Good reminder! I’m curious why noone asked LCpl Sharratt and Sgt. Wuterich about the incident with the 4 insurgents before jumping feet first into an investigation. That was a pretty inflammatory claim by the Iraqis. It might have put things into perspective before launching blindly into two concurrent investigations (Bargewell and NCIS).
They did ask Sharratt and Wuterich—through the thugs at NCIS.
When Lt. Gen. Peter Chiarelli ordered the investigation, no one at division or regiment had any fond feelings for Sharratt or Wuterich. Unfair though it would have been, I think the brass was mad as hell at those ant-like creatures far below them who caused all the trouble.
You see the result of the battalion commander sticking up for his guys.
I truly believe that the brass just felt that throwing the Haditha Marines to the wolves was the best way to make the problem go away (for them).