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Reporting from the Veterans For Peace
convention in Seattle last weekend, Dahr Jamail reprinted a speech
by Lt. Ehren Watada, the first commissioned U.S. Army officer
to publicly refuse orders to Iraq, who stated on June 22, "As
the order to take part in an illegal act is ultimately unlawful
as well, I must refuse that order."
In his speech to the VFP members, Watada laid down the most critical
challenge to the antiwar movement yet: will we show soldiers
that if they quit fighting this insane, criminal war and go to
jail that we will provide for their families as long as necessary?
Watada's challenge should be
placed on the agenda of every peace group in the land--from national
coalitions to grassroots groups in every city and village. Adopt
a soldier's family, plan how to do it, and announce that decision
publicly to create a growing list of those ready to cease business
as usual and end this war.
Following are excerpts from
Lt. Watada's speech to the Veterans For Peace convention, edited
only for length. Jamail reported that as the young officer began
to speak, some 50 members of Iraq Veterans Against the War left
their seats to stand behind him on the stage in solidarity.
Lieutenant Ehren Watada:
"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...It is time for change and the change starts with all
of usThe 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 of 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.
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 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, American
soldiers become indentured servants whether they volunteer out
of patriotism or are drafted through economic desperation.
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.
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.'
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."
Mike Ferner served as a Navy Corpsman during Vietnam
and is a member of Veterans For Peace, who is currently serving
two months house arrest for spraypainting "Troops Out Now!"
on a highway overpass in Toledo, Ohio. He can be reached at:
mike.ferner@sbcglobal.net
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