Statement of Support for 1st Lt. Ehren Watada - July 27, 2006 - On June 7, 2006 1st Lt. Watada of the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, Fort Lewis, WA, called a press conference to announce his opposition to the War in Iraq. In protest against a war he considers unjust and unlawful, he has attempted to resign his commission. The Army has refused to accept.

We of the Women’s Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i want to issue a statement of support not only for 1st Lt. Watada, but for the thousands of men and women doing their best to serve their nation in the armed forces of the United States. They do their very best for us in Iraq and throughout the world.

We Deplore...

We deplore the national policy that sends our troops to Iraq based on lies and political adventurism. The Bush administration seems to believe that a US-enforced regime will magically result in democracy in the Middle East. Our men and women in uniform are paying for that policy with their limbs, their lives and their dignity.

We deplore the national policy that disregarded the meaning and intent of the Geneva Convention in its war on terror which resulted in the degrading scandals at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay.

We deplore the loss of innocent civilian life in Iraq that is a direct result of this political adventurism.

We deplore the horrific and demoralizing results of this policy that puts fine young men and women in the position of having to make the decision to refuse a direct order as unlawful under the laws of war and the constitution of our great United States.

We Applaud...

 We applaud those men and women of conscience who have refused their orders to go to Iraq and who refuse to continue to serve this lie perpetrated upon the people of Iraq and the people of the United States.

We applaud those men and women of conscience who choose, as a matter of duty, to remain in uniform and serve their country to the best of their ability under the dictates of an immoral national policy.

We Demand...

We demand an immediate timetable for the withdrawal of our armed forces from Iraq.

We demand that this timetable be informed by the commanders on the ground who know best how and when to safely remove our troops in an ordered fashion and with great respect for our commitments to the Iraqi people.

We demand the Bush administration be held accountable for the damage it has done to our men and women in uniform, to our veteran’s, to our nation and to the world.

In Short... 

We are not anti-military, we are for sane and honest international policy, we do not forget terrorism, we remember the rule of law, we would not abandon our allies, we would regain their respect. To this end we offer our heartfelt support to 1st Lt. Watada and all men and women in the armed forces of the United States of America.

Hawaii State Democratic Women’s Caucus

Co-chairs: Allicyn Tasaka & Debbie Shimizu

Ann Freed
Marsha Joyner
Nanci Kreidman
Karin Gill
Ann Oshiro-Kauwe
June Motokawa
Carolyn M. Golojuch
Jeanne Y. Ohta
Danielle Guion-Swenson
Laura & Jerry Manis
Nancy L. Hedlund