On Democracy Now! this morning, Amy Goodman interviewed Pablo Paredes for the segment
"War Resister Pablo Paredes Wins Surprise Victory: Military Judges Orders No Jail Time For Refusing Deployment Orders:"
AMY GOODMAN: Pablo Paredes, reading the statement he read in the military court. The judge had a very unusual statement in response during your sentencing, Pablo Paredes. Could you share with us what he said?
PABLO PAREDES: I don't have exactly in front of me what he said, and it wasn't during sentencing. I believe the statement you are talking about, and I won't put it in quotes because I don't have it exactly as it was stated, but after the government or the prosecution -- it’s called the government in military court, but it's the prosecution -- after they questioned Marjorie Cohn on the stand for a while, and it turned to almost an open debate, they weren't very successful. Marjorie Cohn was able to express quite clearly why she felt that the wars in Yugoslavia, in Afghanistan and Iraq were, in fact, illegal, and the judge said something to the extent: I believe the government has just proved that any service member would have reasonable cause to believe that the wars of Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, and Iraq were illegal. So, I mean, it was a pretty impressive thing to hear from a military judge.
AMY GOODMAN: The judge said this?
PABLO PAREDES: Yeah, something to that effect.
AMY GOODMAN: That a soldier would have reason to believe that the wars in Afghanistan, Yugoslavia and Iraq were illegal. Pablo Paredes, we are joined by Marjorie Cohn for just the last minute. She testified, as you said, during your court martial, Professor at Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego and Executive Vice President of the National Lawyers Guild. Marjorie Cohn, can you talk about the significance of what the judge said, and this is after you had testified?
The above is an excerpt, please go to the segment to listen, watch or read the transcript.
