DISSENSION IN THE RANKS. For years Army officers had told the Pentagon that soldiers would be safer if they traveled in "Mine Resistant Ambush Protected" vehicles rather than Humvees. Little was done about it. Instead, many soldiers continued to ride in Humvees. It is a shame, especially since the lives of between "621 to 742 Americans" would have been spared if the better-fortified, mine-resistant vehicles had been used in Iraq, according to a USA Today. It is one more reason for soldiers to be unhappy about serving in Iraq -- as if more were needed. Dissent has even crept into the officer corps. One individual who decided he could not support the Iraq war -- First Lt. Ehren Watada -- is now facing a court-martial for refusing to deploy. He has recently gotten some good news -- of sorts. A judge had declared a mistrial in February 2007, and the court-martial was re-scheduled for July 23. His lawyer, Kenneth S. Kagan of Seattle, told me today the military judge has postponed the trial again. The trial is now scheduled to begin in Fort Lewis, Washington, on October 9, but it may be delayed even further. "We're asking for a stay," Kagan said, explaining he believes the case should be thrown out because of double jeopardy. --Tara McKelvey
