Lt. Watada

The Case of Lt. Ehren Watada
JANUARY 20-21, 2007
Tacoma, Washington, USA

"In an unprecedented two-day Citizens' Hearing held over January 20-21, more than 600 citizens joined a distinguished tribunal panel in listening to testimony about the legality of the US invasion of Iraq. The Citizens' Hearing was convened to present evidence that Lt. Ehren Watada would have presented in his February 5 court martial on the question that the military ruled barred from entry on Jan. 16 - the question of the Iraq War's legality. Lt. Watada has repeatedly asserted that because the Iraq War is illegal, it is his duty to refuse orders to deploy. He is the Army's first commissioned officer to take such a stand."

The Case of Lt. Ehren Watada
JANUARY 20-21, 2007
Tacoma, Washington, USA

"In an unprecedented two-day Citizens' Hearing held over January 20-21, more than 600 citizens joined a distinguished tribunal panel in listening to testimony about the legality of the US invasion of Iraq. The Citizens' Hearing was convened to present evidence that Lt. Ehren Watada would have presented in his February 5 court martial on the question that the military ruled barred from entry on Jan. 16 - the question of the Iraq War's legality. Lt. Watada has repeatedly asserted that because the Iraq War is illegal, it is his duty to refuse orders to deploy. He is the Army's first commissioned officer to take such a stand."

This video is about 12 minutes in length.

We can only imagine what Lt. Ehren Watada must have been feeling on February 5, 2007, the first day of his court martial for being the first commissioned officer to refuse deployment to Iraq. But he must have been heartened by the attendance at the rallies before the gates of Fort Lewis Washington where his "trial" was to be held.

This video is about 4 minutes in length

While at the Rally to support the noble actions of Lt. Watada on February 5, 2007, I interviewed a pro-war supporter who was conspicuously stationed near the overpass where all those who traveled between the rally and the vigil by the gates to Fort Lewis had to pass.