Lieutenant Ehren Watada is a man of principle or a rebel without a cause ?

Answer 1

He is a man of honor. A true Patriot standing up for what he believes is right. Which is...that the War in Iraq is an illegal war. Which it is. President Bush lied to the American people when he claimed Saddam was addicted to WMD. Bush also orchestrated the biggest lie in the history of the United States. The demolition of the WTC. The missile shot into the Pentagon. The hoax of flight 93. All orchestrated with the help of his brother Marvin Bush, Larry Silverstein, Rudy Guilani, Controlled Demolition Inc. just to name a few. The American people need to realize that President Bush is nothing but a drunken deserter who went AWOL himself.

It's now well established that George W. Bush never showed up for National Guard duty for a period of approximately one year, possibly more, in 1972-1973. Despite all the talk about "honor and dignity," Bush seems to have a problem meeting his commitments and following through with his duties.

"Those of us who were in the military wonder how it is that someone who is supposedly serving on active duty...can miss a whole year of service without even explaining where it went," said [Senator John] Kerry.
(Source)

Bush says he's released all his records...if that's true, then has anyone seen:

Any pages from Bush's flight log
Records from the Flight Inquiry Board convened after Bush was suspended as a pilot
Any evidence of Bush's reclassification into another AFSC after suspension as a pilot
Any photos of George Bush in a military uniform after 1972
Anything at all from any Alabama unit with Bush's name on it
Any copies of form 44a from the Alabama National Guard certifying attendance
Air Force Form 142 (Aviation Service Audit Worksheet)
Anything proving service (not just receipt of pay) by Bush between May 1972 and May 1973?
(And what is it precisely that the blathering right-wing pundits seem to think is missing from John Kerry's service records?)

AWOL----absent for 30 days or less.
Desertion-----absent for more than 30 days with evidence of no intent to return to duty.
Is he guilty of one or both? You read the facts here and decide.

This is not the story of a search for missing records. We have the pertinent records.

This is not a hunt for credible eyewitnesses and first hand statements. The officers involved have stepped forward. We have their testimony and we have the signed statements of those no longer living.

This is the story of how George Walker Bush walked away from a years duty while in the National Guard.

And, this is the story of how he has thus far gotten away with it.

"I continued flying with my unit for the next several years..."

That statement is an outright LIE, which means the person making it is a LIAR.

Indeed, George Bush is this liar. He is an emarrassment to the Military, our Government , and he is spreading shame on America and the people of the United States.

I support Ehren Watada and wish him the best in 2007 and May God Bless America.

Answer 2

The guy could have resigned his commission at the first wiff that he might be sent to Iraq (which was about the same time he enlisted, as the war was already on!). Had he simply resigned his commission, rather than refuse a specific assignment (he said he would go to Afganistan, but not to Iraq) this wouldn't even be story now. But he didn't. he waited untill his unit was ordered to go, and then refused. That's not honor, that's politics. Now if he were a politician, all would be good. But he's a soldier. I hope he spends a couple of years in jail, is stripped of all federal benefits, denied any others for the span of his remianing life, and ordered to write apology letters to all those who DID serve in Iraq before he is set free.

Answer 3

Neither. He is a man that needs a bullet in his head. He VOLUNTEERED to be in the military. Therfore, he has no right to say he is not going to fight. If he hated the war so much, he should have not joined the military and protested and camped out with Cindy Sheehan. My piece is not a pro-Iraq war. (I think it was an ill concieved war at absolute minimum) However, you don't join the military (as an officer no less) and then refuse to fight. My father was a vet of vietnam and he had no choice, why should Watada? Serve, get out, then protest until his heart is content. That is the right way to do it.

Answer 4

Watada is a coward, he joined the Army after we went into Iraq.

So his excuse that he thinks its an illegal war, just doesn't wash, why would he join the Army after it was involved in what he said he thinks is an illegal war.

Watada was just fine, until he was ordered to Iraq, seems strange to get a sudden bout of conscious then.

Answer 5

Watada can be whatever he wants to envision himself to be. I see him as a military officer who has failed to uphold the contract he signed and of the oath he took to serve the nation in his capacity. He has junked his obligations to the country. He was very well-aware of the consequences of his actions and of what the circumstances would be in times of war. He will forever be looked upon as a man without principle, who refused to honor his sworn oath to serve the greatest nation in the history of mankind.
He should be a man without a country.

Answer 6

His cause I think is adding to the national debate about the legality of our current situation in Iraq that is costing money that could be better spent domestically and killing and wounding our generation of servicemen.