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Jiro · 06-20-2008, 10:41 AM

From that link of Lt. Watada's emails - if you read the comments by readers... all of them think he is a coward. Lot of these comments are written by both soldiers and veterans.

here are some comments -

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What? Comparing our government with the Nazi regime. How pathetic. In my opinion your a traitor and a treasonist and should be put on trial found guilty and thrown in Guantenamo bay where I'm sure you will get better treatment then our soldiers. God Bless our soldiers and God bless the USA.

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I'm a former Lt. USN. I remember the lessons based on the Nurenburg trials/My Lai Massacre,
An Officer has a duty to obey lawful orders, an order is assumed to be lawful unless it is clearly an illegal act - ie roundup and kill every person in this village..

The Iraq war has been lawfully authorize by the US Congress...repeatly funded by the US Congress.

Too bad the military can't confine him in a nice prison in Iraq. Guarded by the very soldiers he betrayed.

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He planned this. He knew he'd eventually be deployed and have the ability to raise a stink about the war. He also knew that the media would make him their little darling. This whole thing has been carefully orchestrated from the beginning.

He's nothing more than a little POS that I would have scraped off the bottom of my boot.

What burns my ass the most is that I'm sitting here in this F'n wheelchair and I'd gladly change places with him. Not that I have regrets or that I'm bitter about how I became paralyzed, not by a longshot. But damn,... I'd gladly go in his place if I could.

He could sit out his days leisurely protesting the war and I'd gladly take the 120 degree heat with 20 pounds of bullet stopping, body heat building, armor strapped around my chest and a 70 pound ruck on my back.

F'n Bastard! (Sorry for the curse word BlackFive,... but he is.) He just makes me want to puke!

I'd stand for what's right,... if I could stand!

~V5

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I'm wondering if he will have to pay back any educational benefits, bonuses he's received -- maybe he was thinking this was a good way to get trained and educated without paying for it; i understand in one interview he said he'd go to Afghanistan -- except he's trained with a unit that has been depending on him to lead them in Iraq. This guys' going down, but at least he's not fleeing to Canada... They say there's at least one in every bunch -- but the caliber of our military is so high, and it would seem that even though there may be more who were not totally behind this war, and might try to get out of their duty, except for the dedication and devotion most combat officers have for their men. This guy just doesn't care about anyone but himself, and i wouldn't want him to lead anyone into battle; You could say he probably just did his men and our country a huge favor by not going with them to Iraq

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TO: Michael XXXXXXXXX
RE: The Oath

There IS a difference between the oath that officers and enlisted take.

The latter has a clause about obeying the orders of the president and officers appointed over them. The former has no such clause.

[Note: See this rather scholarly analysis of the oath....The Oath of Office: A Historical Guide to Moral Leadership

Yeah....it's by a wing-wiper, but he taught at USAFA, so he must know SOMETHING.]

It's an interesting omission, if you think about it. And one that puts an important onus on all commissioned officers to think for themselves, on occassion. [Note: Think of LT Calley.]

Personally, I think LT Watada is fouled-up beyond all recognition. And probably a gutless coward to boot. A product of the vaunted American public education system gone awry. Watada could well go and serve in Iraq and never be called upon to become another LT Calley.

Instead, Watada has decided to not serve in Iraq at all. Even if he were never called upon to go forth and lead men in combat. That's a cowardly decision, in my opinion. And he needs to be dealt with accordingly....the long course at Leavenworth.

However, back to the oath.....

....I think it would make an interesting discussion as to why the officers' oath does not have that clause about obeying orders.

Regards,

Chuck(le)
[Officers are not authorized morale.]

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What did Lt. Watada think was going to happen when he joined the military? That he could impress the girls with his snappy uniform and be the hero at various high school assemblies?

He milked the government for his education and when the time came to repay for this, he decides to Google for reasons to avoid being sent to Iraq.

He, at the least, needs to repay the military for all the education he did. I think he needs to spend some time making small rocks out of big ones, but unfortunately, that doesn't seem to happen much anymore.

But, they could send him to Harvard also. I believe there is an open position there also.

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Since when has 1LT Watada passed the Bar and become a JAG? I agree with most here: how the hell is the war in Iraq illegal or unlawful? I REALLY want to see him back up that allegation.

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I'm the MP CPT who had the email exchange. In my final reply to the LT, I didnt really say much more as talking to these people is like talking to the wall. He has convinced himself of the nobility of his cause. I believe he will tour with Cindy this summer, until his apprehension. It is a shame that a young kid who spent the time in a commisioning program (OCS) would do so only to jack himself up for the rest of his days. Maybe he fancies himself the next John Kerry. At least J Fn K set foot on hostile ground.