~ especially as the same war-mongers now want to expand the wars to Iran! "   

Join the Cause of Reform today! Register to vote! And vote for Reform! Join the Cause for Reform !
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WE SALUTE FIRST LIEUTENANT
              EHREN WATADA
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