MilBlogs (Daily Archive)

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July 06, 2006

CNN is reporting that Calderone has won in Mexico

[Soldier's Mom]

Conservative Felipe Calderon narrowly wins Mexico presidential election. HERE

But it's a squeeker...

With the 41 million votes counted, Calderon of President Vicente Fox's National Action Party had 35.88 percent, or 14,981,268 votes, to 14,745,262, or 35.31 percent, for Lopez Obrador of the Democratic Revolution Party. The two were separated by 0.57 percent, or 236,006 votes.

Posted at 2123Z

Speaking of Lieutenant Watada...

[John of Argghhh!]

...over at the Castle, there has been a touch of confusion of 1LT Watada's accomodations should he be convicted.

I clear that up for you here, if there's any doubt. Perhaps I'll be able to score a new desk nameplate or something made by him from the DB Store.

Posted at 1452Z

Watching the Southern Flank

[CDR Salamander]

The NORK Kabuki dance is fun and all - but everyone needs to watch the Southern Flank. A steady, calm, growing, friendly Mexico is one of the most under-reported POL/MIL national security issues around...IMAO. No great nation does well to have a basket case, as Mexico has been for most of its history, as a neighbor. With the vote going between both camps in a FL 2000 like show, watch it. Close. By 0900-1000EST we should have a better picture. For now, it looks good.

Why mention this on MilBlogs? Ponder the Macro issues of national security if Mexico goes south. Ponder.

Posted at 1053Z

Why Did 1LT Watada Betray His Oath?

[ArmyLawyer]

From the article I linked below:

[Watada's] active-duty obligation was supposed to end in December, but he was extended until next year, when his unit is scheduled to return to Fort Lewis.

I'm sure his newfound objection to our "illegal war" was purely a coincidence.

Posted at 0220Z

1LT Watada Charged

[ArmyLawyer]

Not lookin' good for the L-T

The Army filed three charges today against 1st Lt. Ehren Watada for refusing to deploy with his Stryker Brigade unit to Iraq last month.
Eric Seitz, Watada’s attorney in Honolulu, said if Watada, 28, is convicted at a court-martial of all six charges, he could face a maximum penalty of 7 1/2 years in jail and a dismissal from the Army.
One of the charges Watada faces is “missing the movement” when his Fort Lewis, Wash.-based unit deployed to Iraq on June 22. About 4,000 soldiers from Fort Lewis’ 3rd Stryker Combat Brigade Team deployed to Iraq, its second combat tour in two years.
Seitz said in another charge the Army claims that Watada made contemptuous statements against officials, citing Watada’s statement about President Bush’s justification for the invasion. Watada was quoted in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin on June 8 as saying, “At that time, I never imagined that our leader could betray the trust of the people over something as serious as war.”
Seitz said in a third charge the Army alleges that Watada, an artillery officer with Fort Lewis’ 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, made “disloyal statements.”
In those statements Watada said the war was illegal and immoral and that Americans mistreated Iraqis.

It sounds like Watada is facing only four charges but multiple specifications (the military equivalent of multiple counts for the same charge--like 3 counts of armed robbery).

For reference, Article 87 (missing movement) reads in relevant part:

Continue reading "1LT Watada Charged "

Any person subject to this chapter who through neglect or design misses the movement of a ship, aircraft, or unit with which he is required in the course of duty shall be punished as a courtmartial may direct.

Article 88: Contempt Toward Officials:

Any commissioned officer who uses contemptuous words against the President, the Vice President, Congress, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of a military department, the Secretary of Transportation, or the Governor or legislature of any State, Territory, Commonwealth, or possession in which he is on duty or present shall be punished as a courtmartial may direct.”

Article 134 is a general article that prohibits "disorders and neglects to the prejudice of good order and discipline in the armed forces, [and] all conduct of a nature to bring discredit upon the armed forces". The elements for a charge of Disloyal Statements are:

(1)That the accused made a certain statement; (2) That the statement was communicated to another person; (3) That the statement was disloyal to the United States; (4) That the statement was made with the intent to promote disloyalty or disaffection toward the United States by any member of the armed forces or to interfere with or impair the loyalty to the United States or good order and discipline of any member of the armed forces; and (5) That, under the circumstances, the conduct of the accused was to the prejudice of good order and discipline in the armed forces or was of a nature to bring discredit upon the armed forces.

Article 133: Conduct Unbecoming an Officer and Gentleman:

“Any commissioned officer, cadet, or midshipman who is convicted of conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.”

This is explained in part as:

Conduct violative of this article is action or behavior in an official capacity which, in dishonoring or disgracing the person as an officer, seriously compromises the officer’s character as a gentleman, or action or behavior in an unofficial or private capacity which, in dishonoring or disgracing the officer personally, seriously compromises the person’s standing as an officer.

As I said, it looks like 4 charges but at least a couple specifications for one of them. Maybe I'm wrong, but I didn't see the fifth and sixth charges mentioned in the headline.

I am not sure why Watada hasn't been charged with desertion (Art 85). I suppose it's because desertion requires intent to permanently remain away from one's unit/place of duty. Here, Watada has merely refused to deploy with his unit. Presumably if the unit came back or deployed to someplace other than Iraq, he'd be willing to join the unit. That's the only thing I can think of.

All done!

Posted at 0148Z