First Lieutenant Ehren Watada refuses orders to fight in Iraq

In an unprecedented move, First Lieutenant Ehren Watada has refused orders to deploy to Iraq on grounds that the war is illegal.

Apparently, acting in his role of a responsible officer, Watada had been researching Iraq, the history of Iraqis and their conflicts, our operations in Iraq, and the war in general, prior to accompanying his unit to Iraq. What he found was astonishing to him.

According to Watada, "my participation [in the war] would make me party to war crimes." He discovered that our actions in Iraq, from our daily actions such as illegal detentions of Iraqi civilians, to our original declaration of war, were all illegal. According to Watada, "my participation [in the war] would make me party to war crimes."

He is now being court marshaled on charges of missing movement, conduct unbecoming an officer for publicly speaking out against the war, and contempt toward officials for his claims against President Bush and his administration.

Watch Watada's AWESOME speech to Veterans for Peace on why he refused to deploy to Iraq, and why every soldier should lay down their weapons so that no president in the future can declare a war for personal gain and profit.

Thank you Lt. Watada for your bravery and loyalty to this country!