Posted on 11/16/2004 5:44:59 PM PST by jarcolaNY
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 f***ing 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.
I just read another thread that said he's been removed from the unit! Just can't find it at the moment.
My thoughts exactly.
That is what angered the "reporter"so.
The Marine killed one of his allies.
Hey! I thought we were at war!
The day before, a Marine in the same unit was killed by one of these idiots that he was turning over to see if he was dead. I heard the idiot had a grenade or bomb on his person and it killed our Marine.
Why are we going to send our young men and women in if they can't fight to WIN? That's almost gotten to be a dirty word in today's screwed up world.
This family TOTALLY supports this young Marine. He should be given the highest medal.... not treated like a criminal when he was doing the job he was sent in to do.
Oh yeah.. I guess some want us to treat these ba***rds with the best medical teams in the world, and then turn them loose so they can do it again. Shame on those who think that way! More power to our Marines who are fighting like the men they were taught to be!
Logan's Nana
Bump your post cuz you said it all!!!!!
I would think Mr. Sites would be wise to hitchhike out of there. It's a matter of whether you are one of us or one of them.
There is nothing wrong with taping it but the information should be properly presented. Someone "playing dead" is an active combatant. If he raised his hands he would be alive today. In that combat situation, every man is empowered to make snap decisions to protect his own and the lives of his brothers. Mistakes are made in war, but the kind of mistake you make determines who's life it is that is lost.
My only concern is that the talking heads will cost us many more American lives
They keep bringing up the Geneva Convention. I'm sure its rules also specify when the rules don't apply.
Thirty is too young to be a Gunny....when I was in (1966), all the Gunnys were at least 60, if not 70! Hashmarks alla way up their sleeve!
I agree ! did you see the other guy , apparently the only survivor in that room , he did exactly as you suggest , rose his hands ,even while laying down , he had his eyes open and even was exchanging words with the Marines. He was not shot ,even though he was covered with a blanket that could have concealed something.
The guy that was shot must have been acting sneaky somehow ,
maybe made a strange move as if to detonate an IED ?
Could have been anything like that . I hope the young Marine
can state his case and the world will be advised of what he says and that will be it , case closed.
This vermin should have been mingled with the glass of the desert sand a long time ago.
But since we're fighting a PC war, AGAIN, the proper way for this Marine to dispatch this POS was to hack his head off with his bayonet and video tape it all!
You go Marine!!!
Logan, Beth & Nana
"Thirty is too young to be a Gunny...."
Hey! I'll be 58 next April....Menage A Quatro is approaching stress test time; but Monica Crowley might just get me onto the "Freeper Memorial" page....
THIS IS WAR! THIS IS NOT SOME "REALITY" TV SHOW!
Support our Troops, our Country and our way of life.
3,000 innocents died on 9/11, let's not forget. We are fighting a War with an enemy that has considers us infidels and has not greater pleasure than eliminating us.
Douche bags from NBC give copy of tape to Al-Jazeera before they give it to JAG so the muslims can use it for propaganda, some of our marines/soldiers need to get near enough to the reporter & video crew and frag somebodies butt.
What scandal????...A terrorist was killed...
No more news reporters. They only spell trouble. I want the US to win the war and get out. But if the public and Teddy Kennedy starts to question everything our troops do...our stay will be longer in Iraq because we can't get the job done. Our troops will get killed. They will become unsure what to do during a battle.
We don't need another Vietnam. News reporters are against OIF from the get go. Kick them out! They will only fuel the anti-war flame here and and abroad. Who needs enemies?
Three thoughts on this: 1.) Only Rueters would use "US Marines" and "Comrade" in a headline. Call me an old cold war loon, but I only see red when I hear the word "Comrade". 2.) The Marine was doing his job. He was shot in the face a day or two before this incident and went directly back into battle. A buddy of his, in his unit, was recently killed by a dead terrorist that was made into an IED. 3.) This happened in a mosque. If we were not fighting such a PC war, the Mosque would have been rubble. This incident would have never happened.
In the end this fine warrior should be given a medal. His contribution to the war on terror cannot be overlooked or undermined by the leftist MSN. He killed 1 of 100,000,000 just begging to meet their maker. Praise be to F'ing Allah.
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