http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_BjK1QqDOo

I think she is politicizing something which was answered because Romney, McCain or Giuliani didn’t answer it to her liking. Why not just support Ron Paul?

I’m surprised not one person who has posted here heard that…

As for the Nat’l Guardsmen on deployment orders, I feel for them as much as the next guy.
The ones that really get my goat are the Soldiers in the Military who say they didn’t ’sign up for this’, they’re just in for the college money. They signed up AFTER the war started and were surprised to find themselves being deployed? I just don’t get it.

As for Jenna and Barb, I’d rather they NOT serve if the don’t ‘feel the obligation to serve’. The Military doesn’t need anyone who’s half-assing it.

Watada brilliantly lays out the reasons why those in the military today have not only a right but a duty and an obligation to say NO to this illegal war and occupation that has been intentionally perpetrated by the United States.

Comment by Erroll — June 8, 2007 @ 10:40 am

Yeah, but he refers to the Nuremberg trials as an important lesson in this regard then fails to heed one himself.

Namely that the military and it’s personnel and the population of the US has ignored this in every instance practically on an annual basis for the subsequent 60 years.

This is about as meaningful as US prohibition was to Russian for the past 70 years. Something they’ve ignored wholly and in 400 flavours since.

Well said. Extremely well said. What you have written is reminiscent of what Lt. Watada so wisely put forth last summer at the Veterans for Peace convention in Seattle, when he told myself and the other veterans in the audience at the dinner banquet that “The idea is this: that to stop an illegal and unjust war, the soldiers can choose to stop fighting it.”

He went on to say that “Now it is not an easy task for the soldier. For he or she must be aware that they are being used for ill-gain. They must hold themselves responsible for individual action. They must remember duty to the Constitution and the people supersedes the ideologies of their leadership. The soldier must be willing to face ostracism by their peers, worry over the survival of their families, and of course the loss of personal freedom. They must know that resisting an authoritarian government at home is equally important to fighting a foreign aggressor on the battlefield. Finally, those wearing the uniform must know beyond the shadow of a doubt that by refusing immoral and illegal orders they will be supported by the people not with mere words but by action.”

The lieutenant went on to point out that “The American soldier must rise above the socialization that tells them authority should always be obeyed without question. Rank should be respected but never blindly followed. Awareness of the history of atrocities and destruction committed in the name of America-either through direct military intervention or by proxy war-is crucial. The soldier must know that our narrowly and questionably elected officials intentionally manipulated the evidence presented to Congress, the public, and the world to make the case for war. They must know that neither congress nor this administration has the authority to violate the prohibition against pre-emptive war-and American law that still stands today. This same administration uses us for rampant violations of time-tested laws banning torture and degradation of prisoners of war. Through the American soldier wants to do right, the illegitimacy of the occupation itself, the policies of the administration and rules of engagement of desperate field commanders will ultimately force them to be party to war crimes. They must know some of these facts, if not all, in order to act. ”

The lieutenant brought up the name of an American icon when he said that “Mark Twain once remarked ‘Each man must for himself alone decide what is right and what is wrong, which course is patriotic and which isn’t. You cannot shirk this and be a man. To decide against your conviction is to be an unqualified and inexcusable traitor, both to yourself and to your country…’ By this, each and every American soldier, marine, airman, and sailor is responsible for their choices and actions. The freedom to choose is only one that we can deny ourselves.”

He reminded us that “The oath we take swears allegiance not to one man but to a document of principles and laws designed to protect the people. Enlisting in the military does not relinquish one’s right to seek the truth-neither does it excuse one from rational thought nor the ability to distinguish between right and wrong. ‘I was only following orders’ is never an excuse.”

He looked back at history when he said that “The Nuremberg Trials showed America and the world that citizenry as well as soldiers have the unrelinquishable obligation to refuse complicity in war crimes perpetrated by their government. Widespread torture and inhumane treatment of detainees is a war crime. A war of aggression born through an unofficial policy of prevention is a crime against the peace. An occupation violating the very essence of international humanitarian law and sovereignty is a crime against humanity. These crimes are funded by our tax dollars. Should citizens choose to remain silent through self-imposed ignorance or choice, it makes them as culpable as the soldier in these crimes. ”

I do not believe that there is one superfluous word in that excerpt of the speech given by the lieutenant. Those words belong in the same category as Thomas Paine and Jefferson and James Madison. Watada brilliantly lays out the reasons why those in the military today have not only a right but a duty and an obligation to say NO to this illegal war and occupation that has been intentionally perpetrated by the United States.

Yep. A whole 5% more than want creationism taught in schools and access to abortions restricted. That’s a mandate to the next President and congress to act on all 3 issues right ?

The Iraqis, however, have other ideas. Eventually, they will run us out of Iraq. The Iraqi Parliament is expected to vote for a demand that the US set a timetable for leaving the country. Furthermore, the Iraqi oil workers are on strike protesting the impending theft of Iraq’s oil by the petroleum companies with our protection. The armed resistance to the occupation will also continue as long as we keep troops there. It is only a matter of time when the inevitable happens, and we are forced to leave the country, thanks not to we Americans, but to the resolve of the Iraqi people.

As for who is responsible for US troops being killed in Iraq – I am quite sure you understand the concept of causality but for the rest of our readers “The principle of or relationship between cause and effect”.

Just as in our own Revolutionary War British Soldiers were killed JUST BY BEING HERE where they did not belong (Causality) YOU Sir would have been shooting at them from behind hedge rows because they were the most powerful Army in the world at the time – and they needed to leave our country. How do you deny that our presence caused by this corrupt and immoral administration now forcing the OCCUPATION of a country that cannot train its own Army in 4 plus years?
I too was in the Army and I know it took about 20 weeks total!
Sgt. Higgins God Bless you for your service and good luck but I hope the blinders come off soon.

Have you considered that your possible exposure to delpleted uranium may be responsible for your infant’s handicaps? The Biblical Sins of the Father being visited upon their children and all that.

“You just compared daughters to sons…”

33 American femal soldiers have died so far in Iraq. They were all somebody’s daughter.

“at any rate, they didn’t serve because they didn’t VOLUNTEER to serve.”

This and the “was your brother Drafted?”

I don’t think any National Guardsperson expected this kind of boondoggle when they signed up for one weekend a month and the occasional tornado. The National Guard was never intended for this kind of foreign entanglement. Same with those serving under “stop loss” orders. And I wish some reporter would ask Jenna and Barb directly why they don’t feel the obligation to serve.

“Well, there are some mothers who are Bush fans.”

I think you left out a “f*cker” between the r and the s there.

Then McCain, Couldn’t tell her that the entire Republican party was absent minded during what McCain called, “Bush’s mishandling of the war”. The Republicans enjoyed a majority controlled congress and Senate. The same repubs that removed habeas corpus from her loved one that was killed fighting for freedom as it was taken away from him.

Comment by IdahoMoe — June 7, 2007 @ 2:18 pm

A true American wouldn’t ask a question like that, because it presumes you represent the American people, which you don’t.
Remember, 63% favor a deadline for withdrawal; so you’re in the minority. Maybe if you lived closer to civilization, you’d have a clue.

Lee Iaccocca is right. Where are the leaders in this corrupt society

Well said, you called out these warmongering cowards for their lack of service, but who are perfectly willing to send the kids of others to come back in body bags, wheel chairs, and f*cked up minds.