Vicegerent
2006-08-15 15:18:02 UTC
Ehrwen Watada
BY: Dahr Jamail
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/081406A.shtml
Date Published: 2006-08-14
On Saturday night, I was lucky enough to be at the Veterans for
Peace National Convention. For that night, Lt. Ehren Watada was
able to give the following speech, which I've just received permission
to post here. The speech was met with a powerful, standing ovation
from the vets who've been there.
Lt. Ehren Watada, for those who don't already know, became the first
commissioned officer to publicly refuse deployment to the unlawful
war and occupation in Iraq. While doing this on June 22, 2006, Watada
said, "As the order to take part in an illegal act is ultimately
unlawful as well, I must refuse that order."
Just as Watada took the stage and began to speak, over 50 members
of Iraq Veterans Against the War filed in behind him.
Watada, surprised by this and obviously taken aback by the symbolic
act, turned back to the audience, took some deep breaths,
then gave this speech:
Thank you everyone. Thank you all for your tremendous support.
How honored and delighted I am to be in the same room with you
tonight. I am deeply humbled by being in the company of such
wonderful speakers.
You are all true American patriots. Although long since out of
uniform, you continue to fight for the very same principles you
once swore to uphold and defend. No one knows the devastation
and suffering of war more than veterans - which is why we should
always be the first to prevent it.
I wasn't entirely sure what to say tonight. I thought as a leader in
general I should speak to motivate. Now I know that this isn't the
military and surely there are many out there who outranked me at
one point or another - and yes, I'm just a Lieutenant. And yet, I feel
as though we are all citizens of this great country and what I have to
say is not a matter of authority - but from one citizen to another.
We have all seen this war tear apart our country over the past three
years. It seems as though nothing we've done, from vigils to protests
to letters to Congress, have had any effect in persuading the powers
that be. Tonight I will speak to you on my ideas for a change of
strategy. I am here tonight because I took a leap of faith.
My action is not the first and it certainly will not be the last.
Yet, on behalf of those who follow, I require your help - your
sacrifice - and that of countless other Americans. I may fail.
We may fail. But nothing we have tried has worked so far.
It is time for change and the change starts with all of us.
I stand before you today, not as an expert - not as one who pretends
to have all the answers. I am simply an American and a servant of the
American people. My humble opinions today are just that. I realize
that you may not agree with everything I have to say. However, I did
not choose to be a leader for popularity. I did it to serve and make
better the soldiers of this country. And I swore to carry out this
charge honorably under the rule of law.
Today, I speak with you about a radical idea. It is one born from
the very concept of the American soldier (or service member).
It became instrumental in ending the Vietnam War - but it has
been long since forgotten. The idea is this: that to stop an illegal
and unjust war, the soldiers can choose to stop fighting it.
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
any 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 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 o the
history of atrocities and destruction committed in the name of
America - either through direct military intervention or by proxy
war - is crucial.
They must realize that this is a war not out of self-defense but
by choice, for profit and imperialistic domination. WMD, ties
to Al Qaeda, and ties to 9/11 never existed and never will.
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 - an
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.
Though the American soldier wants to do right, the illegitimacy of the
occupation itself, the policies of this 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.
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 their actions. The freedom to choose is only one that we can
deny ourselves.
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.
The Nuremburg 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.
The Constitution is no mere document - neither is it old,
out-dated, or irrelevant. It is the embodiment of all that
Americans hold dear: truth, justice, and equality for all.
It is the formula for a government of the people and by
the people. It is a government that is transparent
and accountable to whom they serve. It dictates a
system of checks and balances and separation of
powers to prevent the evil that is tyranny.
As strong as the Constitution is, it is not foolproof. It does
not fully take into account the frailty of human nature.
Profit, greed, and hunger for power can corrupt individuals
as much as they can corrupt institutions. The founders of
the Constitution could not have imagined how money would
infect our political system. Neither could they believe a
standing army would be used for profit and manifest destiny.
Like any common dictatorship, soldiers would be ordered
to commit acts of such heinous nature as to be deemed
most ungentlemanly and unbecoming that of a free country.
The American soldier is not a mercenary. He or she does
not simply fight wars for payment. Indeed, the state of the
American soldier is worse than that of a mercenary. For a
soldier-for-hire can walk away if they are disgusted by their
employer's actions. Instead, especially when it comes to
war, American soldiers become indentured servants whether
they volunteer out of patriotism or are drafted through economic
desperation.
Does it matter what the soldier believes is morally right? If this
is a war of necessity, why force men and women to fight?
When it comes to a war of ideology, the lines between right
and wrong are blurred. How tragic it is when the term Catch-22
defines the modern American military.
Aside from the reality of indentured servitude, the American
soldier in theory is much nobler. Soldier or officer, when we
swear our oath it is first and foremost to the Constitution and
its protectorate, the people. If soldiers realized this war is
contrary to what the Constitution extols - if they stood up
and threw their weapons down - no President could ever
initiate a war of choice again. When we say, "... Against
all enemies foreign and domestic," what if elected leaders
became the enemy? Whose orders do we follow? The
answer is the conscience that lies in each soldier, each
American, and each human being. Our duty to the Constitution
is an obligation, not a choice.
The military, and especially the Army, is an institution of
fraternity and close-knit camaraderie. Peer pressure exists
to ensure cohesiveness but it stamps out individualism and
individual thought. The idea of brotherhood is difficult to pull
away from if the alternative is loneliness and isolation. If we
want soldiers to choose the right but difficult path - they
must know beyond any shadow of a doubt that they will
be supported by Americans.
To support the troops who resist, you must make your voices
heard. If they see thousands supporting me, they will know.
I have heard your support, as has Suzanne Swift, and Ricky
Clousing - but many others have not. Increasingly, more
soldiers are questioning what they are being asked to do.
Yet, the majority lack awareness to the truth that is buried
beneath the headlines. Many more see no alternative but
to obey. We must show open-minded soldiers
a choice and we must give them courage to act.
Three weeks ago, Sgt. Hernandez from the 172nd Stryker Brigade
was killed, leaving behind a wife and two children. In an interview,
his wife said he sacrificed his life so that his family could survive.
I'm sure Sgt. Hernandez cherished the camaraderie of his brothers,
but given a choice, I doubt he would put himself in a position to
leave his family husbandless and fatherless. Yet that's the point,
you see. People like Sgt. Hernandez don't have a choice.
The choices are to fight in Iraq or let your family starve. Many
soldiers don't refuse this war en mass because, like all of us,,
they value their families over their own lives and perhaps their
conscience. Who would willingly spend years in prison for principle
and morality while denying their family sustenance?
I tell this to you because you must know that to stop this war, for
the soldiers to stop fighting it, they must have the unconditional
support of the people. I have seen this support with my own eyes.
For me it was a leap of faith. For other soldiers, they do not have
that luxury. They must know it and you must show it to them.
Convince them that no matter how long they sit in prison, no
matter how long this country takes to right itself, their families
will have a roof over their heads, food in their stomachs,
opportunities and education. This is a daunting task. It requires
the sacrifice of all of us.
Why must Canadians feed and house our fellow Americans who
have chosen to do the right thing? We should be the ones taking
care of our own. Are we that powerless - are we that unwilling to
risk something for those who can truly end this war? How do you
support the troops but not the war? By supporting those who can
truly stop it; let them know that resistance to participate in an
illegal war is not futile and not without a future.
I have broken no law but the code of silence and unquestioning
loyalty. If I am guilty of any crime, it is that I learned too much
and cared too deeply for the meaningless loss of my fellow
soldiers and my fellow human beings. If I am to be punished it
should be for following the rule of law over the immoral orders
of one man. If I am to be punished it should be for not acting
sooner. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "History will have
to record that the greatest tragedy of this period
... was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but
the appalling silence of the good people."
Now, I'm not a hero. I am a leader of men who said enough is enough.
Those who called for war prior to the invasion compared diplomacy with
Saddam to the compromises made with Hitler. I say, we compromise
now by allowing a government that uses war as the first option instead
of the last to act with impunity. Many have said this about the World
Trade Towers, "Never Again." I agree. Never again will we allow those
who threaten our way of life to reign free - be they terrorists or
elected officials. The time to fight back is now - the time to stand
up and be counted is today.
I'll end with one more Martin Luther King Jr. quote:
One who breaks an unjust law that conscience tells him is unjust,
and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to
arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in
reality expressing the highest respect for law.
Thank you and bless you all.
The only thing Watada said that I would disagree with is that
he claimed that he is not a hero. He is a leader, yet again,
by taking this stance. And he may never know how many
lives he has already touched.
Today, it is up to the anti-war movement to make sure his
leadership touches as many soldiers' lives in Iraq as possible.
Watada is making his stand. He needs continued support.
As he said, if more American soldiers in Iraq know that they,
along with their families, will be supported if they stand up
against this illegal occupation, countless more will follow,
and this repulsive war will end.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dahr Jamail is an independent journalist who has reported
for the Guardian, the Independent, and the Sunday Herald.
He now writes regularly for Inter Press Service and Truthout.
He maintains a web site at dahrjamailiraq.com.
Posted by: Vicegerent
BY: Dahr Jamail
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/081406A.shtml
Date Published: 2006-08-14
On Saturday night, I was lucky enough to be at the Veterans for
Peace National Convention. For that night, Lt. Ehren Watada was
able to give the following speech, which I've just received permission
to post here. The speech was met with a powerful, standing ovation
from the vets who've been there.
Lt. Ehren Watada, for those who don't already know, became the first
commissioned officer to publicly refuse deployment to the unlawful
war and occupation in Iraq. While doing this on June 22, 2006, Watada
said, "As the order to take part in an illegal act is ultimately
unlawful as well, I must refuse that order."
Just as Watada took the stage and began to speak, over 50 members
of Iraq Veterans Against the War filed in behind him.
Watada, surprised by this and obviously taken aback by the symbolic
act, turned back to the audience, took some deep breaths,
then gave this speech:
Thank you everyone. Thank you all for your tremendous support.
How honored and delighted I am to be in the same room with you
tonight. I am deeply humbled by being in the company of such
wonderful speakers.
You are all true American patriots. Although long since out of
uniform, you continue to fight for the very same principles you
once swore to uphold and defend. No one knows the devastation
and suffering of war more than veterans - which is why we should
always be the first to prevent it.
I wasn't entirely sure what to say tonight. I thought as a leader in
general I should speak to motivate. Now I know that this isn't the
military and surely there are many out there who outranked me at
one point or another - and yes, I'm just a Lieutenant. And yet, I feel
as though we are all citizens of this great country and what I have to
say is not a matter of authority - but from one citizen to another.
We have all seen this war tear apart our country over the past three
years. It seems as though nothing we've done, from vigils to protests
to letters to Congress, have had any effect in persuading the powers
that be. Tonight I will speak to you on my ideas for a change of
strategy. I am here tonight because I took a leap of faith.
My action is not the first and it certainly will not be the last.
Yet, on behalf of those who follow, I require your help - your
sacrifice - and that of countless other Americans. I may fail.
We may fail. But nothing we have tried has worked so far.
It is time for change and the change starts with all of us.
I stand before you today, not as an expert - not as one who pretends
to have all the answers. I am simply an American and a servant of the
American people. My humble opinions today are just that. I realize
that you may not agree with everything I have to say. However, I did
not choose to be a leader for popularity. I did it to serve and make
better the soldiers of this country. And I swore to carry out this
charge honorably under the rule of law.
Today, I speak with you about a radical idea. It is one born from
the very concept of the American soldier (or service member).
It became instrumental in ending the Vietnam War - but it has
been long since forgotten. The idea is this: that to stop an illegal
and unjust war, the soldiers can choose to stop fighting it.
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
any 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 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 o the
history of atrocities and destruction committed in the name of
America - either through direct military intervention or by proxy
war - is crucial.
They must realize that this is a war not out of self-defense but
by choice, for profit and imperialistic domination. WMD, ties
to Al Qaeda, and ties to 9/11 never existed and never will.
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 - an
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.
Though the American soldier wants to do right, the illegitimacy of the
occupation itself, the policies of this 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.
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 their actions. The freedom to choose is only one that we can
deny ourselves.
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.
The Nuremburg 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.
The Constitution is no mere document - neither is it old,
out-dated, or irrelevant. It is the embodiment of all that
Americans hold dear: truth, justice, and equality for all.
It is the formula for a government of the people and by
the people. It is a government that is transparent
and accountable to whom they serve. It dictates a
system of checks and balances and separation of
powers to prevent the evil that is tyranny.
As strong as the Constitution is, it is not foolproof. It does
not fully take into account the frailty of human nature.
Profit, greed, and hunger for power can corrupt individuals
as much as they can corrupt institutions. The founders of
the Constitution could not have imagined how money would
infect our political system. Neither could they believe a
standing army would be used for profit and manifest destiny.
Like any common dictatorship, soldiers would be ordered
to commit acts of such heinous nature as to be deemed
most ungentlemanly and unbecoming that of a free country.
The American soldier is not a mercenary. He or she does
not simply fight wars for payment. Indeed, the state of the
American soldier is worse than that of a mercenary. For a
soldier-for-hire can walk away if they are disgusted by their
employer's actions. Instead, especially when it comes to
war, American soldiers become indentured servants whether
they volunteer out of patriotism or are drafted through economic
desperation.
Does it matter what the soldier believes is morally right? If this
is a war of necessity, why force men and women to fight?
When it comes to a war of ideology, the lines between right
and wrong are blurred. How tragic it is when the term Catch-22
defines the modern American military.
Aside from the reality of indentured servitude, the American
soldier in theory is much nobler. Soldier or officer, when we
swear our oath it is first and foremost to the Constitution and
its protectorate, the people. If soldiers realized this war is
contrary to what the Constitution extols - if they stood up
and threw their weapons down - no President could ever
initiate a war of choice again. When we say, "... Against
all enemies foreign and domestic," what if elected leaders
became the enemy? Whose orders do we follow? The
answer is the conscience that lies in each soldier, each
American, and each human being. Our duty to the Constitution
is an obligation, not a choice.
The military, and especially the Army, is an institution of
fraternity and close-knit camaraderie. Peer pressure exists
to ensure cohesiveness but it stamps out individualism and
individual thought. The idea of brotherhood is difficult to pull
away from if the alternative is loneliness and isolation. If we
want soldiers to choose the right but difficult path - they
must know beyond any shadow of a doubt that they will
be supported by Americans.
To support the troops who resist, you must make your voices
heard. If they see thousands supporting me, they will know.
I have heard your support, as has Suzanne Swift, and Ricky
Clousing - but many others have not. Increasingly, more
soldiers are questioning what they are being asked to do.
Yet, the majority lack awareness to the truth that is buried
beneath the headlines. Many more see no alternative but
to obey. We must show open-minded soldiers
a choice and we must give them courage to act.
Three weeks ago, Sgt. Hernandez from the 172nd Stryker Brigade
was killed, leaving behind a wife and two children. In an interview,
his wife said he sacrificed his life so that his family could survive.
I'm sure Sgt. Hernandez cherished the camaraderie of his brothers,
but given a choice, I doubt he would put himself in a position to
leave his family husbandless and fatherless. Yet that's the point,
you see. People like Sgt. Hernandez don't have a choice.
The choices are to fight in Iraq or let your family starve. Many
soldiers don't refuse this war en mass because, like all of us,,
they value their families over their own lives and perhaps their
conscience. Who would willingly spend years in prison for principle
and morality while denying their family sustenance?
I tell this to you because you must know that to stop this war, for
the soldiers to stop fighting it, they must have the unconditional
support of the people. I have seen this support with my own eyes.
For me it was a leap of faith. For other soldiers, they do not have
that luxury. They must know it and you must show it to them.
Convince them that no matter how long they sit in prison, no
matter how long this country takes to right itself, their families
will have a roof over their heads, food in their stomachs,
opportunities and education. This is a daunting task. It requires
the sacrifice of all of us.
Why must Canadians feed and house our fellow Americans who
have chosen to do the right thing? We should be the ones taking
care of our own. Are we that powerless - are we that unwilling to
risk something for those who can truly end this war? How do you
support the troops but not the war? By supporting those who can
truly stop it; let them know that resistance to participate in an
illegal war is not futile and not without a future.
I have broken no law but the code of silence and unquestioning
loyalty. If I am guilty of any crime, it is that I learned too much
and cared too deeply for the meaningless loss of my fellow
soldiers and my fellow human beings. If I am to be punished it
should be for following the rule of law over the immoral orders
of one man. If I am to be punished it should be for not acting
sooner. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "History will have
to record that the greatest tragedy of this period
... was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but
the appalling silence of the good people."
Now, I'm not a hero. I am a leader of men who said enough is enough.
Those who called for war prior to the invasion compared diplomacy with
Saddam to the compromises made with Hitler. I say, we compromise
now by allowing a government that uses war as the first option instead
of the last to act with impunity. Many have said this about the World
Trade Towers, "Never Again." I agree. Never again will we allow those
who threaten our way of life to reign free - be they terrorists or
elected officials. The time to fight back is now - the time to stand
up and be counted is today.
I'll end with one more Martin Luther King Jr. quote:
One who breaks an unjust law that conscience tells him is unjust,
and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to
arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in
reality expressing the highest respect for law.
Thank you and bless you all.
The only thing Watada said that I would disagree with is that
he claimed that he is not a hero. He is a leader, yet again,
by taking this stance. And he may never know how many
lives he has already touched.
Today, it is up to the anti-war movement to make sure his
leadership touches as many soldiers' lives in Iraq as possible.
Watada is making his stand. He needs continued support.
As he said, if more American soldiers in Iraq know that they,
along with their families, will be supported if they stand up
against this illegal occupation, countless more will follow,
and this repulsive war will end.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dahr Jamail is an independent journalist who has reported
for the Guardian, the Independent, and the Sunday Herald.
He now writes regularly for Inter Press Service and Truthout.
He maintains a web site at dahrjamailiraq.com.
Posted by: Vicegerent