Originally Posted by
SASless
Kevin Sikes interviewed the only American Officer to refuse duty in Iraq. The young Lieutenant faces six years in jail, a Dishonourable Discharge, and forfeiture of all pay and allowances if incarcerated.
The officer attempted to resign his commission but was refused.
If the trial of Flt.Lt. Malcolm Kendall-Smith is anything to go by, Lt Watada may expect short shrift and at least six months in the slammer. Hinting, albeit obliquely, that his Commander-in-Chief is a war criminal won't be very popular, either. And yet, as in the case of the good doctor, I cannot but admire the moral courage of someone taking a stand that he cannot win, and will win him nothing but bile from many, including no doubt contributors to this thread. The real scandal is that the Governments of the USA and the UK have betrayed their own armed forces in calling on them to do their duty in morally and legally questionable circumstances. Long after these discredited scoundrels have been ousted from office, those same armed forces are going to have to decide what should be done in similar circumstances in future. In the UK case, calling on the senior government law officer for the go-ahead would seem to have its disadvantages, a bit like returning from Munich with assurances on a small piece of paper! Hopefully he may expect some sympathy from those who posted to the thread entitled
Ashamed to be a part of it!
We all know the requirement to disobey and report illegal orders, but the reality is that such orders are only given by the enemy, or at a very junior level in one's own army. So Lt Caley was guilty, but everyone senior to him was innocent. To act in contravention to that maxim will always land you in deep clag. Therefore, like Lt Watada and Flt.Lt. Kendall-Smith, you better believe that what you do (or rather don't do!) is right, for few others will.