CBS interview with Watada--now! (5:43 ct) nt

[coffeenap]

[Peace Patriot]

1. Could you report on what he's saying? I don't have TV. Lt. Ehren Watada

has refused to serve in Iraq, because the war is illegal, and is being court-martialled for it. He is a wonderfully articulate young man and a great patriot. Really, I think we should draft him for president from the brig! How dare they court-martial Lt. Watada and Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld go free?! They commit war crimes every day. He refused to!

[Sailor for Warner]

3. He ,commited a crime and violated

the UCMJ, he should stand trial.

[coffeenap]

2. They actually let him tell the story, showed him lecturing about

his situation off-base, in uniform on-base; said he was speaking out even though he risks more punishment; showed a military rep (not in uniform, I didn't catch who he was)saying that a soldier cannot choose where s/he wants to serve, but could declare c.o. status. The commentator was not negative, his comments focused on the anti-Iraq stance of Lt. Watada but mentioned that he still attended his work at the base each day, although he was likely the least popular soldier there. All of the video of Lt. Watada was well done--he looked professional and was well shot. He was actually given more time than the person chosen to speak against him. (I was surprised at the decent tone of the entire report.)

I haven't watched network news in two years. This was a surprisingly even-handed, almost empathetic, report. I was pleasantly surprised.

[Sailor for Warner]

4. He cannot take C.O. Status

CO Status is not for persons who oppose a specific war, but all wars.