Sentence first ... trial later.
Posted on 06/01/2006 8:15:24 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
June 1, 2006 — Military sources told ABC News that there are likely to be charges filed against officers up the chain of command in connection with the killing of 24 civilians by U.S. Marines in Haditha, Iraq, in November 2005.
Those who could be charged include senior officers who were not on the scene at the time of the killing but should have known something wrong had happened and done something about it.
Today the White House confirmed that it was nearly three months after the Haditha killings that an investigation began, only after Time Magazine showed a video to a military spokesman.
Until then, the military insisted the civilians in Haditha had been killed by a roadside bomb.
But the video showed a bloody scene that suggested otherwise and prompted officials to launch a preliminary investigation into what happened.
The investigation quickly uncovered evidence the civilians were killed by the Marines, not a roadside bomb. From that point interest in the case quickly reached the highest levels.
"This is just a reminder for troops either in Iraq or throughout our military that there are high standards expected of them and there are strong rules of engagement," Bush said. "The Haditha incident is under investigation. Obviously, the allegations are very troubling for me and equally troubling for our military."
Bush was first told about what happened on March 11, one week before Time Magazine first reported the story. Since then, the president has received regular updates on the investigation from the secretary of defense and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Sources familiar with the investigations told ABC News that the initial report claiming the civilians were killed by a bomb was filed by Sgt. Frank Wuterich. Wuterich was the top ranking Marine on the team that went into the houses where the civilians were killed. The question now, though, is where were his superiors?
Yesterday..
Lawyer: Officers not targeted in Haditha probe ^
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1640779/posts
Posted by pissant
On News/Activism ^ 05/30/2006 1:47:41 PM PDT · 54 replies · 910+ views
AP via MSNBC ^ | 5/30/06 | staff
Let us try them in public first, then let them try to clear their names later.
I am not in favor of wanton killing, but there are many mitigating circumstances that are already coming out. My fear is that more soldiers will delay and avoid for fear of a career disaster when he should be shooting at all genuine targets.
ABC has already had the trial. There might be another side to this Murtha driven tale
One of the officers?
Marine officer a "political casualty" of Haditha investigation
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1641949/posts
AP on Bakersfield Californian ^ | 6/1/06 | Thomas Watkins - ap
Posted on 06/01/2006 1:51:16 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
This is turning into another case of the story was not gaining any traction last week, so the MSM cordinates to "sex it up" to make sure it stays front page, including quotes from "anonymous" sources and sunni insurgents.
The BBC and world press are now all over this.
This is ignorant beyond belief. Our justice system doesn't work this way.
Sentence first ... trial later.
So, if you get orders to Iraq, the first thing you need to do is lawyer up...
Please don't try to insert facts into this liberal media inventing news circle jerk.
The enemy set those people up to great danger. Now the Marines are expected to have the wisdom of Dear Abby, and know exactly what's up and what to do about it? Comeon now, Bush, get yer head out.
I pray that some genius someplace is playing these Dems to make them look like the anti-soldier, anti-americans that they actually are.
Someone serious needs to run against Murtha in PA.
If I were facing prosecution in this case, I'd offer to plead guilty and admit all wrongdoing after every pr!ck in the chain of command that sent me to that sh!t-hole was prosecuted for dereliction of duty.
The Government won't be prosecuting them. The Military will be. If need be.
Few dislike the MSM more than I. In fact, I called AP last night and chewed them out over the selection and framing and sensationalizing of "US soldiers kill pregnant Iraqi woman" which turns out to be a car-runs-through-the-checkpoint tragedy.
But I've gotta say, I think this story is being played pretty straight. Those men and officers are in a heap of trouble. Underlying it, I imagine this must be an extreme case of unbearably unfair Rules of Engagement where the enemy threatens to kill locals if they squeal on their setting IEDs, and the Marines can't do squat about it.
My heart goes out to those men, but there is no stopping the justice coming their way.
Pardon me for being naive here, but I operate under the assumption that the U.S. military functions as an arm of the U.S. government.
"'Scuse me, Sir. I hate to do this, and I apologize profusely, but I am going to have to kill you. Would you sign here, please, and also on the line where it says you promise not to sue me."
Redcoats and Minutemen ....
No way!
This thing is old news that was hyped up for MEMORIAL DAY!
This is how our media wants our troops to be remembered-- as murderers of the innocent.
This is an absolute outrage.
There is no conviction of these soldiers. They have had no trial an no opportunity to defend themselves.
".....Those who could be charged include senior officers who were not on the scene at the time of the killing but should have known something wrong had happened and done something about it."
We are going to prosecute officers who had nothing to do with the killing, had nothing to do with a cover up, had no knowledge of the crime or cover up?
What exactly will they be charged with: being too focused on winning the war and keeping their men alive?
They will.
Does anyone else question the authenticity of this video? Has anyone seen it? Who made it? Sunni's?? The very same people behind most of the terrorist acts in Iraq??
It seems rather strange to me that a video would surface in ABC News hands in March, 4 months AFTER the supposed massacre.
Would it be a stretch to assume that IF this video really did show a massacre by American Military that it would have been sent to every news organization in the world within days, perhaps hours of the event??
The investigation quickly uncovered evidence the civilians were killed by the Marines, not a roadside bomb. From that point interest in the case quickly reached the highest levels.
So, let's see: The investigation did not begin until AFTER ABC showed this video to the military in March, 4 months AFTER the supposed incident. I would sure like to know what evidence showed up that supports this media claim.
It is very obvious that the media is enjoying themselves immensely over this. They hate the military and want to see the military spat on when they return (ala Vietnam).
Well, I have had enough with the media. Each media I see from now on I will, at the least, SPIT IN THEIR FACE and hope, PRAY, that they retaliate against me.
Oh goodie... more "sources"
C'mon Chaplain 'everything his/her unit does or fails to do'.
How I hope that this has some mitigating factors and unknown aspects for the actions of the Marines.
This sounds like a field report right?
The 'government' has lost credibilitiy -Only among you far-left cool aid drinkers. Fortunately, the highly credible (look at all the polls) US Marine Corps will do a professional and thorough investigation. For the Military Justice system to work, the accused should mount a credible defense.
Things are just about wrapped up in Iraq. Zarqawi will be turning himself in any day now. It was a nice try by you lefties, but your information warfare couldn't keep us from winning.
A Sergeant is an enlisted soldier of the 5th highest out of 10 ranks. It typically is held by a soldier with 3-8 years of service; that is, it is held by a young, inexperienced but motivated troop.
The article says that the soldiers entered civilian homes.
What I don't see is a time frame. When was this junior NCO asked to recount these events?
If I wanted to cover up something on a patrol, I would not refer to at all in any after-action report.
It's entirely possible a young troop was asked to remember something and he simply wrote what he thought he recollected from that period.
We are addressing legal liability as opposed to leadership responsibility.
I think the whole thing is a lie.
The Muslims are lying. I think the terrorists killed
the people in cold blood. They want the Americans blamed.
The people in Haditha are only too willing go along.
IMHO.
Well isn't that special!!
If this is true it shows:
A. That media types are truly idiots when they cannot see a setup made specifically to manipulate them.
B. Or that media types really do think we the peeples are truly stupid.
Will need to keep tabs on this and verify the origin of this video.
It will be tried fairly in a military court. After a fair trial, I expect there will be convictions. That's all I am saying, as I would predict an outcome about any other case discussed in public, though not yet tried.
That said there is no doubt the treasonous media has moved into the stage where the manufactured narrative of American atrocities is heading into full swing. You have to be able to separate (1) the possible actual guilt of those Marines (albeit under conditions that true Americans know are mitigating in our hearts), and the necessity for the press to report accurately about the particular case, from (2) the overall misleading, lying, unbalanced reporting, etc., etc., etc., that the press does with its anti-American agenda.
I totally agree with your statements. I don't believe anything that's reported by the Liberal MSM. Their agenda is obvious for those willing to see the truth.
Since the results of the investigation has not been made public, to my knowledge, how would this 'source' know this to be true?
9, E5 to E7 here... Apparently the original Marine communique from Camp Blue Diamond in Ramadi did say that the families were killed by the roadside bomb. Here's a link to a post with the Nov 20, 2005 Reuter's article to that effect. I thought there would be a mixup between the field report between there and battalion. This story says sommething different. That the Sgt involved in the incident initiated the story that the civilians were killed by the IED.
What is it you expect the President to do about this? He may be their Commander in Chief, but he does not, and should not, direct their actions on the ground. He is doing exactly what he SHOULD be doing right now, staying out of it and letting the military do its investigation without any pressure or influence from his office.
From what I've read, the video is just of the bodies of the women and children who had been shot while in a kneeling position. The ASSUMPTION has been made that it was the Marines who did it. As far as I have heard, there is NO proof of this.
If the charges are unwarranted, why doesn't the military refute them? Why did President Bush refer to the investigation yesterday, rather than saying terrorists killed the Iraqis, or the Marines are innocent?
The cleaning out of that shithole was and IS Priority #1.
And it will continue Treason Media or no.
If anyone in the military says anything about this incident after the investigation begins, the whole thing would have to be thrown out due to undo command influence.
---We are going to prosecute officers who had nothing to do with the killing, had nothing to do with a cover up, had no knowledge of the crime or cover up?
What exactly will they be charged with: being too focused on winning the war and keeping their men alive? ---
They will be charged with being disposable.
Because it is the military that is providing the anonymous sources for the media, leaking to blunt the effect of the report when it is released.
Nobody around here wants to see this, but it is the Marine Corps, itself, that is admitting that these attacks took place, by dribs and drabs on a daily basis.
People in the military have been speaking anonymously about this case recently, which is definitely after the investigation began. They have not refuted the charges, though, only given them more credence. Why is that?
Thanks, please remember one of the girls they interviewed, she looks to be a teenager. She says, "I want them, meaning the Americans, TORTURED and killed". I can't tell you how livid I am. The media of course keeps breathlessly reporting this as if it is a fact. This is the same town where the terrorists are beheading people all the time and she wants our Marines TORTURED!!!!
I don't know which video you're referring to, but the photographs were definitely taken by the Marines. That has not been disputed by anyone, even anonymously, and has been confirmed by the mother of one of the Marines who took the pictures.
Here is my point: IF this is a video of a massacre that supposedly took place in November 2005, why did it not surface until March 2006? Sunnis would have had this video on the web within hours!!
Personally I believe it did not surface until locals decided to create it! Why would they decide this? Because they KNOW the western media is gullible, easily manipulated and would take the word of terrorists over their own military and governments.
Or, maybe, a media person or two is directly involved in a fabrication (ala Blather)?
The video is of the "carnage". According to the Iraqis, this video is the scene of the "massacre".
There are HUGE problems with this whole thing. Check out the other threads about the Haditha doctor--the one who changed the death certificates from shrapnel wounds to close-range bullet holes. He is seriously anti-American and has an axe to grind. Sweetness & Light is all over this. The doctor was previously detained by US troops, and the reporter who broke this story, he was also detained. The "eye-witnesses" are all Iraqis.
Also the eye-witness stories have changed and evolved and most importantly--the bodies have never been examined! The investigators want to exhume the bodies for examination--to even establish how they died, and the Iraqis are denying this request.
Check out the thread about "Blood Money, Lies and Videotape" from Front Page Mag as well. This whole frame the military for massacre was done to the Brits.
I am seriously skeptical of these allegations.
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