What are your opinions on Ehren Watada, the U.S. soldier refusing to go to Iraq?

Question

He says he can't go to Iraq because the U.S. is acting illegally and unethically, and its his obligation to not represent the U.S. in doing such horrible things. I'm sure you've heard of him, what are your opinion on him and his stance?

Answer 1

He should be discharged. Going to Iraq is his job as a soldier. In the civilian world, if you refused to do your job you would get fired, simple as that.

Answer 2

I doubt many in our Armed Forces WANT to go to war. but they are willing to do so when called upon. Ehrin Watada is a coward who listens to way too many Conspiracy theorists who think Bush is to blame for everything. He joined the Military as the Iraq war was starting. He knew what was required. He knew what he is trained for. He joined. and then when the time came he refused. Did he think this was some sort of game?
Watada is a dispicable coward and should have the full measure of the law thrown at him.
His reasons are absolutely unfounded and have no basis in fact.
The US is NOT acting illegally, or unethically.
unless you listen to terrorist sympathizers....

Answer 3

Well, he should have not joined (unless he joined on a 6 year contract he joined after we went to war by now) it is because of Pus$ies like him that we have to keep going back. I don't agree with the war either but damn it someone else needs to go fight for a while instead of calling us volunteers (of 6-7 years ago) back cuz the rest of the counries youth are unwilling to fight (catch 22 I am just tired of the idea of having to go back, but I think the only way to stop misuse of the military is to stop joining) So, I think he is a PUS$Y but I do respect his viewpoint, however he joined up (most likely) after the war started, so he has no excuse.

Answer 4

He is a fool. He joined the military, no one forced him to join. Once you join the military you have signed a contract for a term of service, the terms of which make him a GI, Government Issue,
he belongs to the government and military. If he didn't want to fight he shouldn't have joined to begin with. He has an obligation to do as ordered, is agreement to it happen when he enlisted.
He is a coward who lacks the ability to honor his commitments,
and his word has no value, based on his lack of integrity in accepting the consequences of his own choices.

Answer 5

Other soldiers died so he can express his opinion.

That's all I have to say. Mainly cause right now I'm following the old adage - If you have nothing nice to say - say nothing.


"And Robert Watada said he laid out the "pros and cons" of military service as his son considered joining the service in the spring of 2003 as the invasion of Iraq was launched."

Quoted material from this article.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003044627_nogo7m.html

So the asshole joined AFTER the war started.

Answer 6

I live in the Seattle area, and of course he has been much in the news here. Basically, he has no case. His claim that the war is illegal is not supportable: Congress passed a resolution authorizing it, and that is all the legality that is needed. If on a court-martial board, my ruling would be: As to the specification, proved; as to the charges, guilty; punishment, reduction to the lowest enlisted rank, two years confinement, loss of all pay and allowances, dishonorable discharge.

Answer 7

He is a yellow belly little wimp and that is putting it nicely since we can't swear on here. These are the things that should happen to him, drop his rank to the lowest possible. Keep every paycheck that he is due, charge him with willfull disobeidence to a superior (the president), put him in front of a firing squad for execution for disertion, he is letting his commrades go out there and fight and die. That is just like if he was out there in a fire fight getting up and running away and leaving them one man short to fight. Before he is executed he should be fined how ever much money the military spent on his training food housing, if he can't pay it then make his family pay for it, and put it out for the public to see, so anyone who is thinking about getting into the military knows that they could be sent to war whether they agree with it or not and if they join and then desert their commrades that this will happen not to just them but to their family

Answer 8

I have no respect for someone who joins the military and then tries to weasel out of his obligations based on his interpretation of the legality of the war. They call people like that a "sea lawyer" or a "barracks lawyer," and they endanger other soldiers by disrupting discipline.

JMB

Answer 9

He should be court martialed. He has broken the law. It isn't about freedom of expression, he VOLUNTARILY joined the military and part of that is following all lawful orders. No matter how he tries to spin his decision it all results in him not honoring the committment he made when he accepted a commission as an officer. He should be ashamed of himself.

Answer 10

If a nationwide consensus is arranged....believe it or not....most of the american population will brand him a traitor, a coward, a ****** Jap....terrorist sympathizer....as we know of them.....as their heads are in the sand....and dreaming re-runs of twin towers which prevents broadcasts from Abu Ghuraib, Bagram, Gitmo, Haditha and Fallouja.....etc. But the Jap officer got the waves....and is not willing to lend his hand in american efforts to beat the record made by Mongols......and look..just a lil more than a couple of centuries have gone by.....and so much land to conquer and plunder.....so much oil, so much target practicing, so much weapon testing and so many chances to rape.....

So Mr. Watada.....you will rot in a prison for refusing to be part of the rotten lot......