citizens' war tribunal convening in tacoma, washington

Last week, the US military court that will try Lt. Ehren Watada ruled that no arguments about the illegality of the war on Iraq will be admitted at the court martial.

Nearly two weeks after hearing arguments in the January 4 pre-trial phase of Lt. Ehren Watada's court martial for refusing to deploy to Iraq, and explaining his refusal to the press, military circuit judge Lt. Col. John M. Head today issued brief, tersely worded rulings January 16, 2007. In summation, "The defense motion for a hearing on the "“Nuremburg defense" is DENIED. The government motion to prevent the defense from presenting evidence on the legality of the war is GRANTED." The defense motion to dismiss the four political speech charges was also "DENIED."

In response, a group of activists have organized a citizen's war tribunal.

The Citizens' Hearing will function as a tribunal to put the Iraq War on trial, in response to the Army putting Lt. Watada on trial as the first U.S. military officer to refuse deployment to Iraq.

Please help bring out the truth about the Iraq War by donating today. By helping the Citizens' Hearing document the legal case against the war, you will help present the case for Lt. Ehren Watada--and for those who may follow his example. By highlighting the illegality of U.S. actions in Iraq, the tribunal can inform military personnel and other citizens to reflect deeply on their roles and responsibilities in an illegal war.

We intend for the Citizens' Hearing to heighten the discussion of the Iraq invasion and occupation in the public--and within the military itself--as similar tribunals did during the Vietnam War. We are inviting testimony by Iraq War witnesses and experts. Your donation will be used to bring the testifiers and panelists to Tacoma and to record the event so everyone can benefit from the testimony.

The hearing will present the case that Lt. Watada would, if allowed, make at his court martial. His defense attorneys maintain that the war on Iraq is illegal under international treaties and under Article Six of the U.S. Constitution. Further, Lt. Watada's defense argues that the Nuremberg Principles and U.S. military regulations require soldiers to follow only "lawful orders." In Lt. Watada's view, deployment to Iraq would have made him party to the crimes that permeate the structure and conduct of military operations there.

The format of the Citizens' Hearing will resemble that of a congressional committee, employing a dignified approach to gathering information. Testimony will be offered by Iraq War veterans, experts in international law and war crimes, and human rights advocates. Your gift of funds (or frequent flyer miles) will enable more of these clear voices to be heard by people around the country and the world. Among the figures that have committed to testify are:

*Daniel Ellsberg, military analyst who released the Pentagon Papers in the Vietnam War;

*Denis Halliday, Former UN Assistant Secretary General, coordinated Iraq humanitarian aid;

*Richard Falk, Professor Emeritus of International Law at Princeton University;

*Stacy Bannerman Military Families Speak Out; author of "When the War Came Home"

*Harvey Tharp, former U.S. Navy Lieutenant and JAG stationed in Iraq;

*Antonia Juhasz, policy-analyst and author on U.S. economic policies in Iraq;

*John Burroughs, Lawyers' Committee on Nuclear Policy executive director;

*Benjamin G. Davis, Assoc. Law Prof., Univ. of Toledo; expert on law of war;

*Eman Khammas, Iraqi human rights advocate (via video).

*Geoffrey Millard, 8 years in NY Army National Guard; stationed in Ground Zero, Kuwait, Iraq.

*Ann Wright, Retired Army Colonel and State Department official

*Darrell Anderson, Army 1st Armored Division in Baghdad & Najaf; awarded Purple Heart

*Dennis Kyne, 15 years as Army medic & drill sergeant; trained in NBC warfare; Gulf War I.

*Francis Boyle, Professor of International Law at University of Illinois (video testimony)

*Chanan Suarez-Diaz, Former Navy hospital corpsman; awarded Purple Heart & Commendation with Valor.

A panel of citizens will hear the testimony, examine witnesses, and issue a fact-finding report. The panel will be comprised of veterans, members of military families, high school students, union members, and representatives of local governments, academia, and religious organizations.

. . . .

Panelists' questioning will focus on the legality of the war and whether or not the invasion of Iraq in 2003 constituted a "crime against the peace," whether the military occupation and economic constriction of Iraq constitutes a "crime against humanity," and whether individual soldiers have an obligation or duty to refuse unlawful orders. We expect that this hearing will focus attention on the role of the U.S. government--rather than that of individual soldiers--in perpetrating the crimes of the Iraq War.

The Citizens' Tribunal is being held today and tomorrow at Evergreen State College in Tacoma, Washington. The exact address, directions and more information is available here. They also desperately need donations. They remind us:

The U.S. occupation of Iraq has lasted longer than our involvement in World War II. Despite the recent election results raising many hopes for a withdrawal from Iraq, few congressional leaders have questioned the war's basic legality--only how it is being fought. We should now remember that President Nixon's "withdrawal" from Vietnam took years and was based on a dramatic escalation of violence. The Citizens' Hearing will focus critical attention on the underlying premises of the Iraq War at a critical time when its future is being decided.

You can support this action and other Iraq war resisters by visiting Courage To Resist and donating to individual resister's defence funds.

Ehren Watada's court martial begins on February 5th. If you support Watada's cause, learn how you can stand beside him.