Chicago magazine, July 2008: Posted on 06/28/2008 6:34:57 AM PDT by RedRover
Chicago magazine, July 2008:
"Web sites such as DefendOurMarines.com and DefendOurTroops.com feature tributes to the marines of Haditha. Bloggers have said the troops acted 'heroically' that day. Those supporters have scorned [prosecution witness, Sgt Sanick] Dela Cruz, deriding his testimony that he watched Wuterich gun down a group of Iraqi men who were surrendering. 'Dela Cruz is one of the sleaziest characters to emerge from the Haditha prosecution,' declared one writer on FreeRepublic.com, a conservative blog site. As this article went to press, the supporters had reason to be pleased: Of all of the men accused in the killings, only Wuterich still faced charges.
"Despite the 'no marine left behind' creed, however, Dela Cruz has been largely forsaken. No Web sites solicit support for him. No ex-marines pen impassioned articles on his behalf. Dela Cruz says that even his family, once unflaggingly supportive of his military career, has questioned his decision to testify against Wuterich.
"Dela Cruz's detractors dismiss the idea that they have left one of their own behind. If anything, they say, he abandoned the marines by turning on his sergeant. Dela Cruz himself insists that he is simply doing what a good marine must do: tell the truth."
Read the entire Chicago magazine article in pdf format or read it at the Chicago magazine site.
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We respond:
Defend Our Marines grew out of activism on Free Republic and kicked into gear when charges were announced against the eight Marines on December 21, 2006.
On Christmas eve 2006, Freepers (notably jazusamo, pinkpanther111, and lilycicero) took time to help organize support for all eight of the Haditha Marines and their families. We gathered all information possible about the accused (including laudatory articles about Dela Cruz), and reached out to their lawyers with offers of help. By working together, we discovered that Sgt Dela Cruz was represented pro bono by attorney, Daniel Marino. There was no need to solicit support for Dela Cruz because he had free representation.
When charges were dropped against Sgt Dela Cruz on April 2, 2007, there was uproar in the media and online that Dela Cruz had turned traitor. Defend Our Marines and Free Republic was the only sources to congratulate and defend Sergeant Dela Cruz (click here for the thread on Free Republic). On both websites, we launched our "scorecard" that has since made its way all over the Internet.
A good deal has happened since then.
On May 9, 2007, Sgt Dela Cruz made headlines around the world when he testified that he desecrated a corpse in Haditha by urinating on it. This put the prosecution's star witness in the strange position of being the only Marine to admit to a criminal act of vengeance in Haditha.
Admission of this disgusting act may have been intended to make all the Haditha Marines look deranged. If so, it backfired. Dela Cruz also admitted that it was a solo act and no one else knew what he had done. This act will haunt him for the rest of his life and he alone is responsible for it.
At LCpl Tatum's hearing on July 17, Dela Cruz testified he'd been horrified when Tatum allegedly said Iraq needed a good Old Testament-style smiting. Dela Cruz later attributed similar statements to SSgt Wuterich.
Then, on September 1, Dela Cruz took the stand as the chief witness against SSgt Wuterich. Defend Our Marines contributing editor, Nat Helms, was there and his headline sums it up: Prosecution’s star witness in Haditha case crumbles on the stand.
Originally, Dela Cruz had faced life in prison for the murder of five Iraqis at a white taxi (SSgt Wuterich was also charged with killing the same five men). At SSgt Wuterich's hearing, we learned details of the shooting (see illustrations at right). Forensics suggested that it was Dela Cruz, not SSgt Wuterich, who may well have fired the fatal shots.
Dela Cruz has done a lot of talking about Haditha outside the courtroom as well. He was a source for Leftwing director Nick Broomfield's film, Battle for Haditha (Broomfield will not confirm this) and for Leftwing vet Jason Washburn, a leader of Iraq Vets Against the War.
It was within a story about Washburn's antiwar hysterics that I wrote, "Dela Cruz is one of the sleaziest characters to emerge from the Haditha prosecution." (yes, I was the "one writer" that Chicago magazine mentioned.).
Actually, what I wrote was this. "Dela Cruz is one of the sleaziest characters to emerge from the Haditha prosecution. And I say that reluctantly. I wanted to believe the best of Dela Cruz and gave him every benefit of the doubt" (The original post on Free Republic is below, right, and at the link.)
Dela Cruz tells Chicago magazine that he needs to talk about Haditha. Maybe he would have been better off as a defendant. He might come to some closure over his deplorable actions. As hard as the prosecutions have been for the accused, six at least have been fully exonerated and can move on with their lives. Dela Cruz will have to spend the rest of his life justifying his actions to himself and to others.
The main role for Dela Cruz is yet to come. He will be a key witness against SSgt Wuterich at this court martial--whenever the prosecution finally allows SSgt Wuterich to have his day in court. Chicago is wrong when it says that supporters have reason to be pleased because only SSgt Wuterich still faces charges. We won't be pleased (if that's even possible) until the entire truth about Haditha is as well known as the distorted view served up to a gullible public by the media and Congressman Murtha. And I firmly trust that the truth will exonerate SSgt Wuterich.
Defend Our Marines and my friends on Free Republic (a fraction of the whole community) were right to defend Sgt Dela Cruz until the facts were known. And we're right now to say that he is simply not to be believed.
David Allender
Defend Our Marines
We've come a long way since Christmas 2006. Thoughts and prayers continue to be with the Wuterich and Chessani families.
Will some republican in congress please have the guts to confront Murtha!!!???In public, on the floor of Congress?
God bless you all for the work you have done and are doing in getting the truth out in this case,
Our marines are on the tip end of the sword and are fighting a war against abject animals who would not hesitate to kill us all if they ever got the chance.
If we had subjected the Marines in the Pacific in World War II to the same level of scrutiny and second guessing that our Marines today are facing, we would have been unable to win that war. Those Marines were heroes too, just as these are, and faced the same type of ruthless enemy and did what had to be done to defeat them...and defeat them soundly, so that we (and the Japanese) would be afforded the gifts of liberty and peace.
God bless them for so doing in the most horrific of circumstances.
Why would they? If they heard from enough constituents about this issue, they most certainly would confront Murtha. But not enough of us give a damn about those poor Marines or Murtha's treasonous actions.
can we start a petition on Freepr to demand Murtha’s public condemnation! start the snowball rolling?
The only guilt Marines are Cruz and Turda! When does the Treason Trial start?
Pray for W and Our Innocent Marines
Very well said, Red.
Hope Bryan Smith reads your piece, of course he already knew it because it’s obvious he’s been following the case here at FR and Defend Our Marines.
Thanks, jaz! And, hey, if you check out some of the links in the body of the response, you’ll get to see some great old threads.
Your doing God’s work for these young Marines.
I do want to say that although Murtha is the symbolic guy to hate here, your group should request a formal investigation of the military chain of command and military prosecution team that has consucted this witch hunt on the Haditha Marines.
I have nothing but disgust for Murtha. But it seems that somewhere in the military chain of command there was a snot posed political that wanted his scapegoats to appease all of the “reaonable people” as well as the “arab street”.
It’s disgusting and there needs to be an investigation.
They should all stand up and demand Murtha resign. They won’t because they have no balls.
Nice job!
i heard today from a Freeper friend that a general is moving forward with a lawsuit on Murtha and Time mag.
I pray they do it an win big.
Probably taking Murtha’s money is more hurtful than if he got censured. The greedy Pig!
Red - I love the PING graphic. Your response was spot on and the links brought back quite a few memories. It still amazes me that such a you and the others could pull something together like Defend Our Marines. Hats off to you for your dedication and all the work you have put into this. And of course all FReepers should take pride in the hard work and support offered to the Haditha Marines.
Yes, this definitely is something all FReepers can take pride in. We pushed back and it counted. And we’re ALL going to celebrate BIGTIME when the last man is exonerated.
And, you know, the Defend Our Marines-Free Republic model is an interesting one. Without Free Republic, DOM is just another Dixie-cup-and-string trying to be a telephone. And the Haditha effort on Free Republic benefits from a satellite that can bring things to prominence on an ongoing basis. They’ve been mutually supportive in really positive ways.
PS. The new graphic was prompted by lilycicero who said maybe it was time to give the rifle guy a little R&R. This may have been prompted, in turn, by her own hubs being ordered to take R&R in Iraq. In any case, we’ll try some different graphics and see if any sticks. Just trying to keep the customers satisfied!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! Man, that is just too GOOD!!!!!!!!!
How odd that he neglected to mention that the ied commenced a day long battle with insurgents, mush less mention that any shots were fired, other than by Marines.
How odd that he neglected to mention that one of the young Iraqi girls admitted that she knew a bomb was going to go off and covered her ears.
How odd that that he neglected to mention that the "a young Iraqi man with connections to an Iraqi human rights organization" is Thaer al-Hadithi, a 42 year old man with proven terrorist connections and that the Hammurabi Human Rights Org. is a terrorist front group consisting of 2 terrorists.
How odd that he neglected to mention Cpl. Justin Sharrat's encounter with 4 armed terrorists which culminated in his charges.
How odd that he neglected to mention that McGirk's stories have shown strong a anti-US, pro-terrorist leaning, resulting in the nickname "Taliban Party Boy".
Just a few of the odd things about this story.
I sent the writer a friendly e-mail and invited him to look at the thread. I don’t have a problem with his story at all, and agree he’s well-intentioned. And he really didn’t get the facts wrong. I was just a little disappointed that the initial support of Dela Cruz wasn’t mentioned. But that’s minor in the scheme of things. Frankly, I’m grateful that he wrote the story at all.
As much as anything, I wanted Freepers to know that we’re being noticed, and that our words have an effect.
BTW, I was a little surprised that he picked up on the “sleazy” comment since I usually try to stay away from name-calling. I probably wouldn’t have said it at all if I hadn’t been riled about Washburn. It’s a good reminder that what goes on Free Republic stays on Google.
Good one, usmcobra! :)
de la Cruz was a self-serving POS.
Dela Cruz is a victim too. I’ll probably not get much support on this, but it’s clear to me from following the story and reading the court testimony that the marines did act harshly and did kill the women and children.
Dela Cruz’s testimony rings true to me; and before anybody wonders how do I know, I’ve been there and seen it (Vietnam 1969, MACV, 5th RVN Div, PH and 2BS).
In the heat of the moment, it happens just like it’s being described. But NOT in cold blood; rather in hot blood. Innocent civilians commonly get killed when a soldier’s adrenalin is rushing. They’re in a war zone, for crying out loud!
I believe most troops have a bit of “loose cannon” in them when it really hits the fan. Hair triggers are the norm. The Rules Of Engagement are not in the forefront of anyone’s mind at the moment. Even children can get shot when reflexes go faster than the mind is working.
The big difference and shame is that it’s being made an issue at all. In prior wars, these things were considered part of the horror of war, and our soldiers were cut some slack (except for Vietnam, which is when this political aspect took root).
Wuterich should not be persecuted like this. Did he do the shooting described? I believe so. Did he do anything deserving prosecution? No way. Is Dela Cruz a scumbag like so many think? No, he’s just a young man caught up the horrors of a prosecutorial and political event that has nothing to do with real life. Once the attorneys got at him, it’s no wonder he ended up telling the horrible truth that war is horrible.
Sorry for the rant, but is just pi$$e$ me off big time when our troops have to put up with crap like this when they’re out there laying it on the line for us all.
Once again, RR, I am amazed at all you have done. Thank you. I really appreciate your... carefulness (couldn't come up with a better word).
It really strikes me as unfortunate that of all the things you have written... the sum total of all the meaning of what you have written... that the word "sleazy" got picked up. You are one hellova Freeper.
Thanks for the post. And I’ll certainly support you in part, if not in whole.
I think Dela Cruz is telling the truth about some things but not about others. Or, to put it charitably, his interpretation about the character of his squadmates in the 3/1 is colored by being an outsider.
A big factor here that’s not been mentioned is that Dela Cruz was not really part of the 3/1. He transferred in before the deployment. He was in OIF and in Najaf with the 4th—not in Fallujah with the 3rd. I think he was shocked at the way guys who went through Fallujah talked. You’ll understand that dynamic very well from your own service if you ever had a new guy in your midst after a hellacious fight.
I absolutely agree that our troops should not have to go through crap like this. You may be right about Dela Cruz. I think you’re wrong but this is a place for discussion and there’s no reason we can’t be friends.
LOL! That’s just the way it goes! And believe me, I’ve got folders full of e-mails telling me that I’m a sissy for not being harder on Dela Cruz.
Ulimately, though, name-calling is destructive because it’s too easy and just hurts one’s own credibility. So I do try to avoid it, even when (like in this case) you know the damage the target has done and it’s very hard to stay objective.
I don't think they will for this one, either.
Really love that new ping, Red.
“I absolutely agree that our troops should not have to go through crap like this. You may be right about Dela Cruz. I think you’re wrong but this is a place for discussion and there’s no reason we can’t be friends.”
Agreed. And you’re right about how mental attitudes change when new realities are jammed into you.
When new advisors came in, they needed a lot of one-on-one talking. They eventually were able to distinguish the difference between pie-in-the-sky stuff and real life. I left Vietnam a much more “enlightened” individual.
Yes. I respect that immensely.
Although I have never said anything about it before, my thinking about Dela Cruz has bounced from one extreme to the other, and I still don't know what to think exactly.
I believe that few have the ability to judge him fairly. His actions will haunt him (as you have said).
If they had been identified at all, they wouldn't be listed as "unknown" on SSgt Wuterich's charges.
And the forensics test that proved they were shot at close range? There were no forensic tests performed on any of the bodies, period. The Iraqis refused to allow it, instead burying the bodies asap and denied requests to exhume the bodies.
Nor was Tatum given immunity to testify against anyone.
You're much more generous than I am in assessing the author of this latest, embarrassingly obvious attempt to try Frank in the press than I am, Red. Anyone who goes through all those posts to find that one of yours calling DelaCruz on the carpet for his lying (how many lie detectors did he fail?) would have to know that much of what he wrote was false, and that his timing would be particularly suspect.
BTW, doesn't prosecutor Sullivan also live in Chicago? The same prosecutor that did indeed offer DelaCruz AND Mendoza identical deals. No matter what what Smith eagerly gobbles up as the truth, a deal to have charges that would bring a life sentence dropped in exchange for testifying against the squad leader is a deal is a deal is a deal is a deal.
And Bryan Smith can quote me on that.
Sadly, most sheep will “learn” the “facts” about Haditha from the “hard hitting, true story movie”, and blatantly false propaganda such as this in the driveby.
It was never just a slogan for you, was it?
Semper Fi, Brother.
If it’s worth dying for, it’s worth living for.
Semper fi, Grimmy.
This is so true. None of the people joining the Armed Forces do it with the expectation of being stabbed in the back by the people they should trust the most. Their commanders. I have thrown rocks at Dela Cruz in the past cause I'm too far away too bitch slap the guy. What needs to happen is the ROUS in the Pentagon/Govt. need to be tried and executed as traitors. Dela Cruz might be a POS, but he is such a small one compared to the ones above him, he wouldn't even make a decent skid mark.
Thanks, fatima! Great to see you, as always.
Chicago magazine did not have the common decency to capitalize the word “Marine”.
Well said, fred.
Spot on, Girlene. I have a healthy dose of skepticism when it comes to statements from Dela Cruz, simply because, as you and so many have repeatedly highlighted, his stories have been anything but consistent.
I steadfastly refuse to belittle Dela Cruz and as far as his stories being inconsistent- I say PRAISE THE LORD and pass the ammunition!!
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