[JURIST] Germany's Federal Administrative Court [official website in German; Wikipedia entry] ruled Wednesday that a German army officer who refused to follow orders because he thought they would aid the US-led war in Iraq could not be forced to comply with orders that ran counter to his conscience. The soldier, who was demoted from the rank of major to captain last year, saw his rank reinstated by the court which noted that his right to object existed even though he did not file conscientious-objector paperwork. German law now offers stronger protection for soldiers who refuse orders in an effort to break from the abuses of its Nazi past. Reuters has more. From Germany, Deutsche Welle provides local coverage.