Stefan Frederick Cook: Soldier Won't Deploy Over Obama Birth Certificate

UPDATE: The Army has revoked the deployment orders for a soldier who said he shouldn't have to go to Afghanistan because (he believes) Barack Obama was never eligible to be president.

Because he's a reserve soldier who volunteered for an active duty tour he can "ask for a revocation of orders up until the day he is scheduled to report for active duty," a public affairs officer explained. Cook volunteered for the tour in May of this year. It is not clear why he did so, considering his current objections.

* * * * *

Obama birth certificate deniers won a small victory in court on Monday. Meanwhile, one such conspiracy theorist refused to deploy to Afghanistan on the grounds that Barack Obama isn't a legitimate president.

A judge said he would listen to "the merits" of Alan Keyes' case challenging Obama's presidency. While a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office said the move was merely procedural, birth conspiracy proponents are encouraged:

Supporters of a case that disputes the legitimacy of Barack Obama's presidency claimed a small victory today when U.S. District Judge David O. Carter told them to fix their paperwork and that he would listen to "the merits" of their case. But others present for the hearing Monday at the federal courthouse in Santa Ana stressed that the case remains a long way from ever getting a full airing in court and may never get to that point. [...]

Perhaps because of that history, Orly Taitz, the lawyer who filed the current suit, was greatly cheered by Monday's hearing. "He's very determined to hear the case on the merits," Taitz said, referring to the judge. "He stated, the country needs to know if Mr. Obama is legitimate, if he can legitimately stay in the White House."

Orly Taitz, the lawyer in Keyes' case, is also representing a soldier who refuses to acknowledge Obama as his president. U.S. Army Maj. Stefan Frederick Cook has argued that he shouldn't have to go to Afghanistan because the man sending him there isn't really president.

In the 20-page document -- filed July 8 with the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia -- the California-based Taitz asks the court to consider granting his client's request based upon Cook's belief that Obama is not a natural-born citizen of the United States and is therefore ineligible to serve as commander-in-chief of the U.S. Armed Forces.

Cook further states he "would be acting in violation of international law by engaging in military actions outside the United States under this President's command. ... simultaneously subjecting himself to possible prosecution as a war criminal by the faithful execution of these duties."

A hearing to discuss Cook's requests will take place in federal court this week.

Get HuffPost Politics On Facebook and Twitter!

Comments

[HidingintheDeepSouth]

Maj. Cook is from my neck in the woods. It has gotten scary here. As far as he is concerned, he should be more intelligent as an officer. I believe he should be court marshaled.

People are in fits here over Obama being president. Although some of it is racism, most of it is Fox news and their preachers who watch and believe Fox news. I know this is fact because I talk to people everyday about their lives and issues like this pop up. Many people here have a real fear that they are in very real danger from Obama. I try to plug the holes in the damn, but they are getting larger by the minute. I believe that this is a very real issue that MUST be addressed by those of us who remain sane. The masses are being frenzied into action. Many are still stockpiling guns.

We must be able to legally muzzle those who incite. This is not just silliness to be ignored.

[Rigel1]

Sotomayor has shown interest in removing those pesky rights that allow the truth to be found. NOBODY wants to know the truth about their president or that his birth certificate may be on file in Kenya. Ready to crucify a soldier who has agreed to die for them. Familar story? Let's see where the chips fall on this one. If our soldiers are our enemies who are our friends. Have the utmost respect for our soildiers. Have always found them extremely courteous and a pleasure to come in contact with. They are the best we have. Those who would deny them their due process should feel right at home in any third world country with a dictator. As the Romans found, a good thing can and will wear out. Good (or bad), thing about this is it is forcing people to take sides. Liberals will find they have not the ideology most Americans identify with. This would all go away with the display of a valid Birth Certificate.

[Whodatt 99]

I know the real story on Obama's birth. (First of all no court, including the Supreme Court has asked to see and reviewed his vault copy of the certifiied birth certificate from Hawaii.)
Here's the deal: the reason that Obama does not want his vault copy of the certified birth certificate made public is because on the certificate it says "Religion: Muslim" or it says "Nationality: Kenyan or Indonesian". He did not want that to come out publicly during the election campaign. It is the same reason that his other records have not been released including: Occidental College records, Columbia University records, Harvard University records, Selective Service Registration records, medical records, etc. Because they all say that he was Muslim or Indonesian or Kenyan - he used that on all of these records in order to receive preferential treatment for admission, $grants, etc.

[guitargeorge1964]

Selective Service Registration asks Religion???

[guitargeorge1964]

I looked this up. Selective Service cards at the Post Office don't ask for any of that information. Just your Name, Address, Telephone number, SSN number (if you have one), and a signature. You then have to show the clerk your drivers license or birth certificate, either one.

Makes you look really credible.

[LegalCat]

Well, sure, that's what it says on some web site that pretends to show the "facts" about Selective Service records. But that's just what they want you to think. Can you really PROVE that Selective Service cards don't include information about religion and nationality? What are you going to do, get a sworn statement from the head of Selective Service? Because if you do, all I can say is, anyone could dummy one of those up at Kinko's.

Gosh, this is SO much easier than thinking.

[Rigel1]

Good Point , BUT
You must be born in America to have a US Birth Certificate.

[abadin]

Not true. you can be born in a foreign country on U.S. Soil such as a military base or consulate. I understand that conspiracy theories are great and add a little spice to life. They are kind of like reading a fiction book. Although all of us would have love to go to Hogwarts for high school we know that it doesn't really exist. If you think that the people that are in our government that oppose President Obama would allow him to become president and not have a U.S. birth certificate then you are living in "Hogwarts. " It just seems seems that simple to me. Of course, I also don't have a non U.S. born dentist (who has an online degree in law (non accredited)) telling me what kind of extremely ridiculous evidence evidence exist to support claims. Thanks to fringe theorist biased news organizations have lost credibility (FOX new). Honestly, I don't think that they needed the extra help.

[PINO]

Most citizens of the USA are natural born citizens. Most citizens of the USA were born in the USA to two parents who were citizens of the USA. And that's the pool of citizens that must be chosen from for the singular most powerful office in our nation, the President. Simple citizenship at birth by being born in the USA without regard to the citizenship status of both your parents, or by naturalization and swearing an oath to this country and renouncing all allegiances foreign kings, princes, and potentates later as an adult, is adequate for the offices of Senator, Representative, or a Governor of a state. But it is not sufficient to be the President under Article II, to Constitutional standards. Article II requires that the person to be eligible to be President must be a "natural born citizen". And that means that person must be born in the USA, AND, both parents must be citizens of the USA.

Obama's father was not a citizen of the USA, nor was he an immigrant to the USA, nor was he even a permanent resident of the USA. Obama when born in 1961 was a British Subject via his British Subject father, per the British Nationality Act of 1948 which governed the status of children born to British Subjects. Obama is not a natural born citizen of the USA and he is not eligible to be the President under Article II of our U.S. Constitution. He is a Usurper.

[woops]

Then God **??@#! it, why is Obama/Soetoro running around pretending to be president?

What do the Russians know that we won't admit? Did you see the video where like three russian officials absolutely refused to even shake hands with him when obama offered each his hand, yet right after obama they shook Putin's puppet's hand? Pravda is constantly harangueing Obama as an imposter.

Oh, by the way, the main stream (irrelevent) media never showed this to the public, but guess what. YOUTUBE has the video. Please watch it.

[Jake Mouden]

The main stream media didn't air this video clip and story because it would have been terrible reporting.

The video you're talking about is Obama INTRODUCING those men to 'putin's puppet', and then he shook each of their hands once Obama had done so. Watch the video and stop being a puppet of the conspiracy theorists.

[Joehorn1234]

Well said sir!

[missdk]

Except it's not true. The supreme court has covered this many times over the years - natural born citizen does not require both parents to be citizens, only that you are born in this country.

[CherylAnn Kraft]

I guess the beauty of America is that we as citizen have the right to have our cases heard in the courts, and if deemed unworthy it will be dismissed. It it is found to have foundation, it will rise the through the court system and the Supreme Court will rule on the case.

If the case has distinct merit sufficiently different from previous cases it will make it through the system.

The issue at hand for the right is are they aware of the consequences, and ready for the impact -- I am not sure either side has through? The question for left is, if true, are your ready for history review impact of this grievious offense, if it is true. If deemed unworthy, no worries it will be done.

Either way, it is America, and with our Nation in turmoil these questions must be full answered and addressed fully in the media for all America to know. It is not going away, and not dealing with it feeds concerns drawing more attention. It is bad Risk Communication.

[woops]

Remember: There is one, and only one, individual responsible.

[SensibleJoe]

A Marine Corps veteran buddy of mine informed me of something us civvies might not be aware of: the military *always* rescinds deployment orders before launching a criminal investigation and preparing for court-martial, to keep the military personnel in question available and on hand for both. So what the benighted lawyer Taitz is trumpeting as a "victory" just bought her client a fast track to a court-martial and Leavenworth....

[Anonani]

True dat!

[roudy]

Another gutless weekend warrior. Signed up for the benefits, doesn't want to have to actually do anything to earn them.

[elcojonu]

The guy is yella and was looking for an excuse not to go ( Afghanistan is MUCH MORE dangerous than Iraq ) and to catch some notoriety while he was at it.
These Southern ' Literati ' have been shaken to the core with Barack's election; that's worrisome ( Lee Harvey and James Earl were both Southern Boys ).

[woops]

Are you implying there were no race riots in the north???

[thehornet62]

Are you implying that all southerners are racist?

[Rose Gerrets]

That's a bold comment while being so vague in you sentence toward southerners, don't you think! It could be said that you are the ignorant one because not all southerners are one race and many people in the south both support and dis-like Obama. You don't always have to like the person in the lead to support a cause. I think you are close-minded and just trying to stir emotions toward something else to take away the fact that this case is going to be heard in court and may or may not have merit. Is it you who is scared that your president may be setting a different type of history than originally planned, being the first man to con his way into the White House legally and pulling the so called wool over the eyes of the world? What egg that would put on the face of all that publicly supported him and what gas that would let out of the sails of this so called change is trying to make?

[djbezerker]

First of all, you need to take that statement back, now. Do you even know what the role of the National Guard was intended for? DOMESTIC PROTECTION. I am a FA OFFICER with the Guard, going to Afghanistan next year, but that is not why I signed up. I signed up to help with domestic problems like hurricane Katrina, etc. However, this is all irrelevant.

He has every right to question the authority of the person sending him in to combat's way. Even more as a "citizen soldier" that is here to protect your scared ass. It is unfortunate how the economy and politics have manipulated the role of the Guard in recent years, but dare not call someone a coward for not wanting to do something that (you, you probably fat bastard wouldn't even get off the couch to pick up another pabst for would to to protect your disgusting, uncleansed bloated beached whale of a body would do) they question the authority of which their command comes from. tisk, tisk.

[kdekreon]

I'm so surprised at what I'm reading. There are two ways to be a "natural or native born citizen of the United States." 1.) You are born inside our boarders to any parents of any status from any corner of the globe. 2.) You are born to at least "one" American citizen irrespective of where in the globe you happen to come out.
Please help me understand who among us thinks that cute little white maternal grandparent of his were not Americans!
You Republicans shame us in front of the rest of the world by so proudly displaying you low functioning brains.

PS I want to see both of John Mc Cains parents birth certificates before he thinks of running again. He was born in Panama. That's perfectly fine as long as at least one of his parents was a US citizen. They would have needed to prove their citizenship to the local American Consulate in order to have John be recognized as a US citizen.

[Whodatt 99]

kdekreon, I am an Obama supporter, but you are missing a few facts. Regarding your item #2: the law states that the laws in effect at the time of the person's birth are the laws that apply. And, at the time in 1961, to qualify as an American citizen the mother at the time of the birth, has to have been in the US for at least 5 consecutive years after attaining the age of 14 and she was not. She had the baby at age 18 and could not have met this test.

And on John McCain - the New York Times accused him of not being a "natural born citizen" early on in his Presidential campaign so he promptly and publicly turned over his birth certificate to the NY Times along with copies of the Law that applied giving him US Citizenship while being born in Panama on a US Military base. So the NY Times shut their mouths on it, but did not issue an apology to McCain. I personally cannot stand McCain, but that is another story.

[fairplaystacy]

Even if Obama isn't a "natural born" citizen as you birthers claim - this is payback for the Supreme Court selection of Bush in 2000 and the voter suppression in Ohio and other places for Bush in 2004.

suck on it!!!

[zvirklee]

Birthers, truthers, and flat-earthers refuse to be confused by facts.

[woops]

Okay, so i'm not getting any discussion on this forum but simply some quaint put downs. I would be very interested to know how you feel about the following hypothetical situation:

The Constitution says that one must meet only 3 requirements to be President. Now, ASSUME that Barry does NOT meet one and only one of the three requirements. Example, Barry is only 25 years old, or Barry has only lived in the U.S. for 1 year, or Barry is not a natural born citizen.

My question: If Barry hypothetically does not meet one and only one of the three requirements to be president, should Barry, in your opinion, be removed from his office?

If Barry was hypothetically found to not meet one of the requirements to be president and you donated money to his campaign because he represented, among other things, that he WAS qualified, how would that make you feel?

Thanks.

[Jeff1958]

His name is Barack, but you can call him President. I do. Proudly.

[woops]

It seems most people here can only snipe. Jeff1958, will you not answer the hypothetical? By the way, since Barack Obama has, for the most part, sealed all his personal records, do you have proof that Barack Obama was indeed repatriated? He could have come back at a young age from Indonesia and just never gone through the process. NOONE knows for certain. There is no PROOF. From then on, all he had to do was present his Birth Certificate from "Dreams of My Father" and he could be called Barack Obama AND gotten foreign aid from Occidental, Columbia, etc. Do you see? The problem is this: For the American people, facts are carefully orchestrated like those that come from a book, NOT historical documentation. To me, there is a real big difference.

[quindy]

Rednecks still haven't recovered from the shock that we have a black guy in the White House. One can only hope they pass that universal health bill soon, so they can all get the long deserved mental check.

[woops]

Why do you believe that questioning Barack Obama's eligibility is directly connected to what color of skin he is? Do you know that his mother came from Kansas and was WHITE?

Of all the Presidents of the United States(including with Chester Arthur), Barack Obama far and away has the most questionable past as to exactly what citizenship he had, when he had it, how he got it, etc. Far, far, and away the most questionable. In addition, Barack Obama has SEALED documents which are a matter of course to most men and could corroborate any facts in question.

[Jeff1958]

Legal decisions have already been made. John Roberts (the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court) swore Obama in on 1/20/2009. Try and keep up.

[Poor American]

You answered your own question. It is a Party deal. I bet you voted for G.W.Bush and/or you don't care that he did not win the 2000 election in the 1st place. You are not helping with this stupidity.

[thrugreeneyez]

Of all the reasons to refuse to go to war, this is the reason that this soldier comes up with?! Very disappointing, indeed.

[americanalien]

Republicans will stop at nothing to undermine the United States of America. President Obama was overwhelmingly elected by the American public after the greatest campaign in U.S. history. He handed the Republicans what can easily be described as the most stinging political defeat in recent history. He absolutely crushed them.

Bruised and utterly demoralized, Republicans are trying all sorts of tactics to sabotage our country and our President. This soldier who is refusing to deploy is simply part of that Republican tactic. However they will not prevail. Everything that they've tried against our President in the past blew up in their face. Their teabag movement turned out to nothing. They are becoming increasingly extreme in their behavior as everything they try is failing. But no matter what they do, they can't stop our President. President Obama is like teflon - nothing sticks to him. He is a true political phenomenon.

God bless President Obama and God bless the United States of America.

[Lovetaxs]

Thank you for taking the words out of my mouth you have describe exactly how i feel americanLien

[mattwatch]

Thanks for saving me the time to write all that.
dont they (the republicans) know how foolish they look?
What is so wrong with these people, greed is an evil power.

[kitten645]

Amen and agreed. I wouldn't want this wack job with a gun!

[Taffeta Darling]

!!!

[irvingbr]

AMEN!

[guitargeorge1964]

It sounds to me like the guys is a coward. I've never voted for a Republican President but I served in the Marines under Reagan and Bush Sr., between 1983-1991. I was awarded a Bronze Star during Desert Storm. I didn't let politics stop me from doing the right thing for my country. I'm really starting to believe that politics on both sides have been taken over by the extremist. Especially on the right. It's hard not to think that these people really hate our country.

[Bongborg]

Ever deploy aboard the USS Saginaw, LST-1188 during that time frame?

[guitargeorge1964]

I don't believe so. I have been on a few LST's, but the only name that pops in my head was the USS Frederick. I was on that one for a few months. We left San Diego and stopped in Hawaii, then the PI on our way to the Gulf. Haha. That's what they should do with Terrorist! Put them on a big flat bottomed LST and send them across the Pacific. I was sick for over a week!

[manyamile]

Hawaiian certificate of live birth was produced, was verified.

unfortunately , these folks don't want facts to interfere with their mindset.
their rhetoric is increasingly looney and fanatic.

this guy is a twit, and his reasons for not deploying aren't even of the ethical 'conscientious objector' caliber.

[MilitantlyPassive]

http://msgboard.snopes.com/politics/graphics/birth.jpg

[INBlue]

I love how the kooks are now using bogus snopes links to try to validate their hairbrain theories. Heres the relevant link...

http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/birthcertificate.asp