RAF officer refusing to serve in Iraq
{{date|October 20, 2005}}

Flight Lieutenant Malcolm Kendall-Smith, a [[w:New Zealand|New Zealand]] born [[w:Royal Air Force|RAF]] medical officer based at [[w:Kinloss|Kinloss]] in [[w:Scotland|Scotland]], faces a [[w:Court-martial|court martial]] on four counts of disobeying a lawful command.

It has been reported that the charges will be defended on the basis that an officer is justified in refusing to obey commands if they are illegal and that the [[w:2003 Invasion of Iraq|invasion of Iraq]] was an [[w:2003 Invasion of Iraq#Legality of the invasion|illegal act]].

No date has yet been set for the court martial.

== Sources ==
*{{source|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1593831,00.html
|title=RAF officer faces court martial over Iraq war 
|author=Richard Norton-Taylor
|pub=Guardian Unlimited
|date=October 17, 2005}}
<!-- Hint: If you are citing BBC News, leave the author blank and put "BBC News" in the "pub" parameter. -->

*{{source|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3448993a6160,00.html
|title=Green party supports NZ born medic refusing to serve in Iraq
|author=
|pub=stuff.co.nz
|date=October 19, 2005}}

{{Publish}}

 {{archive}}
[[Category:United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Crime and law]]
[[Category:Europe]]
Flight Lieutenant Malcolm Kendall-Smith, a New Zealand born RAF medical officer based at Kinloss in Scotland, faces a court martial on four counts of disobeying a lawful command.

It has been reported that the charges will be defended on the basis that an officer is justified in refusing to obey commands if they are illegal and that the invasion of Iraq was an illegal act.

No date has yet been set for the court martial.

*
United Kingdom Crime and law Europe