On January 29th, army prosecutors of Lt. Ehren Watada dropped two charges of “conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman.” These two charges—each of which carried a one year possible prison sentence—were based on interviews Lt. Watada held with Oakland-based independent journalist Sarah Olson and Greg Kakesako of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. In exchange for the dropping of the two charges, Watada agreed to testify that he made the comments attributed to him by the reporters.

Watada still faces up to four years' confinement on three other charges. These include two other charges of "conduct unbecoming an officer" for comments he made in a June 6th news conference and in a speech at a national convention of Veterans for Peace in Seattle in August. Watada is also charged with missing movement for refusing to join his Fort Lewis Stryker Brigade unit on June 22 when it left for Iraq.

With the dropping of the two charges against Watada, the Army no longer needs Sarah Olson or Greg Kakesako to testify. On learning that she will not have to make a choice between six months imprisonment and compromising what she stands for as a journalist, Sarah Olson noted “This should be seen as a victory for the rights of journalists in the U.S. to gather and disseminate news free from government intervention, and for the rights of individuals to express personal, political opinions to journalists without fear of retribution or censure. I am glad the growing number of dissenting voices within the military will retain their rights to speak with reporters. But I note with concern that Lt. Watada still faces prosecution for exercising his First Amendment rights during public presentations.”

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