Iraq: IS a C.O. (Lt. Ehren Watada) a Hero or a Zero?

OK. I've been reading, working, and smiling. Thus a lack of posts.

UNTIL I saw this OP-ED in the Seattle Post Intelligencer (don't ask why I read it, but I did!)
ROBERT L. JAMIESON Jr. of the Post-Intelligencer has labeled 1st Lt. Ehren Watada, as a shirker, instead of the first American HERO of this war.

I'm NOT going to discuss the Watada case here. Go look HERE for the background!

He was an Eagle Scout at age 15. Now I was never a scout, by my son is, and I have to say, reading the Boy Scout manual, becoming an Eagle Scout at age 15 is an EVENT!

At any rate, he has refused to deploy. The judge declared a mistrial in his court martial yesterday (but will be reopened very soon I believe!)

Click HERE to hear the "Fresh Air with Terri Gross" Interview with Lt. Watada last month.

In a nutshell:

I feel that ROBERT L. JAMIESON's op-ed in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer is biased, and perhaps even (perish the thought: racist?)

I hate to bring up the race card, however, I wonder if this op-ed was influenced by the writer's experiences and past history.

Yes, the two soldiers discussed in the op-ed were different races. Does it matter? Absolutely. Our society is NOT yet perfect (but we HAVE made great strides since the 1960's).

However, if we were to have a serious discussion about our military, jobs, opportunities, and equality, we could have a scathing discussion (and it's been said thousands of times) about why the military as a means for blacks to escape poverty is biased, and perhaps racist.

But this is not the place for THAT discussion...

The point I am attempting to make is that This op-ed, expressing the view of the columnist, attempts to bully the reader into making the decision that Lt. Ehren Watada does not deserve to be considered a hero, or even someone that deserves freedom.

I disagree.
The facts so far point to an ABSOLUTE truth that our country is involved in a WAR that was NOT HONESTLY vetted, not honestly (or fully) planned, and is NOT being waged with honesty.

(Get rid of the "contractor army" as a hint).

I suggest that Lt. Ehren Watada is as much as a national hero, as Paul Bremmer, the man who was in charge of the post invasion "Iraq provisional Authority" who was awarded the Presidential medal of Honor.

My fervent hope is that Lt. Ehren Watada be awarded the CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL of Honor for refusing to deploy.

At any rate, this is the longest letter to an editor I've ever written, and it's a HECK of a lot more satisfying since it doesnt get thrown in the garbage!

Cheers till the next inferno.

Remember:
George W Bush STARTED WW III. We'll be in IRAQ for the next 50 years.

Mark B