{"article":{"id":166333,"heading":"Support Lt. Watada","author":"IMC repost","created":"2006-06-28 16:49:10","modified":"2013-11-11 00:41:18","last_modified":"Mon, 11 Nov 2013 07:41:18","article":"\r\n\r\n\r\n
\r\n \r\n <\/span>Support First Lieutenant Ehren\r\nWatada
\r\n<\/span>REFUSING\r\nTO KILL IS NOT A CRIME<\/span><\/span>\r\n<\/td>\r\n		\r\n

<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Lt Watada\r\n(center) with his parents<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n\r\n<\/table>\r\n

International Day of Action – Tuesday June 27<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Leafleting at <\/strong> Mann's Chinese Theater<\/strong> <\/span>,\r\nNoon – 1pm<\/strong> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n

6925 Hollywood\r\nBlvd. (near Highland), Los Angeles<\/strong><\/span><\/span>  <\/span><\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/span><\/i> <\/p>\r\n

“Normally, those\r\nin the military have allowed others to speak for them and act on their\r\nbehalf. That time has come to an end…  <\/span>I\r\nhope that my example shows other soldiers that they too have the power\r\nto choose right over wrong and that freedom is something that can never\r\nbe taken away”.<\/span><\/i> \r\n<\/span>Lt. Watada<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n

\r\n
<\/span><\/i><\/div>\r\n

On Thursday June 22, First\r\nLieutenant Ehren Watada, the first commissioned officer of the US Army\r\nto publicly refuse to go to Iraq and to campaign for an end to this\r\nwar, was confined to his base and put under a complete gag order\r\nwithout being charged.  <\/span>We urge you to\r\nsupport his principled and courageous stand, to demand that he be freed\r\nto move and to communicate with his family and supporters and the\r\npublic, and that he not face any further punishment for his actions.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\r\n

The Day of Action has been\r\ncalled by the US group Courage to Resist and actions have been planned\r\nacross the US.  <\/span>The Watada family is\r\npleased and excited that Payday<\/i> will internationalize the\r\nsupport by calling for groups and individuals in other countries to\r\ntake action with them.  A<\/span>ctions\r\nare taking place in more than 25 cities across the US<\/strong>,\r\nas well as Canada<\/strong>, the UK<\/strong>, Japan<\/strong>\r\nand Italy<\/strong>.  <\/span> <\/span><\/span><\/span>A model\r\nletter to US Embassies is suggested below.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Recently,\r\nUS soldier Suzanne Swift<\/strong> was arrested for deserting\r\nher military police unit after suffering post-traumatic stress disorder\r\nas a result of rape and sexual harassment by superiors while on duty in\r\nIraq. Her refusal and Lt. Watada’s stand out among the increasing\r\nnumber of soldiers who are refusing the atrocities this war is\r\ninflicting on civilians and its own military.  <\/span>The\r\ntwo families have met and gave mutual support.  More information on Suzanne Swift's\r\ncampaign will be available soon at www.suzanneswift.org\r\nor email Sara Rich, Suzanne Swift's\r\nmother, at formydaughtersuzanne@yahoo.com.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\r\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

\r\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n

\r\n

“We taught Ehren that he has to\r\ncare for other human beings, other people on this planet, regardless of\r\nwhere they are. We didn’t teach him to go kill children, kill women in\r\nIraq… he’s chosen the hard course, but it’s the right course and we’re\r\nvery proud of him.”<\/span><\/i>   <\/span>
\r\nBob Watada, Lt. Watada’s father, who refused to serve in the\r\nVietnam war.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

\r\n

“I think that what Ehren is doing\r\nwill galvanize the antiwar movement… The 1% of the population that\r\nrepresent the oil conglomerates, and the rich who get richer, can no\r\nlonger mandate and determine our future.” <\/span><\/i>Carolyn Ho, Lt. Watada’s mother.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n

\r\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

\r\n

 <\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n

In\r\ndefending Lt. Watada, we are defending ourselves and our sisters and\r\nbrothers in every country against the rape, murder and devastation\r\nunleashed by Bush’s “endless wars” and the theft of billions of dollars\r\nfrom every population which the world needs to be invested in caring\r\nnot killing.<\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n

Power to the sisters and brothers refusing to\r\nkill – and to be killed<\/strong> <\/span><\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n

\r\n<\/span><\/i>\r\n

·       \r\n<\/span><\/span>Take action on Tuesday June 27. <\/span><\/b>A current list of demonstrations\r\ncan be found on the Courage to Resist website http:\/\/www.couragetoresist.org\/x\/content\/view\/96\/27\/<\/span>\r\n<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

·       \r\n<\/span><\/span>If\r\nyou live outside the US, <\/span><\/b>send\r\na <\/span>letter of protest\r\nto, or vigil outside of, <\/span>the US\r\nembassy where you live. <\/span>See\r\nbelow model letter, or write your own. <\/span>For US embassies and consulates see http:\/\/usembassy.state.gov<\/span>.  <\/span>Please cc: courage@riseup.net<\/span> and payday@paydaynet.org<\/span>  <\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/span><\/span> <\/p>\r\n

\r\n

Family\r\nand Friends of Lt. Watada: www.thankyoult.org<\/span>    <\/span>Courage to\r\nResist: www.couragetoresist.org<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

Los\r\nAngeles is among many cities across the US taking action in\r\nsupport of Lt. Watad<\/span>a, in Los Angeles sponsored by the\r\nGlobal Women’s Strike\/LA, Women of Color in the Global Women's Strike\r\nand Payday. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> <\/p>\r\n\r\n

    <\/span>Global Women’s Strike<\/em><\/strong>  <\/em><\/strong> <\/span><\/span>INVEST IN CARING NOT KILLING
\r\nTel 323-292-7405 Email la@crossroadswomen.net  <\/span> Web www.globalwomenstrike.net<\/span>  <\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n <\/span><\/em>\r\nPayday<\/em>, an international network of men working with the Global\r\nWomen's Strike <\/span><\/span><\/span>\r\nTel <\/span>Philadelphia<\/span> 215-848-1120, <\/span>London  <\/span>0207 209 4751 <\/span> Email <\/span>payday@paydaynet.org<\/span><\/span><\/span> Web <\/span>www.refusingtokill.net<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\r\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> \r\n

<\/span><\/span>
\r\n<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/span>\r\n

<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/span>\r\n

<\/span> <\/p>\r\nModel\r\nletter to US Embassies\r\n <\/span>\r\n

\r\n
<\/span><\/i><\/div>\r\n

Dear Ambassador,<\/span><\/p>\r\n

 <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Re: Lt. Ehren Watada, confined to base and silenced for\r\nrefusing to deploy to Iraq<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

 <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\r\n

On\r\nJune 7, First Lieutenant Ehren Watada of the US Army publicly declared\r\nthat he is refusing orders to deploy to Iraq with his brigade, after\r\nthe Army had declined his resignation based on his conscience and\r\nprinciples.<\/p>\r\n

We\r\nunderstand that on 22 June, he was confined to Fort Lewis and put under\r\na complete gag order without any charge or proper process, after\r\nrefusing orders to prepare to fly to Iraq. We demand that he be freed\r\nfrom confinement and allowed to communicate with his family and\r\nsupporters and the public, that he be granted an honorable discharge,\r\nand that he not face court-martial or is not in any way punished for\r\nhis actions. Refusing to kill is not a crime.<\/p>\r\n

Lt. Watada’s stance is in line with the\r\nNuremberg Charter (1950), which enshrined in international law the\r\nresponsibility of each of us to refuse to obey illegal and immoral\r\norders from any government.  <\/span>In the US,\r\nthese principles have been part of the official policy of the\r\nDepartment of Defense since 1953, and can be found in the <\/span>Uniform Code of Military Justice 809.ART.90\r\n(20), 892.ART.92 (1), and 892.ART.92 (2).<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n

The pre-emptive war on,\r\nand occupation of, Iraq is a crime on a massive scale. Increasingly,\r\nsoldiers in the US, the UK and other countries are refusing to\r\nparticipate in this slaughter, torture and rape -- by some estimates\r\nover 100,000 Iraqis killed, the majority women and children.  <\/span>The number of US military deaths in Iraq is\r\nnow over 2500.  <\/span>Total casualties for both\r\nare many times higher. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Recently, US soldier Suzanne Swift was\r\narrested for deserting after suffering post-traumatic stress disorder\r\nas a result of rape and sexual harassment by superiors while on duty in\r\nIraq. Her refusal and Lt. Watada’s <\/span>represents the view of\r\nmillions.  <\/span>Poll after poll around the\r\nworld, including in the US, have shown public rejection of the war and\r\nthe occupation of Iraq.  <\/span><\/p>\r\n

At\r\nleast 8,000 US soldiers are officially “deserters”, hundreds are\r\nseeking refuge in Canada and other countries, and the number of young\r\nmen and women signing up for the military (particularly people of\r\ncolor) is at an historic low despite the pressure of the “poverty\r\ndraft”.  <\/span>In the UK, which has the second\r\nlargest contingent in Iraq, the number of deserters has tripled since\r\nthe invasion.<\/p>\r\n

Ben Griffin, a British\r\nsoldier who resigned from the SAS (Special Armed Services) said,<\/span><\/p>\r\n

“Soldiers are no longer\r\nasked to line up in the trench and at a blow of their commander’s\r\nwhistle go over the top without thinking.  <\/span>The\r\nwar is illegal, we were lied to -- surely a soldier is allowed to\r\nunvolunteer himself from the army?”<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n

Lt. Watada has said of\r\nhis decision to refuse, <\/span><\/p>\r\n

“It is my conclusion\r\nas an officer of the Armed Forces that the war in Iraq is not only\r\nmorally wrong but a horrible breach of American law. \r\nAlthough I have tried to resign out of protest, I am forced to\r\nparticipate in a war that is manifestly illegal.  As the\r\norder to take part in an illegal act is ultimately unlawful as well, I\r\nmust as an officer of honor and integrity refuse that order.”<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n

We urge you to accept\r\nLt. Watada’s refusal to deploy to Iraq and grant him an immediate\r\nhonourable discharge, and to release him from confinement and the gag\r\norder immediately. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Yours sincerely,  <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","contact":"","link":"","address":"","phone":"","parent_id":0,"mime_type":"text\/html","summary":"Call out to support Lt. Watada on the 27th.","numcomment":0,"fileurl":"\/uploads\/","filesize":null,"article_url":"\/news\/2006\/06\/166333.php"},"attachments":[],"comments":[]}