US army officer refuses deployment to Iraq?

Question

this is Big, what are your feelings about this?

Answer 1

It takes extraordinary courage to do that.

Answer 2

Do you follow an order you know is morally wrong, or do you take a stand at peril to your career and personal liberty? That is the question. Abu Graib gave us several examples of the first choice, and I expect we'll hear a lot more of these stories before all is said and done in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. You've presented us an example of the latter choice. There are a few more below. This is what courage looks like.

Answer 3

Well, we have had an RAF Officer challenge his deployment here in the UK. My husband a Senior Army Officer, his friends and colleagues all had empathy with the RAF Officer. I know there was a great deal of hand wringing in our house over my husband's deployment to Iraq. As the prescence of WMD had not been proven (where are they exactly?!) and it is illegal under the terms of the Geneva Convention to invade a country to effect regime change, it was the first time in my husband's long and distinguished Military career that he felt he was being asked to obey an illegal order. He had been shot at in N.I and served Op Tours all over the World but this one was different. I am afraid we secumbed to our conventionality but it didn't stop me marching on the streets of England with ONE MILLION other people.

I think this Officer is a brave and intelligent man. He stands to lose everything to uphold his right not to obey an illegal order. I admire him. He is doing it for all of us who were too cowardly to say 'no'.

Answer 4

He shouldn;t have joined the army for the first place,since he got a heart of a chicken.What kind of coward refusing to do his obligation as a soldier?He should be court-martialled for his timidness,then the army could find out his reason and excuses,so next time the army could put a better recruitment requirement in the future.

Answer 5

I think he is a coward. Yes he has a right to disobey an unlawful order, however Congress has declared war, and as a commissioned officer he has an obligation to serve and lead men into battle.

Creditability: I'm an Commissioned Officer as well.

Answer 6

A Royal Air Force officer, actually a Doctor, refused to deploy. He was Court Martialled and booted from the service. Not sure, but I think he did prison time.

He reckoned the was was illegal. Maybe, but first and foremost, he was letting his mates down. Scumbag

Answer 7

Fine he should be made to pay back every dime he has taken from the government in wages and training since he decided to swagger around in a uniform and carry a gun.

Why join the army if you are not prepared to do what it is there for?

Answer 8

someone has failed along the way to tell this guy that he did not have a choice to "refuse"
oh yeah and he should be charged under UCMJ:
failure to follow a direct order
deriliction of duty
conduct unbecoming an officer
showing cowardice in the face of the enemy
missing a movement
going awol
etc. etc.

Answer 9

He isn't the first coward in the armed forces and won't be the last. he took an oath and will be dealt with accordingly if he is in violation of that oath.
Personally I don't want a coward (commisioned or non) leading our boys in Iraq so let his punk *** stay right here in the stockade.....

Answer 10

He lacks Honor, he will not live up to an oath which he has voluntary taken. He lacks courage, he will not face the unknown or danger that he knew that he could face when he took his oath, i.e. I am not an objector until I have to go . . . but he will collect his pay checks or EFT before the call of duty comes. Commitment well, he has none. He lacks the core values!
Honor, Courage, Commitment!

Answer 11

I say he is standing up against the goverment to not support this stupid war which doesn't make him a coward...actually that takes some guts.

BUT at the same time he shouldn't have signed up for a job where this is bound to happen.