Retired Army colonel and State Department diplomat Ann Wright demonstrates outside of Fort Lewis at the start of Lt. Watada's court martial on February 5. (Photo by Jeff Paterson)

by Jeff Paterson

In the Army court martial of First Lieutenant Ehren K. Watada, the first officer to publicly refuse to fight in Iraq, military judge Lieutenant Colonel John Head orchestrated a legal mulligan. The prosecution had just rested a poorly argued case before the jurors. This "do over" proclamation appeared to offer the government a chance to get their act together and try again in the spring. However, given the likelihood that the entire case against Lt. Watada will eventually be dismissed due to the constitutional protection against double jeopardy, the question is why?

Feb 2007 WIP cover. Photo by Jeff Paterson/Courage to Resist ( http://www.couragetoresist.org ).

by Jeff Paterson

After surrendering earlier this week on subpoenas intended to force journalists to testify against Lt. Ehren Watada for his critical statements of President Bush and the Iraq War, the Army today dismissed subpoenas targeting three anti-war activists as well.

In December Olympia, Washington anti-war activist Phan Nguyen, and Veterans for Peace (VFP) Seattle Chapter organizers Tom Brookhart and Gerri Haynes were placed under order by the US Army to appear for the prosecution in the case of US v. Watada.

Activists were under order to help prosecute public speech

Subpoenaed activist Phan Nguyen speaks out in Tacoma, 1/3/07. Photo by Jeff Paterson.

Camp Suzanne demonstrators make their demands clear outside of Fort Lewis at the Exit 119 overpass above I-5. Photo by Jeff Paterson.

VFP Convention: Lt. Ehren Watada was joined at the podium by over 50 members of Iraq Veterans Against the War. Photo by Jeff Paterson / http://www.ThankYouLt.org

Lt. Watada with Phoebe Jones (left) and Selma James (right) of the Global Women's Strike on June 21.

(photo by Jeff Paterson)