Watada Case Catches Reporters in Crosshairs

Editor’s Note: One of the reporters listed in this story is Sarah Olson. Sarah wrote several articles on this case for Truthout. We will support Sarah in any efforts she undertakes to protect her Constitutional rights as a journalist. —smg/TO

To view the articles we ran by Sarah on this matter see:
First Officer Announces Refusal to Deploy to Iraq [
First Officer Publicly Resisting War Gains National Support [
When Soldiers Refuse to Fight: Is the US Army Trying to Silence Lt. Watada? [
Lieutenant Watada Refused Iraq Deployment Orders Today [

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US Army to Call Reporters in Officer’s Case
Reuters

Tuesday 11 July 2006

Seattle – The US Army plans to call two journalists as witnesses to support charges filed against an officer who refused to fight in Iraq because of his objections to the war, the lieutenant’s lawyer said on Monday.

First Lt. Ehren Watada is facing charges over his refusal to deploy to Iraq with his unit on June 22 and choosing to remain at the Fort Lewis base in Washington state.

Last week, the Army charged Watada with missing his deployment, conduct unbecoming an officer and contempt toward officials. If found guilty on all charges, he faces up to seven years of confinement, dismissal and forfeiture of pay.

To prove that he made “contemptuous” comments about President George W. Bush and therefore engaged in conduct unbecoming an officer, the Army plans to call two journalists to attest to comments Watada made during interviews, the officer’s lawyer, Eric Seitz, told reporters.

In the charge sheet, the Army also said Watada made “disgraceful” statements about the president.

Watada, who supporters say is the first commissioned US officer to publicly refuse to serve in Iraq, has called the war and US occupation of Iraq “illegal” and said his participation would make him party to war crimes.

Seitz said the Army listed Sarah Olson, an independent journalist, and Gregg Kakesako, a reporter for the Honolulu Star Bulletin, as witnesses.

Olson and Kakesako, who have published interviews with Watada, were not immediately available for comment.

The charge sheet quotes Watada as saying in one interview: “As I read about the level of deception the Bush administration used to initiate and process this war, I was shocked. I became ashamed of wearing the uniform.”

Seitz argues that such comments are within Watada’s First Amendment rights to make, because he is stating a political position without inciting other people to acts of protest.

“The comments have been basically directed toward the way in which we went to war,” said Seitz. “He’s not out to call the president names or be disrespectful to his superiors.”