Charges dropped against Ehren Watada, soldier of conscience

A lot of people join the military because they want to defend our country. Unlike some of their colleagues, they're not in it to play offense. They're not in it to participate in a war of aggression against a country that posed no threat to us. And, unlike some of their colleagues, they're not in it to flex their muscles without good cause and go "kill some towelheads" for the fun of it.

But, in 2006, when 1st Lt. Ehren Watada refused deployment to Iraq because he believed that the war was illegal and immoral, he was court-martialed. He was punished for not wanting to participate in war crimes.

Larry Cox, executive director of Amnesty International USA, spoke out against the prosecution of Watada:

"It's really quite simple: Ehren Watada's freedom of conscience must be respected. The United States is obligated under international law to protect the right to refuse military service for reasons of conscience. If Watada is found guilty, Amnesty International would name him a prisoner of conscience and demand his immediate and unconditional release."

The court-martial ended in a mistrial, but the Army continued to try to pursue the case. Until now.

This week, at the request of the Justice Department, the U.S. Army dropped its case against Watada.

Watada will soon return to civilian life, and hopes to attend law school.

I wish him much happiness and success in his new career.