Fight

Lt. Ehren Watada is being court-martialed for refusing to go fight in Iraq, believing it's an illegal war. Conduct unbecoming an officer is the charge, as well as refusing to ship out with his unit. He did ask if he could go to Afghanistan instead, and was refused.

I guess it's a significant problem when those in the military begin to think for themselves. I realize there's a certain efficiency to the herd mentality, but for my money (and it is my money, BTW, and yours), I'd really like to have someone with an IQ in the plus column in a combat situation.

The thing is, Watada is right. The war in Iraq has been an occupation in clear violation of international law since Day One. His lawyer has been banned from debating the legality of the war. Watada could get four years of jail and a dishonorable discharge if convicted.

Prosecutors are arguing that Watada's behavior was dangerous to the mission and morale of soldiers in Iraq. My understanding is that the morale of the soldiers is at an all-time low, whether Watada stays home or not. I can't imagine how it's dangerous to the mission or at least not more dangerous than this Administration's lack of plan, lack of decent protection of the soldiers who are on the ground, whose parents have to routinely send them armor and Silly String (which is used to detect trip wires that could be connected to bombs and are otherwise invisible to the naked eye) and other supplies.

If my choice were to go to a God-forgotten country with inadequate everything (including plan to get me the hell out of there), or face four years in an American prison system, I know I'd take the latter, due to the greater likelihood of coming home alive.

Sources:
http://www.impeachbush.tv/impeach/treaties.html
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070206/ap_on_re_us/war_objector
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/06/us/06deploy.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
http://cbs13.com/topstories/topstories_story_341070731.html