Iraq war bashed at hearing for soldier who wouldn't go

[Postman]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003207442_watada18m.html

At Thursday's hearing, the prosecuting officer introduced new evidence against the lieutenant: a recording of Watada's speech Saturday at the Veterans for Peace convention in Seattle, where he lashed out at the administration for waging a war of choice "for profit and imperialistic domination," and urged soldiers to lay down their arms and refuse to fight.

"Resisting an authoritarian government at home is equally important to fighting a foreign aggressor on the battlefield," Watada said.

Watada's attorney said such statements are free speech protected under the U.S. Constitution. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) also submitted a brief in support of Watada's right to speak.

.......

Lt. Col. Mark Keith, the investigating officer who presided over Thursday's Article 32 hearing, will make a recommendation about whether to proceed with a court-martial.

In response to defense questions, Keith affirmed he was open to considering arguments about the war's legality and allowed Boyle, former United Nations Undersecretary Denis Halliday and retired Col. Ann Wright to speak about the legality and conduct of the war.

[jsamuel]

1. so does that mean that this judge may decide that the Iraq War is illegal?

in order to decide if the defendant was justified

[Postman]

2. I don't know but doesn't "motive" count for anything?

I mean your motive for wanting to kill someone is different than the one for not wanting to kill.

I think motive should be a part of the process for declaring the guy guilty or not.

Did he disobey an order to deploy? Yes.

Was the order to deploy legal? Yes.

We get into a dangerous area when military officers are making judgments about whether or not the war they're fighting is legal or not. Is it their place to make that kind of judgment? Should they make those judgments?

Are morality and legality the same?

If Iraq had been the success that they said it was going to be, and Watada still refused to deploy because the war was "illegal" in his view, would he be correct?