U.S. MARINES RALLY ROUND IRAQ PROBE COMRADE

Reuters ^ | 11/16/04

[areafiftyone]

FALLUJA, Iraq (Reuters) - U.S. Marines rallied round a comrade under investigation for killing a wounded Iraqi during the offensive in Falluja, saying he was probably under combat stress in unpredictable, hair-trigger circumstances.

Marines interviewed on Tuesday said they didn't see the shooting as a scandal, rather the act of a comrade who faced intense pressure during the effort to quell the insurgency in the city.

"I can see why he would do it. He was probably running around being shot at for days on end in Falluja. There should be an investigation but they should look into the circumstances," said Lance Corporal Christopher Hanson.

"I would have shot the insurgent too. Two shots to the head," said Sergeant Nicholas Graham, 24, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. "You can't trust these people. He should not be investigated. He did nothing wrong."

The military command launched an investigation after video footage showed a U.S. Marine shooting a wounded and unarmed man in a mosque in the city on Saturday. The man was one of five wounded and left in the mosque after Marines fought their way through the area.

A pool report by NBC correspondent Kevin Sites said the mosque had been used by insurgents to attack U.S. forces, who stormed it, killing 10 militants and wounding the five. Sites said the wounded had been left for others to pick up.

A second group of Marines entered the mosque on Saturday after reports it had been reoccupied. Footage from the embedded television crew showed the five still in the mosque, although several appeared to be close to death, Sites said.

He said a Marine noticed one prisoner was still breathing.

A Marine can be heard saying on the pool footage provided to Reuters Television: "He's fucking faking he's dead."

"The Marine then raises his rifle and fires into the man's head," Sites said.

NBC said the Marine, who had reportedly been shot in the face himself the previous day, said immediately after the shooting: "Well, he's dead now."

THOROUGH PROBE PROMISED

The Marine commander in Falluja, Lieutenant General John Sattler, said his men followed the law of conflict and held themselves to a high standard of accountability.

"The facts of this case will be thoroughly pursued to make an informed decision and to protect the rights of all persons involved," he said.

Marines have repeatedly described the rebels they fought against in Falluja as ruthless fighters who didn't play by the rules. They say the investigation is politically motivated.

"It's all political. This Marine has been under attack for days. It has nothing to do with what he did," said Corporal Keith Hoy, 23.

Rights group Amnesty International said on Monday both sides in the Falluja fighting had broken the rules of war governing the protection of civilians and wounded combatants.

Gunnery Sergeant Christopher Garza, 30, favored an investigation but like other Marines said the Pentagon should weigh its decision carefully.

"He should have captured him. Maybe the insurgent had some valuable information. There may have been mitigating circumstances. Maybe his two buddies died in Falluja," he said.

Sites said: "I have witnessed the Marines behaving as a disciplined and professional force throughout this offensive. In this particular case, it certainly was a confusing situation to say the least."

The U.S. military has been embarrassed by scandals in Iraq, most prominently the Abu Ghraib affair in which at least eight U.S. soldiers have been tried or face courts-martial over the abuse of prisoners at the jail outside Baghdad.

There have also been several cases in which soldiers have been charged with wrongfully killing Iraqis during operations.

[Peach]

LOL.

NewsMax posted a story about Kerry's "heroism" as it relates to this story, complete with a FR mention.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1281129/posts

[MissAmericanPie]

Yeah, this is all we need, loss of morale among our troops. I'm ready to launch protests outside local stations urging them to drop MSM.

[ProudVet77]

Try your local NBC affiliate. Also local advertisers.

[hobbes1]

Don't toss any. This is the prelude to an important Public Debate.



We need to all be on the same page, regarding the actions of these terrorists, in battle and in terror campaigns.


Once they decide to play possum for offensive purposes, no prisoners may be safely taken in combat, it is really that simple.

[MizSterious]

Did you see me say anything about killing him or beating him? My remedy is to send him packing and never allow him into so much as a dog pound press briefing again. Put him on the society page beat where he belongs.

The statement you quoted is but one of his many statements on this affair, and none of them were anywhere near as kind as that one. Sorry I can't provide a quote, but they were statements I heard, and I don't have transcripts.

Here you are, sticking up for the reporter. Me, I'm sticking up for the Marine who most probably saved the reporter's miserable life. Next time, send the reporter over to find out if a body is dead yet, or if he's boobytrapped. Maybe then he can get an appreciation for what happened that day.

[Jarhead1957]

I start to post, and I get so damn mad I forget what I wanted to say. I guess $crew Kevin Sites and the MSM will have to do, until I come up with something that sounds profound.

[rellimpank]

--Sorry, but I don't---it's in my memory from much reading of WW2 history--hope somebody else can help--

[Swanks]

There is a (very) plus side to this. If the MSM isn't completely hated by the american public, they soon will be for humping this story.

[XJarhead]

Actually, the embed isn't entirely bad.

Sites said: "I have witnessed the Marines behaving as a disciplined and professional force throughout this offensive. In this particular case, it certainly was a confusing situation to say the least."

What stinks are those in the MSM who are trying to make a big deal out of this. My guess is that any TV coverage will omit the complimentary remarks from the embed, and just use the film and their own inane commentary to make it look worse than it was.

[speed_addiction]

At the end of Desert Storm, my squad was taking prisoners every time we went out on patrol. It got to where we would load up a few cases of MREs for this very contingency. On one of these patrols we came up on a group of Iraqis who wanted to surrender.

We went to get them and the dropped and opened fire on us, wounding one of my men. Specialist Bishop manning our turrent mounted SAW on our Hummer provided covering fire for us. After a brief firefight, the Iraqis thought better of their actions and came out to surrender. We promptly shot a couple of them where they stood. The rest ran out into the desert tossing weapons and equipment as the went. We shot these in the back.

When I reported this to my commander, I told him simply that we were ambushed. I had a wounded soldier to prove it.

It is very easy for someone who has never been there to understand the thought process of a warrior in combat. Even the best officers and NCOs have trouble reeling their men in when the adrenaline is flowing and the blood runs hot.

I am pretty sure I know what these Marine's thoughts were. I don't blame him one bit.

[O.C. - Old Cracker]

I have a photocopy of the after action report from a SSG who discovered the body of my brother near Duc Pho, RVN in September 1970.

My brother had been wounded and captured by the Viet Cong. Three days later his headless body was found leaning against a tree. The SSG's report from that day says they first tied a rope around one of the legs and drug the corpse a few feet to confirm that it was not booby trapped. The "insurgents" in Iraq evidently employ the same tactics.

Someone needs to find this Kevin Sites character and deliver a personal message from the Marines in Iraq. Nothing permanent, just muss his hair a bit.

Tough guy, Kevin Sites putting his life on the line for NBC.

[TexasCajun]

The standard media response should be:

"Let me read your statements of condemnation when you learned John Kerry shot a Fleeing, Wounded, N.Korean BOY in the BACK"

[Republican Red]

I called my local Atlanta affiliate WXIA (404-892-1611). I was told that it wasn't their responsiblitity since they are only an affiliate.

Now, I am pretty upset to begin with but that put me over the edge. They can't even take responsibility for what is airing on their own stations. I gave the man a man a taste of a redhead's temper. I told him I will contact every local sponsor I witness on WXIA and let them know why I will no longer be buying from them.

I also called NBC Washington bureau 202-885-4200.

I think I'll call CNN next. They are a local number and I can vent some more.

[areafiftyone]

LOL You are not alone. I am sooo livid over this!

[eyespysomething]

People are upset with the Marine being investigated, and the obvious outlet is the reporter. People have, understandably, developed a huge distrust of media.

I agree with the embedding of reporters. I think its a good way to see the military at work, doing what they do so well. I think the reporter should have turned a copy of the tape over to military authorities if he had qualms about what happened, as opposed to thinking he had the next "Abu Ghraib" scandal and releasing it to NBC (or whoever he released it to) He seems to have handled it badly.

I think what you are reading is the frustration of many FReepers. Besides, they may not personally know reporters, and the hard work they do.

[roses of sharon]

Then you agree with the release of video, world-wide, accusing a man of murder, without benefit of an investigation first?

[Eastbound]

""I would have shot the insurgent too. Two shots to the head," said Sergeant Nicholas Graham, 24, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. "You can't trust these people. He should not be investigated. He did nothing wrong." "

$ht happens. I'm sure I would have done the same thing under the circumstances. Anyone else?

[MizSterious]

You are 100% correct, in my opinion. I can't believe this press-scum can't see that--and I don't believe for an instant that he didn't know about the boobytrapped "bodies" and "woundeds" that had already been found. Nope, I think he thought he might get the Pulitzer for "exposing" military "atrocities"--even if he had to be a bit inventive.

Let's just take out the "LI," and the "ER," and award him this year's PUTZ award.

[abc1]

You can find this on Reuters.com

[rudypoot]

Quite honestly, if he was just shooting at me moments ago and I walked into the room with him wounded, I'd finish him off too. This is part of war. Don't put the fear of lawyers on the troops. Their job is hard enough.