\r\nTAKE ACTION on JUNE 27th IN SUPPORT OF FIRST US MILITARY OFFICER TO REFUSE IRAQ WAR\r\n\r\nOn Wednesday, June 7th U.S. Army First Lieutenant Ehren Watada became the first commissioned officer to refuse deployment to the unlawful Iraq war and occupation. He announced his duty to disobey the illegal order to deploy to Iraq in coordinated press conferences in Tacoma, Washington and Honolulu, Hawaii via a video taped messaged due to a direct military order not to attend the pre-scheduled Tacoma press conference. Regardless, Lt. Watada’s public statement was shown on a large monitor for the national press.
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIn this Alert:
\r\n*Statement of Lt. Watada
<\/b>\r\n*Call to Take Action on June 27th
<\/b>\r\n -Background information
\r\n -How to get involved
\r\n -Resources for your use
\r\n -Why your support is crucial!
\r\n\r\n<\/p>
<\/p>
\r\n\r\nStatement of 1st Lt. Ehren Watada\r\n(June 7, 2006)
\r\nFamily, Friends, Members of the Religious Community, Members of the Press,
\r\nand my fellow Americans—thank you for coming today.
\r\n\r\nMy name is Ehren Watada. I am a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army and I have served for 3 years.
\r\n\r\nIt is my duty as a commissioned officer of the United States Army to speak out against grave injustices.
\r\nMy moral and legal obligation is to the Constitution and not those who would issue unlawful orders.
\r\nI stand before you today because it is my job to serve and protect those soldiers, the American people,
\r\nand innocent Iraqis with no voice.
\r\n\r\n\r\nIt is my conclusion as an officer of the Armed Forces that the war in Iraq is not only morally
\r\nwrong but a horrible breach of American law. Although I have tried to resign out of protest,
\r\nI am forced to participate in a war that is manifestly illegal. As the order to take part in an illegal
\r\nact is ultimately unlawful as well, I must as an officer of honor and integrity refuse that order.
\r\n\r\nThe war in Iraq violates our democratic system of checks and balances. It usurps international
\r\ntreaties and conventions that by virtue of the Constitution become American law. The wholesale
\r\nslaughter and mistreatment of the Iraqi people with only limited accountability is not only a terrible
\r\nmoral injustice, but a contradiction to the Army’s own Law of Land Warfare. My participation would
\r\nmake me party to war crimes.
\r\n\r\nNormally, those in the military have allowed others to speak for them and act on their behalf.
\r\nThat time has come to an end. I have appealed to my commanders to see the larger issues
\r\nof our actions. But justice has not been forthcoming. My oath of office is to protect and defend
\r\nAmerica’s laws and its people. By refusing unlawful orders for an illegal war, I fulfill that oath today.
\r\n\r\nThank you.\r\n\r\n<\/p>
<\/p>
\r\nCALL toTAKE ACTION on JUNE 27th IN SUPPORT OF FIRST US MILITARY OFFICER TO REFUSE IRAQ WAR\r\n“I refuse to be silent any longer. I refuse to watch families torn apart,
\r\nwhile the President tells us to “stay the course.”
… \r\nI refuse to be party to an illegal and immoral war
\r\nagainst people who did nothing to deserve our aggression.
\r\n I wanted to be there for my fellow troops. But the best
\r\nway was not to help drop artillery and cause more death
\r\nand destruction. It is to help oppose this war and end it so
\r\n that all soldiers can come home.”<\/b>
\r\n-U.S. Army First Lieutenant Ehren Watada
\r\n\r\n For the first time in the Iraq war, an officer in the U.S. military will
\r\nbe refusing orders and brought to court-martial this summer.
\r\nOn Wednesday, June 7th, Ehren came out publicly against the war. The military
\r\nhas declined his resignation based on his conscience and principles preventing
\r\nhim from continuing to participate in the war on Iraq.
\r\n\r\n We expect his deployment orders in late June and encourage you to organize solidarity
\r\nactions in your area for a National Day of Action on June 27th
\r\ndemanding an honorable discharge and no court martial.
<\/b> \r\nBecause our support for Ehren must be active and visible,
\r\nwe are calling for two National Days of Action.
\r\n\r\n\r\n People across the country will take action on June 27th, when
\r\nEhren refuses deployment; and again in August
(date to be announced)
\r\nif he does he face the court martial, we’ll mobilize nationally, putting
\r\nthe war on trial! This is a tremendous opportunity to invigorate
\r\nthe antiwar movement in the U.S., following the leadership
\r\nof Ehren and GI resisters.
\r\n\r\n To demonstrate our solidarity, we call for a
\r\nNational Day of Action on June 27th<\/b>
\r\nto support Ehren as he officially resists deployment.
\r\n\r\n These actions will include marches, vigils, protests, nonviolent direct action
\r\nor civil disobedience in support of his legal and moral refusal, and
\r\nagainst the war and occupation of Iraq. This is only the first step to
\r\nbuilding for mass national actions around the Court Martial days, which
\r\nwill likely be in August (although June 27th we’ll demand “No Court
\r\nMartial!” <\/b>we’ll begin preparing now in case this demand is not met).
\r\n\r\n This campaign holds the potential to renew and re-energize our struggle from
\r\nwithin the U.S. to end the occupation of Iraq, and strengthen grassroots
\r\nmovements for justice and peace. Additionally, a vigorous support movement
\r\nis Ehren’s best defense against violations of his civil rights by the
\r\nmilitary, including the possibility of forced deployment.
\r\n\r\n We must support soldiers whose resistance upholds principles and
\r\ndemocracy, and who can by challenging the military from the inside
\r\nliterally end the occupation of Iraq. Ehren joins a growing number of
\r\nresisters in this war, building off the legacy of GI resistance that has
\r\nhistorically played a vital role in ending wars. As the antiwar
\r\nmovement builds its support for these brave people and their
\r\nimportant actions, we hope to encourage more to take their stands
\r\nknowing they won’t be alone. Those of us outside the military
\r\nmust match his bravery by escalating our support for all GI resisters.
\r\nThey’ve got to know we’re out here for them!
\r\n\r\n We ask you to begin mobilizing your group, community and networks now.
\r\nWhatever solidarity action you can organize for June 27th will help build
\r\nthe national momentum towards mass actions in response to the court
\r\nmartial. Also, we encourage people who are able to please join the
\r\nmobilization to the Court Martial location (probably Fort Lewis, near
\r\nOlympia, WA). As well as educating your organization’s members, please
\r\nconsider hosting one or more public events to help raise awareness and\r\nfunds.
\r\n\r\nVisit www.ThankYouLt.org for more information,
to sign a support\r\npetition, and\/or contribute funds and resources to build his campaign!
\r\n\r\n\r\nGET INVOLVED!<\/b>
\r\n\r\nYour group can:
\r\n\r\n1) EDUCATE<\/b>:
\r\nRaise awareness in your organization, networks and communities
\r\nabout Lt. Ehren Watada’s case and the growing wave of GI resisters.
(more\r\nonline info at www.CouragetoResist.org and www.TomJoad.org)
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n2) MOBILIZE<\/b>:
Organize a coordinated action in your community for June\r\n27th<\/b>
supporting Ehren’s refusal of orders. Use this action to build\r\nawareness
and momentum for planning an even bigger action for the National
\r\nDays of Action around the court martial or the weekend before <\/b>
\r\n(we’ll update people immediately when the military sets the court martial date.)
\r\nWe urge people to consider engaging in non-violent direct action against a
\r\nwar and occupation which has killed hundreds of thousands of people, and
\r\nwhich the majority of people in the world—and in the U.S.—want to end.
\r\n\r\n\r\n3) BUILD CONTINUED SUPPORT<\/b>
for soldiers who have the courage to refuse.
\r\nYou can do this by signing up to participate in the
\r\nNational GI Resistance Alert Network
\r\nthat will alert you when and how support is needed.
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n4) DONATE<\/b>:
Can your organization or community contribute to legal and
\r\norganizing expenses? Fundraising events are also a great way to help raise
\r\nawareness and build support.
\r\n(Contribute at www.ThankYoult.org >donate)
\r\n\r\n\r\n**Please email supportlt@couragetoresist.org
\r\n with your organization, contact info, and which of the above your group will commit to.
\r\n\r\n\r\nRESOURCES FOR YOUR USE:<\/b>
\r\nWe will provide a local regular updates and a downloadable mobilizing and
\r\neducation kit (a flyer and poster with space for your local info\/dates, a
\r\nsample press release and packet, background materials, everything you need
\r\nfor a teach in or public event,post your event on our website, etc)
\r\n\r\n**Check out www.CouragetoResist.org for more resources as this campaign
\r\ndevelops.
\r\n\r\n\r\nWHEN:
Tuesday, June 27th is the first National Day of Action. <\/b>
Following\r\nthat, we expect the court martial date to be between late July and August.<\/b>
\r\nSign up for alerts, and we’ll tell you as soon as the date is set. But you
\r\ndon’t have to wait to start educating your community and organizing for
\r\nJune 27th!
\r\n\r\n\r\n WHY YOUR SUPPORT IS CRUCIAL:
\r\n“A war can end when the soldiers choose to stop fighting it,”<\/b> says Ehren
\r\nin the spirit of the GI resistance movement that played a major role in
\r\nending the Vietnam War, along with civilian support. We need you to be
\r\npart of making this movement rise again.
\r\n\r\nThe goals of this campaign are not limited to freeing Ehren.
Our vision is\r\nto:
\r\n\r\n1)<\/b> Build mass public support for him and others who uphold international,
\r\nmilitary and US law by refusing to participate in illegal wars and
\r\noccupations.
\r\n\r\n2)<\/b> De-legitimize the illegal Iraq war and occupation.
\r\n\r\n3)<\/b> Create a social, political and economic cost to prosecuting refusers
\r\nand to continuing the illegal Iraq war and occupation.
\r\n\r\n\r\nYour participation in this campaign is crucial to realizing these goals,
\r\nas part of a vision that we do have the power to end this war. Showing
\r\nwidespread support for soldiers who resist is one of the best ways those
\r\nof us outside the military can encourage the growing momentum of the GI
\r\nresistance movement—a movement that has the direct power to end this war.
\r\n\r\n “My decision to join the army is one that I will never regret
\r\nbecause my choice to reject unlawful and immoral orders in spite of the
\r\nconsequences, has taught me the true meaning of sacrifice, democracy, and
\r\nfreedom. I hope that my example shows other soldiers that they too have
\r\nthe power to choose right over wrong and that freedom is something that
\r\ncan never be taken away.” <\/b>
\r\n–Lt. Ehren Watada
\r\n\r\n\r\nSigned,
\r\n\r\nAction Center for Justice
\r\nCentral Committee for Conscientious Objectors
\r\nCourage to Resist
\r\nNot in Our Name
\r\nOlympia Movement for Justice and Peace
\r\nSeattle Draft and Military Counseling Center
\r\nWar Resisters League
\r\nCatalyst Project
\r\n\r\n<\/p>\n","contact":"courage@riseup.net","link":"www.CouragetoResist.org","address":"","phone":"","parent_id":0,"mime_type":"text\/html","summary":"","numcomment":0,"fileurl":"\/uploads\/","filesize":null,"article_url":"\/news\/2006\/06\/164548.php"},"attachments":[],"comments":[]}