Lt Watada claims he has a constitutional right to be a deserter coward traitor oathbreaker protester. 

Ok, that’s not what he said, but it comes close enough.

I admit my bias here and now.  The guy makes me want to hurl.  He is an embarrassment to the uniform he wears.

I feel better now.

Judge hears motions during officer’s pretrial hearing

An Army lieutenant who called the Iraq war illegal and refused to deploy with his Stryker Brigade has a constitutional right to debate such political issues, his lawyer told a pretrial hearing Thursday.

Seeking to reduce the charges against 1st Lt. Ehren Watada, his attorney, Eric Seitz of Honolulu, said the soldier should not be penalized for statements he made explaining why he refused to go to Iraq and why he was challenging the Bush administration’s reasons for going to war.

Watada, 28, is charged with missing movement after refusing to deploy with his unit, the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division. The Army also proceeded with charges of conduct unbecoming an officer for statements he made to journalists and at a veterans convention.

Seitz argued that the latter charges should be dropped.

News Flash.  Military people voluntarily sacrifice some of their rights when they take their oaths of service.  Among the things you are not allowed to do is incite to mutiny, which this moron does at every speech he encourages others to follow his example.  Yes its a restriction on free speech.  So what?  I had a security clearance in the Air Force, and when you do, you learn free speech is not an absolute.

"He should not face another four years of penalties because he chose to explain his reasons for opposing the war," Seitz told Lt. Col. John Head, the military judge overseeing Watada’s case at this post south of Tacoma.

Army prosecutors argued that Watada’s statements are offensive to the military and must be looked at in the context in which they were made and the effects they could have as well as the danger they present to the military’s mission.

"The dividing line and what makes it more disgraceful is the fact that he made it to more than one person," Capt. Daniel Kuecker said.

Honestly the guy should shut his pie hole and take his lumps.

Seitz also requested an evidentiary hearing to argue the legality of the war. At a hearing in August, he called on several witnesses to support Watada’s contention that the Iraq invasion violated domestic and international law.

Talk to congress bud.  They authorized it.  You took an oath to obey lawful orders, and it was a lawful order.  You chose to disobeyed it.

If convicted of all charges, Watada could serve six years in confinement and be dismissed from the service.

He now works in an administrative position. His court-martial is scheduled for Feb. 5 at Fort Lewis.

He should be breaking rocks.

Watada’s parents sat in the back of the courtroom during the hearing, his father at times leaning forward on the bench with his hands clasped in front of him.

Protester dad proud of the little protester child he spawned.  The fruit did not fall far indeed.

The family spoke briefly during the lunch break.

"We’re very hopeful the charges will be dropped," said Bob Watada, the lieutenant’s father.

I am very hopeful he will rot in a prison cell for 6 years.  It should be longer.

Perri Nelson continues the discussoin a bit more in depth here.

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