You have got to be $%^&ing me...

[Flash]

I always have to roll my eyes at the way things like this are portrayed in the media....

As far as this "Officer" goes, assuming he isn't a coward and is truly pursuing his conscience... good for him. HOWEVER, If he is truly following his conscience, he should be more than willing to face the consequences. The consequences should rightly be prison time for failure to follow a lawful order in time of war.

I definitely agree with the above, if he really believes what he is doing is right then he should be more than willing to face the consequences. And if I hear the lament "The Army could have just let him resign, he only had 6 months left in the service anyways...." one more time I am going to put my foot through the TV.......:icon_rage

I am inclined to agree with A4's who voiced his suspicions when this first came up a few months ago, I smell a rat too. It is seems like a setup to me......

 

[invertedflyer]

Its the old "If you're going to speed on the freeway, and you're willing to accept the consequences, then speed away" analogy. I still disagree with him... but its his decision. I'm just hoping the attention gained him by the liberal media won't mitigate any consequences that he faces.

 

[IRfly]

I always have to roll my eyes at the way things like this are portrayed in the media....

How often do you see the media covering soldiers honorably and dutifully reporting for combat service? How often does the media interview the families that say "we are so proud of our son!", or "I know my daughter is proud to serve her country!", or "My husband really believes in what he's doing!"? These people are the silent majority... because the media saves the platform for the liberals who denigrate the President and further a leftist agenda.

Objectors always get the spotlight... what the media is really saying is "See? This guy agrees with us!" (the media).

I dunno about that..........
I think that the good soldier gets plenty of attention as well. Just the other day CNN (gasp! yes, that CNN) had an hourlong lovefest with a Marine platoon in Iraq that had lost some men. Included backgrounds, interviews with families, and more than one attempt at a tear-jerking moment (I say this rather contemptuously because I immensely dislike Anderson Cooper and his style of reporting--nothing having to do with the Marines who were the subject of the story).
This guy hasn't even really gotten all that much attention. There was the Yahoo! interview that started this thread, but I haven't seen much other than that. But whatever attention he does get is mostly due to the media looking for the unusual--the "angle." Of course they're going to focus on the disobedient officer. Just like there's never going to be a story on the local Jax news about how Stubby, a Navy Chief, didn't murder and cannibalize anyone on his way home from work today.

 

[invertedflyer]

While I'm sure that there is "some" covereage out there IRfly.. IMO its not mainstream. Many troops talk about building schools or facilities, or aiding the Iraqis in building such facilities while they were over there (aiding in rebuilding infrastructur, water, electricity etc.). You never hear that, nor do you hear many interviews of troops expressing their opinions of the war. You usually hear the troops' opinions 2nd or 3rd hand from some retired analyst. There is also rarely mention of our efforts to train and equip the Iraq Police Force/Military/National Guard in a way that would "take us to the scene".

You are far more likely to hear about this IED, or that VBIED, or this many Iraqi police were killed and 1 soldier etc. etc. IMO its because this "makes the news", just like a car chase would in L.A. I believe bloomberg and BBC to be more "fair and balanced" ... theres other alternative news sources out there as well.

 

[thull]

I definitely agree with the above, if he really believes what he is ding is right then he shoudl be more than willing to face the consequences.

only problem with that is he believes he's not breaking any laws...so he shouldn't have to face anything. yeah, he's a douche, but that's the way he's thinking.

 

[IRfly]

Many troops talk about building schools or facilities, or aiding the Iraqis in building such facilities while they were over there (aiding in rebuilding infrastructur, water, electricity etc.). You never hear that, nor do you hear many interviews of troops expressing their opinions of the war. You usually hear the troops' opinions 2nd or 3rd hand from some retired analyst. There is also rarely mention of our efforts to train and equip the Iraq Police Force/Military/National Guard in a way that would "take us to the scene".

You are far more likely to hear about this IED, or that VBIED, or this many Iraqi police were killed and 1 soldier etc. etc. IMO its because this "makes the news", just like a car chase would in L.A. I believe bloomberg and BBC to be more "fair and balanced" ... theres other alternative news sources out there as well.

I've met many officers and several senior enlisted that have negative opinions of the war and the administration's handling thereof. Same for positive opinions. But those who disagree with the war aren't going to go on national TV to say so--maybe that's why this is big news. It was also big news when a soldier called out Rummy on his failure to properly provision the war. Should the media interview a hundred soldiers who support Bush and the war to "balance out" 1Lt. Watada's actions/opinions? Everybody knows that he's the exception rather than the rule--that's why it's news.

 

[Flash]

only problem with that is he believes he's not breaking any laws...so he shouldn't have to face anything. yeah, he's a douche, but that's the way he's thinking.

It is kind of like fighting the IRS, only it is First Lt Vs. US Army...... He chose his battle, now he will fight it.....and lose......rightfully so........then go on to make money through speaking fees and the inevitable book deal.

This is another example of the ignorance regular Americans have when it comes to the military, they don't understand the level of betrayal and scorn that Mr Watada is looked upon my almost all of his fellow officers. Do your duty, once finished you can b!tch all you want......but don't betray your fellow soldiers (or sailors, marines or airmen for that matter) while you are sitll serving, especially when you are one of the few who has the duty to lead them.........:icon_rage

 

[invertedflyer]

I've met many officers and several senior enlisted that have negative opinions of the war and the administration's handling thereof. Same for positive opinions. But those who disagree with the war aren't going to go on national TV to say so--maybe that's why this is big news. It was also big news when a soldier called out Rummy on his failure to properly provision the war. Should the media interview a hundred soldiers who support Bush and the war to "balance out" 1Lt. Watada's actions/opinions? Everybody knows that he's the exception rather than the rule--that's why it's news.

There is much truth to what you say IMO. I have a mixed bag of reactions to the conflict when I ask around. About half say they thought that they could make a difference, and would even volunteer to go back...the other half (including my good friend who was Army infantry) say the country doesn't have a chance in hell... they don't seem to think we can change anything at all. I agree that they wouldn't say this on national television.

WRT to Rummy, are you referring to Gunner Palace?

I wonder what Bush's new Iraq plan is going to include, the word is that it will involve a large deployment of troops "temporarily" ... its taking alot of heat from the Dems.

 

[DanMa1156]

Actually, the only "media" attention I have seen on this guy has been *gasp* links on or through this website.

If you do not want him to have a platform, then stop talking about him.

How about a Lock?

Agreed on both accounts. Guy is a d-bag and we all know it; griping is all that will ensue on this thread. Should be locked.

 

[Gatordev]

People should just stop posting. There's nothing wrong w/ the thread that makes it need to be locked, just the subject.

 

[LoneSailor]

It's a shame he's from Hawaii, I hope people don't get the impression that Hawaii breeds cowards like this. Hawaii has a proud tradition of fine service members (past and present).

 

[Stubby]

...Stubby, a Navy Chief, didn't murder and cannibalize anyone on his way home from work today.

Are you sure!?!

 

[eddie]

It's a shame he's from Hawaii, I hope people don't get the impression that Hawaii breeds cowards like this. Hawaii has a proud tradition of fine service members (past and present).

What kind of nonsense sentimentalism is that? So do many states. What, like if he was Mass or SOCAL or Oregon (or Texarkansas, Floribama, or one of the Virginias / Carolinas?) it would seriously make a difference?

 

[Hurley]

I hope he and Mr. Tillman meet in the afterlife one day so that they can have a little... discussion on the matter.

 

[Cate]

If you're referring to the "go to war with the army you have, not the army you want" incident with Rumsfeld, it does bear pointing out that said soldier was fed the question by a reporter. That having been said, he did willingly ask it, and Rumsfeld did personally step in it.

And maybe it's more prevalent in the South (or maybe it's just because I live in a red state), but pretty much every time troops move around and/or leave and/or return and/or get new hats, I see footage on my local news of some beaming (or occasionally tearful) mother talking about how proud she is of her son. It just doesn't usually make that national news because that sort of news isn't really nationally significant. (In contrast, "80 percent of military families report being terribly proud of their children" or "78 percent of military mothers support the war in Iraq" would be national news.)