Comments on: Ehren Watada Roundup

By: Butch

Butch — Thu, 06 Jul 2006 02:11:38 +0000

First let me say I’m not a big fan of this war or our justification for entering it, and I’m more in the center than right or left. That being said…

As an HPU grad and a recently retired officer, all I can say is that the best punishment is quite possibly this: When this guy goes to sleep at night, safe in his bed, out of harm’s way under the warmth and protection of selfless people he’ll never equal, he will absolutely know that he is a gutless, self-absorbed coward, afraid to fight even for his nation and the will of the people that elected our government, regardless of what defenses he makes up for his defense or the press.

Even better, his family and former friends will know it also. He will forever be tainted goods, even though he’ll be alive, just as he wishes and schemes. Cowards always live, just as drunk drivers seem to walk away from their crashes. His cowardry will only serve to strengthen those whose courageous ranks he pretended he could join.

He is a victim of the post-911 patriotism surge that netted many ROTC and OCS veterans who wanted to wear a uniform and “play” serve their nation, without understanding the sacrifice and mental fortitude it would require. Many can’t live up to it. Luckily, many can–unfortunately, the cowards get to wear the same uniform, at least for awhile.

For all intents and purposes, these cowards are virtually indistinguishable from real men and real women of honor. But like our flag, the true colors always come through. Luckily there is no yellow in our flag.

I suggest they deploy him to the hottest areas of Afghanistan (which he feigns the courage to visit) for his full commitment, then bring whatever is left of him up on charges prior to his separation.

By: James M. Jensen II

James M. Jensen II — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 05:28:39 +0000

With respect, I’d like to point out some of the counter-productive tactics some of you are using to support the war:

1. Accusing dissenters of cowardice. This is a serious charge, though it is sometimes deserved. To accuse Ehren Watada of cowardice for refusing to serve in the war places the burden of proof on your side, mainly in proving him wrong.

2. Punishing dissenters. Lt. Watada should accept the normal consequences of… well, whatever the particular offense is… as would any soldier who refuses duty. It’s the duty of his supporters to argue otherwise. In any case, however, calling for additional punishment for his dissent is unfair.

3. Denigrating dissenters. The general disrespect sometimes seen toward dissenters is counter-productive and contrary to a free society. It is an opinion, and deserves respect as any other. Argue over facts, not opinions, and especially not characters.

By: Laura in Mid Mo

Laura in Mid Mo — Sat, 01 Jul 2006 23:43:33 +0000

As far as the United Nations is concerned, the original League of Nations failed in its primary goal and so has the UN… where were they BEFORE 9/11 ???

As Michael V. Daly says – shut up

By: Michael Varian Daly

Michael Varian Daly — Fri, 23 Jun 2006 04:40:46 +0000

I wonder how many of those denigrating Lt. Watada here are themselves of ‘military service age’? Keep in mind that there is now a 75 year old army doctor on his way to Afghanistan.

If you ain’t ’stepping up to the plate’ yourself, then, to quote Billy O’Lielly, “Just shut up!”

By: Ed Bentivengo

Ed Bentivengo — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 07:26:54 +0000

In regards to Lt. Watada’s “fear”.
You neo-fascists out there have no idea how much “fear” you provoke yourselves, greater in many ways than being deployed to a battle zone. At the risk of saying something that might give dome of you a perverse pleasure, you all need to rethink your own terror tactics!
The chance of being put in one of America’s current military prisons where “detainees” are tortured, raped and murdered along with the public assault of the peanut gallery of armchair warriors focusing their anger and deficiencies at anyone who stands up and disagrees with them would be enough to give any young lieutenant pause. No, Watada is showing much more bravery than any of the deferment dodgers (Cheney got FIVE!) in the Bush Admiistration or on these boards.

By: Dianne

Dianne — Sun, 18 Jun 2006 21:51:15 +0000

This is bad. I smell something very fishy here. By the time Watada entered the military 2003, he was made clear knowledge that the 9/11 attacks were resulted from men in Egypt and Saudi Arabia, and that the war in Iraq was illegal. No weapons of mass destruction was found (which was the poor sorry excuse to go to war in the first place). And he joined the military anyway? Is it possible fear is setting in with his instructed deployment? Anyone would know, with war, comes pain, injury and death. And only now, he is refusing to leave to war zone Iraq. He claims he grew up in a good moral environment as a Japanese decent. With that in mind, he knew way far in advance the manipulation and deciet this war has in store. He could use rebuilding of the country as an excuse, but rebuilding and making the country a better place is a far cry from reality. Wasn’t it veterans of the 1991 Iraq war who said “Afghanistan and Iraq wars are the toughest to fight because of the terrain and the vile nature of the Iraq and afghan soldiers?” This is a long war and a war that will go on for years to come. Hold on to your wallets as gas prices soar even higher as this war escalates. Erhen Watada? Your excuse to refuse to deploy is very saddening and very questionable to your reasoning truth. I sense his fear in the reality of death or injury which is setting in as his deployment nears.

By: Edmund Bentivengo

Edmund Bentivengo — Sun, 18 Jun 2006 16:12:53 +0000

Nice to see that on a far-”right” site there is an honest open debate about Watada’s actions. Shows that maybe there is some wiggle room for a conscience yet in the Republican/military mentality.
Folks your arguments about Watada being sworn to uphold honor are specious. If the war is illegal (and the United Nations said it was!) then it is illegal and an officer has a duty to refuse illegal orders. God knows the 25 bombing missions per day killing civilians almost constantly (according to just about every foreign media source there is) also makes this war illegal as an act of State sponsored TERRORISM! (Remember, 9-11 was not done by Iraq, but primarily by Saudi Arabians.)
As for his skipping an ROTC scholarship, Watada paid his own way through college; no money is owed to the taxpayers by this good American lieutenant. Certainly nothing like what Halliburton owes you righteous taxpayers for the tens of millions in no-bid money they’ve “disappeared” from the books (that the media seem to have also decided to ignore).

By: Laura Teske

Laura Teske — Sat, 17 Jun 2006 22:16:01 +0000

What an idiot. For a college EDJUKATED person, he sure didn’t read the SMALL PRINT!

Do you think for one minute that if he had a civilian JOB and told his employer he didn’t want to do the JOB (anylonger) does he think he would still HAVE a J-O-B ???

Simple solution: strip him of all earned status, kick his sorry arse out of the military – dishonor of course and make him PAY the government BACK ALL the earned income and free housing/training he has received for the past three years!

By: Waikinikona

Waikinikona — Sat, 10 Jun 2006 22:57:40 +0000

“Mr” Watada, and I say “Mr” because Ehren Watada does not deserve to bear his military rank. Many of us Hawaii transplants and retired military living in the general area of Ft Lewis, WA are deeply upset with Mr Watada’s actions. Not being fully aware of his background, it appears Mr Watada maybe took advantage of an ROTC scholarship to fund his education, but when it comes down to the wire, he c/would not want to do the honorable thing to fullfil his obligation.
As islanders raised with the “Aloha” spirit, Mr Watada has let us down. “Ohana means family….and no one gets left behind…or forgotten” as Lilo says. Mr Watada, your Ohana is the Stryker Brigade you are assigned to. You have let them down. You have let us down. You are a sad representation of us.
I’ts too late for you to “do the right thing”. Even if you were to deploy, with your ohana, the Strykers, it would only create problems for you.
The aloha spirit means to forgive transgressions. Unfortunately, it will be hard for your fellow Strykers to over look this step you took. You took that oath “against ALL enemies, foreign and domestic.”

By: lockin47

lockin47 — Sat, 10 Jun 2006 18:19:01 +0000

Dare I forget………

Honor: Live up to ALL the Army values

By: lockin47

lockin47 — Sat, 10 Jun 2006 16:47:23 +0000

He cites the Army Value of “Duty” for his reason to refuse to deploy. We have many other values though.
Particularly…………

Loyalty: Bear true faith and allegiange to the US constitution, the Army , your Unit and other Soldiers.

Selfless Service: Place the welfare of the Nation, The Army and your subordinates above your own.

Personal Courage: Face fear, danger or adversity, “Both Physical and MORAL”

By: Jim Lynch

Jim Lynch — Sat, 10 Jun 2006 12:48:12 +0000

We are never going to agree on this. You are starting your argument from the point of our fighting in Iraq being illegal and/or immoral. It is not.

Further, to equate the liberation of Iraq with the horrors committed by the Nazis is absurd at the best.

Finally, as for the dates. The war in Iraq began in March of 2003. Lt. Watada began OCS in August of 2003.