News about Lt. Ehren Watada http://www.thankyoult.org Sun, 11 May 2008 16:23:24 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.thankyoult.org/images/M_images/joomla_rss.png http://www.thankyoult.org News about Lt. Ehren Watada http://www.thankyoult.org/content/view/1078/11/ VETERANS SPEAK OUT AGAINST WAR March 13-16, 2008 On March 13-16, US veterans of the wars and occupations in Afghanistan and Iraq will gather in Washington DC to testify about their experiences, and present video and photographic evidence, as will military families and civilian survivors, in Winter Soldier hearings organized by Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW). These hearings are modeled on the 1971 event of the same name organized by anti-war veterans in Detroit which galvanized the movement against the Vietnam war. These important hearings will be broadcast live via satellite, radio and internet all over the world; please see below for details and schedule. The Global Women Strike and Payday will organize a public view in London and possibly in other cities. Details to follow. · Tune in, organize house parties, showings at community centers, places of worship, trade-union locals/branches, etc. If you organize an event, post it on IVAW's website here and let us know at Payday, and we will publish it on our website. · Write a statement of support for the hearings on IVAW’s website (tick “other” if you’re not in the US and insert your post code for zip code – it will be accepted). Send a copy to Payday and we will also post it on our website. We are all strengthened when US soldiers say no. If you are a conscientious objector/refusenik from another country tell them your experience. Let Winter Soldier know that the world supports them! · For more information on what else you can do to publicize and support this important event, see IVAW's website: www.ivaw.org. To stop this war, for the soldiers to stop fighting it, they must have the unconditional support of the people... 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. 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. -- Lt. Ehren Watada, first commissioned officer to refuse to go to Iraq, faced 7 years in prison, his court-martial ended in a mistrial but he still remains in legal limbo. Home - Around the Country Sat, 15 Mar 2008 14:01:41 +0100 http://www.thankyoult.org/content/view/1053/23/ By GENE JOHNSON, AP LEGAL AFFAIRS WRITER Seattle Post Intelligencer, Oct 3, 2008 SEATTLE -- A Fort Lewis soldier charged with refusing to deploy to Iraq asked a federal court on Wednesday to bar his upcoming court-martial, saying that the Army is violating his constitutional rights by trying him twice for the same crime. First Lt. Ehren Watada is accused of missing his unit's deployment in June 2006 and of conduct unbecoming an officer for making public comments denouncing President Bush and the Iraq war. If convicted, he could be sentenced to six years in prison and be dishonorably discharged. This is a remarkably clear case of an egregious violation of the double-jeopardy clause, Watada's lawyers, James Lobsenz and Kenneth Kagan, wrote in an emergency motion to block the court-martial, scheduled to begin Tuesday. Home - In the News Wed, 03 Oct 2007 20:09:00 +0100 http://www.thankyoult.org/content/view/1051/23/ By The Associated Press Seattle Post Intelligencer, July 17, 2007 FORT LEWIS -- The second court-martial of 1st Lt. Ehren Watada, a Fort Lewis U.S. Army officer who refused to go to Iraq with his unit a year ago, has been rescheduled to Oct. 9. Watada's trial, originally slated to begin next Monday, was postponed at the request of government and defense lawyers. His first trial earlier this year ended in a mistrial. If convicted, Watada faces a maximum of six years in prison and a dishonorable discharge. Home - In the News Tue, 17 Jul 2007 15:56:20 +0100 http://www.thankyoult.org/content/view/1050/23/ By The Associated Press Seattle Post Intelligencer, July 6, 2007 FORT LEWIS, Wash. -- Trying 1st Lt. Ehren Watada again for his refusal to deploy to Iraq won't violate his constitutional right not to be prosecuted twice for the same crime, an Army judge ruled Friday. Watada's new lawyers, Kenneth Kagan and James Lobsenz, immediately filed notice they will appeal that double jeopardy ruling to the Army Court of Criminal Appeals in Arlington, Va. Home - In the News Tue, 10 Jul 2007 09:40:59 +0100 http://www.thankyoult.org/content/view/1046/23/ By Hal Bernton, (mailto:hbernton@seattletimes.com)Seattle Times, May 19, 2007 The retrial of 1st Lt. Ehren Watada, the first Army officer to face a court-martial for refusing to deploy to Iraq, was put on hold Friday by an Army appeals court. That trial was scheduled for July 23 at Fort Lewis, but it's now unclear whether it will proceed on schedule. In a motion filed with the Army Court of Appeals, Watada's defense attorney argued that the initial February trial, which ended with the judge declaring a mistrial, created a double-jeopardy situation in which a second trial would violate Watada's constitutional rights. There can be no question that the military judge acted precipitously and abused his discretion, attorney James E. Lobsenz wrote. Home - In the News Sat, 19 May 2007 08:31:05 +0100