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A soldier's plight
By Zoë Williams
williamz@mscd.edu

As U.S. strikes against Iraq continue, domestic opposition to the war is on the rise. This is an undoubted positive and a sign of redemption for a nation that voted in two consecutive elections to keep George W. Bush as commander in chief. Regardless, our national consensus that Iraq is a tragedy will not bring the troops home, end war profiteering or provide much necessary aid to the Iraqi people.

People have poured money into anti-war groups, marched, held vigils, disobeyed lawful orders, written to lawmakers, voted, prayed and lobbied in the hopes of getting out of Iraq. Even with these efforts the battle continues, and whispers about a war with Iran are surfacing. To be honest, aside from the brave humanitarian and direct-service organizations operating on the ground in Iraq, I can think of one group of people having a significant effect on the future of this war.

First Lt. Ehren Watada is part of that group. When Watada was called to service in the Iraq war, he refused to go. On the news show Democracy Now, Watada said, “I became convinced that the war itself was illegal and immoral, as was the current conduct of American forces and the American government on the ground over in Iraq. And as such, as somebody who has sworn an oath to protect our Constitution, our values and our principles, and to protect the welfare and the safety of the American people, I said to myself, that’s something that I cannot be a part of. I cannot enable or condone those who have established this illegal and immoral policy.”

On Feb. 5, the first court-martial for an officer refusing service in this war began. Watada is charged with one count of missing movement and two counts of conduct unbecoming an officer. The second charge is an attempt to punish Watada for speaking against the war and criticizing the Bush administration. If convicted, Watada faces up to four years in prison and a dishonorable discharge. The first day of the court-martial saw the judge refuse to hear witness testimony that the war in Iraq is unlawful.

He may not be seeing justice in the courtroom, but Watada is setting a critical precedent for soldiers in this nation. Without the warriors, there can be no war, and thus it ends. The members of the U.S. military have a whole lot of power in their hands.

Conscientious objectors cannot use that power alone, though. They need us. Civilians need to make sure that soldiers opposing illegal wars and refusing to fight get the support they need. If these kids want to run away, we need to help them. When they appear in court, we not only have to fill those rooms with supporters, but we need to make sure their legal bills are covered. Should they go to prison, we need to make sure they have cushy commissaries and stacks of support letters every day. The more folks see that resisters are treated like the heroes they are, the more soldiers will refuse to fight.

Now that’s what I call supporting the troops.