Guided by conscience and unwavering convictions, U.S. Army Lt. Ehren Watada is facing a military court martial for refusing to serve in Iraq, embarking on a legal and moral journey that could ultimately result in his incarceration.

Watada told his story to more than 100 effusively supportive people on Saturday at the Coupeville Recreation Center. While thousands of Whidbey Island sailors have been involved in the war in Iraq, and thousands of island veterans have fought in other wars, none spoke up during Watada’s presentation.

The Fort Lewis officer’s case will be pleaded on Feb. 5. He has maintained that the Iraq war is illegal and immoral, and has publicly stated his reasons for refusing to deploy.

“As an officer of the armed forces, I have sworn an oath to protect this country from all threats and at all costs. I swear no loyalty to the Commander-in-Chief, but to the Constitution,” he said to an eruption of applause.

Watada pointed to what he sees as a disparity in the U.S. where 535 members of Congress and the President hold all the power and pull all the strings.

“The fate of our country — 300 million people — hinges on the knowledge, bias and decision of these 536,” the lieutenant said. “It takes a little over half that amount, 270, to sway the country in one way or another.”

Watada lamented having a military that is blindly obedient to the whims of a comparatively small group of people.

“Do we want a military that, without hesitation, will turn on people simply because they’re ordered to do so? Is it possible 270 people can ignore the voices of their fellow citizens? It undermines the very essence of democracy,” he said.

Officers swear an oath to protect the Constitution and guard against all threats, both foreign and domestic. Ensuring that citizens have a voice is an equally important charge of the military, as Watada sees it.

“Not only is it their moral obligation but their constitutional duty to impede and prevent the willful dismissal of the voice of the people,” he said.

The commissioned officer is charged with one count of missing movement by design and four counts of conduct unbecoming, the latter charges based on interviews and speeches he has made publicly.

“The reason they charged me with missing movement by design was one, they can, and two, they wanted to avoid the other charge, which was violating a lawful order,” he said. “Because if they did, in a court the defense has the right to argue whether that order was lawful or not.”

Watada has taken aim only at the Iraq conflict. He is not a conscientious objector.

“I am not against war, but I do respect those who are against all forms of war,” he clarified. “A war to defend against aggression is vastly different from starting a war of aggression and for corporate interests.”

War should be transparent, Watada said. When he joined the Army three years ago, he did not do so with the intention of being an agitator.

“When I submitted my resignation in January of last year, I only stated that I could not take part in something deeply illegal and immoral, and I asked to be separated completely from it,” he continued. “What was and is especially egregious to me is the deception waged on the American people . . . we have all been deceived over this war and, as a result, the will of the people has been ignored.”

Watada has repeatedly volunteered to serve in Afghanistan. He has even said he would accept a pay cut and demotion in rank, in addition to limited confinement, and then he would accept a commission in Afghanistan.

“I said I could not be part of this anymore and I respectfully asked to resign my commission,” he said. “Ever since then, I have not wanted it to come to this point where I’m at a confrontation with the military … they have not given me the opportunity to avoid this. I have asked for resignation three times. At all points they turned me down.”

The lieutenant said he has taken a stand to give people unable or unwilling to speak a voice. He said the American people will similarly need to stand up and be heard to help end the war.

“What I have embarked upon and what I sacrifice today is for those who have lost their lives and for those still struggling to stay alive,” he said, likening the war to lemmings mindlessly marching to their doom. “I do have the power to make you aware of why soldiers are dying and why this war is unjust. I do have the power to compel you to care. It is the American people who have the power to end this war.”

Watada would not speculate on his chances in the court martial. What he wants is for the cycle of war to end.

“They can try me, convict me or acquit me,” he said. “My life does not matter. The lives of thousands of soldiers do … it is one thing to end a war. It is another to ensure it never happens again. We have the power to change history.”

He compared his upcoming trial to that of some military personnel following the Vietnam conflict, which he said was eerily similar to the Iraq war in terms of the government’s betrayal of its citizens. He said Vietnam was also illegal and immoral.

“The arguments used against me in my court marital are the same ones they used 30 years ago. Nothing’s changed except names,” Watada said. Iraq is the new Vietnam and terrorism the new communism.

Coupeville medical doctor Wylie Vracin asked the lieutenant exactly how the Iraq conflict is illegal. Watada said, from its inception, the war has violated international law.

“It states that countries cannot engage in a war with another country unless it is out of imminent self defense that is defined as another country’s tanks rolling into your country,” he continued. “Or it is granted by the UN Security Council. There was no such resolution.”

The war is not about what the government claims, Watada said, but securing oil rights via an American-engineered law that would virtually give complete control of oil reserves to Exxon, Shell and other foreign oil cartels.

“Do you think the American military will ever be allowed to leave so long as there are pockets to protect?” he asked rhetorically.

Watada acknowledged that he may be fighting a losing battle. If he is given a court martial, his conscience will be clear. He did everything he could and he hopes other people will take up the torch and continue his plight.

“In the end, I have tried,” he said.

To learn more about Watada and his controversial stance, access the Web site at www.than

kyoult.org.