美国陆军中尉Ehren K Watada7日在华盛顿举行新闻发布会，公开拒绝赴伊拉克服役。Watada表示，参加伊拉克战争，将把他推向战争犯罪（party to war crimes）的道路。据悉，Watada是美国首个拒绝服兵役的美军军官。 另一方面，驻伊美军在涉嫌滥杀平民损害了海军陆战队的声誉以及美国在阿拉伯世界的形象，虽然只是个别士兵的个人行为，但美国公众对军队支持也可能受到影响。到现在为止，许多美国人虽然反对伊拉克战争，但对士兵的支持没有丝毫保留。
Watada's supporters, including actor Sean Penn, gathered outside the army base [AP]
A US army officer who refused an order to deploy to Iraq has pleaded not guilty to several charges at a court-martial that calls into question the right of officers to speak out against the war.
First Lieutenant Ehren Watada has described America's involvement in Iraq as illegal and morally wrong.
On the first day of the court-martial in Fort Lewis, an army base near Seattle, Watada explained that he saw the order to go to Iraq as illegal because the war itself was illegal.
He said: "I had no other choice but to refuse the order."
'Illegal' war
The 28-year old faces four years in prison if convicted on one count of missing movement and two counts of conduct unbecoming an officer for refusing to go with his unit, the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division.
He refused conscientious-objector status, saying he would serve in Afghanistan but not Iraq.
Anti-war activists consider Watada a hero and his supporters say he is the first army officer to publicly refuse to deploy to Iraq.
"As the order to take part in an illegal act is ultimately unlawful as well, I must as an officer of honour and integrity refuse that order"
First Lieutenant Ehren Watada
Watada had hoped to make his case against the war in court, but John Head, the military judge presiding over the case, denied the defence's request to argue the legality of the war, saying the question cannot be answered in a military court.
Head also denied a list of possible defence witnesses and limited what the defence could ask potential members of the military panel that will determine Watada's fate.
Eric Seitz, Watada's lawyer, said: "It has become clear now that there is nothing for us to say in this courtroom."
Seitz called the decisions "comical" and "atrocious".
Watada's supporters and opponents gathered outside the gates of the army base, waving banners and shouting.
'War crime'
The two charges of conduct unbecoming an officer stem from public comments Watada made encouraging soldiers "to throw down their weapons" to resist an authoritarian government at home.
Defence lawyers had intended to argue that Watada's comments were free speech protected under the US constitution but Head rejected this.
In a video statement in June, Watada said: "As the order to take part in an illegal act is ultimately unlawful as well, I must as an officer of honour and integrity refuse that order."
Despite having already been charged, he spoke out again in August, at a Veterans for Peace rally in Seattle.
Watada said: "Though the American soldier wants to do right, the illegitimacy of the occupation itself, the policies of this administration, and the rules of engagement of desperate field commanders will ultimately force them to be party to war crime."
Army 'betrayal'
Army prosecutors say Watada's behaviour was dangerous to "the mission" and morale of other soldiers.
Captain Dan Kuecker said at one hearing: "He betrayed his fellow soldiers who are now serving in Iraq."
Colonel Dan Baggio, a US army spokesperson, said: "[It] sets a bad example for the soldiers underneath that person. It sets a bad precedent. At that point in time you've lost good order and discipline. You can't have that in a military
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发表于 6.2.2007 17:21:16
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