We initiated a preemptive war when we invaded Iraq, allegedly to destroy the regime in power and its weapons of mass destruction. Before the war the U.N. inspectors found no WMDs. After the invasion our own inspectors found none.

Then we needed another reason to justify the war. Now the reason was to fight terrorism. But our own government determined that Iraq had no link to international terrorism or to 9/11, so we again changed our reason for war. It was to establish a democracy in Iraq.

Iraq subsequently elected a government that can’t govern. Now our military is an army of occupation, fighting insurgents and trying to keep various Iraqi factions from killing each other. The war itself has created a fertile ground for terrorists. What a tough spot for our troops.

The real question is, did this administration act illegally in starting the war in Iraq? The president’s oath is to faithfully execute the office of president and to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution. Nixon was forced out of office because he lied to Congress about the Watergate tapes. Congress tried to impeach Clinton because he allegedly lied about his personal conduct. Now consider this president’s allegations about Iraq’s nuclear program and WMDs, his reasons for the war. All proved to be false. Was he duped or did he lie?

If he was duped, he is incompetent. In faithfully executing the office of the president he certainly has a duty to determine the validity of evidence he uses for invading another country, even Iraq.

If he lied, he and others in his administration failed in their constitutional duties and Watada is probably correct, the war in Iraq is illegal and in international law, an unjust war of aggression.

At the Coupeville gathering one question from the audience was instructive. It was, “how could Lt. Watada expect support from commissioned officers when it was well known that they were 90 percent Republican.” I looked around the audience and saw at least seven retired Air Force, Army and Navy officers. I don’t know if they were Republicans or Democrats. I do know that some were combat veterans of past wars. There were other veterans in the hall supporting Watada. None called him a coward.

It takes a lot of courage for an individual to stand alone against an injustice and face the consequences of his actions, consider Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, etc. Watada has volunteered to fight in Afghanistan, a U.N.-sanctioned war. A coward is defined as one lacking in courage. Lt. Watada has the courage of his convictions, a rare quality these days.

Ed Carr

Coupeville