Posted on 06/02/2006 12:43:57 PM PDT by demlosers
Officials Conclude Troops Followed Rules of Engagement
Horrific images of Iraqi adults and children have fueled new allegations that U.S. troops killed civilians in the Iraqi town of Ishaqi. But ABC News has learned that military officials have completed their investigation and concluded that U.S. forces followed the rules of engagement.
A senior Pentagon official told ABC News the investigation concluded that the allegations of intentional killings of civilians by American forces are unfounded.
Military commanders in Iraq launched an investigation soon after the mid-March raid in the village of Ishaqi, about 50 miles north of Baghdad.
Maj. Gen. William Caldwell will make a statement about the Ishaqi allegations today in Baghdad, ABC News has learned.
In Ishaqi, American forces were going after a high-value terrorist target they succeeded in apprehending. The U.S. military reported in March that four people died when the troops destroyed a house from the air and ground.
But previously unaired video shot by an AP Television News cameraman at the time shows at least five children dead, several with obvious bullet wounds to the head. One adult male is also seen dead.
"Children were stuck in the room, alone and surrounded," an unidentified man said on the video.
A total of 11 people died, according to Iraqis on the scene. The Iraqis said the people were killed by U.S. troops before the house was destroyed.
Other Incidents in Question
The allegations in Ishaqi surfaced amid several other alleged incidents that have raised questions about the behavior of U.S. troops in Iraq.
Military sources told ABC News that charges will likely be 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.
Among those who may be charged are senior officers whom officials believe were not on the scene at the time of the killings but should have been aware that something had happened and done something about it.
On Thursday, the White House confirmed that an investigation began nearly three months after the Haditha killings, after Time Magazine showed a video to a military spokesman.
(Page 2 of 3)
Until then, the military insisted the civilians in Haditha had been killed by a roadside bomb.
Two Women Killed
On Wednesday in Samarra, a pregnant woman named Nahiba Jassim and her cousin, Saliha Hassan, were killed by gunfire when their car entered what the U.S. military called a clearly marked, prohibited area near a checkpoint and observation post manned by coalition forces.
According to the military, the driver of the car ignored signals and commands to stop, so troops fired shots to disable the vehicle.
Facing a constant threat of deadly attacks by insurgents, American forces in Iraq are allowed to fire in self-defense if they believe they are in danger. One of the survivors of the incident told ABC News they were rushing the pregnant woman to the hospital because she was about to give birth and they didn't know the road was blocked.
Jassim's brother was driving, and he said the soldiers shot straight into their vehicle.
"I didn't see any warning," he says. "I was driving at speed, and they started shooting at us."
Doctors at the hospital tried to save Jassim's baby but failed.
The U.S. military generally compensates the family of any civilian who is killed inadvertently by American forces. It's not known if this will apply in this case.
Iraqi Leaders, President Bush React
The allegations of unwarranted violence have outraged Iraqi officials.
Reacting to video of the Ishaqi incident, Muayed al-Anbaki, chairman of the Iraqi Human Rights Association, said Friday, "It looks like the killing of Iraqi civilians is becoming a daily phenomenon."
On Thursday, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki called the Haditha allegations "a horrible crime" — his strongest comment on the incident to date.
"This is a phenomenon that has become common among many of the multinational forces," the prime minister said. "No respect for citizens, smashing civilian cars, and killing on a suspicion or a hunch. It's unacceptable."
At the same time, in light of the Haditha investigation, U.S. military commanders have ordered new ethics training for all troops in Iraq.
(Page 3 of 3)
"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," President Bush said. "The Haditha incident is under investigation. Obviously, the allegations are very troubling for me and equally troubling for our military."
Today, Army Brig. Gen. Donald Campbell explained to reporters what he thinks could be behind these incidents.
"Well, I'd say it's difficult to pin down specifically, but obviously, when you're in a combat theater dealing with enemy combatants who don't abide by the law of war, who do acts of indecency, soldiers become stressed, they become fearful," he said. "It's very difficult to determine in some cases on this battlefield who is a combatant and who is a civilian."
Campbell said the military will investigate the allegations.
"It doesn't excuse the acts that have occurred, and we're going to look into them," he said. "But I would say it's stress, fear, isolation and, in some cases, they're just upset. They see their buddies getting blown up on occasion, and they could snap."
Last week, Bush expressed regret for the Abu Ghraib prison scandal — the first incident to raise questions about the military's handling of the war. He called it "the biggest mistake that's happened so far, at least from our country's involvement in Iraq."
ABC News' Hilary Brown and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
One nasty world. Doubt the civilized world would last. At one time you could depend on the UK...they've turned as lunatic as the rest.
Way back in 2003 we were told this would happen. Who can say this isn't what's going on now?
This is just an enemy attack by other means with the assistance of unpatriotic leftist news media and politicians.
We will never win a war again as long as a POTUS lets the media and his political opponents continue to do this.
Lincoln and FDR put politicians and the press in jail for a lot less.
Pity our brave soldiers are dying and a bunch of clowns are running the PR war at home.
Bravo to you, Sir!
"....but they really don't want freedom."
You are correct.....the religion and culture is based on total submission, hence the 5x daily genuflection to remind them....
I think if you look closely at the stories about many of the recent "reported" incidents, including Haditha, you'll see that the US forces were operating in conjunction with Iraqi forces. It's even possible that some of the casualties in Haditha were caused by Iraqi forces not US forces. But that information doesn't fit the agenda of those on the left, so it's reported once, if at all, and then conveniently left out of subsequent "stories" on the incident.
This is all ridiculous beyond freaking words! What message is all of this sending to the enemy?? This country needs to get a clue!
hanoi kerry went before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations in 1971
to accuse the United States military
of committing massive numbers of war crimes in Vietnam.
hanoi kerry 1971 TESTIMONY
http://www.c-span.org/vote2004/jkerrytestimony.asp
Legislative Proposals Relating to the War in Southeast Asia Thursday, April 22, 1971
United States Senate, Committee on Foreign Relations, Washington, D.C.
Major General William Caldwell should forthwith kick Brigadier General Donald Campbell directly in the balls, if the media accurately reported Campbells' comments. For those not familiar with the rank structure it is Brig, Maj, Lt, and Gen of. If the comments from Campbell were out of context, the worthless gutterslut that published them should be turned over to the enemy.
One S O B leftist from Time(SLIME)magazine started this, along with Murtha, now we have a feeding frenzy over nothing.
I couldn't stand that nasty female general . . . it was clear that they shoved her over there in the hopes that she couldn't screw up too badly way behind the lines -- no luck! Shoulda kept her stateside, but I guess they had to send SOME women over there for the look of the thing.
"The farmer's boots are the best muck," and platoon sgts. and platoon leaders have to be out and about all the time, in unexpected places and at unexpected hours. (My dad and my father in law were OCS, my husband was ROTC, but it was drummed into all their heads that they had to keep their eyes on things all the time.)
This whole thing is being orchestrated by the MSM -- national and international -- in preparation for Lurch's complete Iraqi withdrawal surrender plan next week.
Spoken like a true signed-up-yesterday IBTZ case.
It doesn't matter if they are innocent, the damage is done.
Yawn. Only if your a mental midget. No one believes this crap nor do they care it is just another boring MSM let's degrade the troops and undermined the war because we hate the President. bla bla bla. Once the first hurricane of the season hits "this too shall pass
Bout time for jorge to pretend a spine, stare into the camera without blinking, and say without pausing "these soldiers are innocent."
It's really pretty evident.....liberals (socialists) will always "accuse" conservatives that are in power of doing what liberals (socialists) would certainly di IF THEY were in power.
It's really that simple.
I hate liberals (socialists) with every breath that I take and with every beat of my heart. The ONLY good thing that can be said about liberals (socialists) is that they tend to kill their own. Beyond that, they (liberals/socialists) are a demonstrable waste of dna. Just look at Ted Kennedy, Nancy Pelosi, John Murtha, Bill (or Hillary) Clinton, Dick Durbin, Barb Streisand, Alec Baldwin, Jimmy Carter, et al and tell me that I'm wrong. You can't do it!
To the next liberal/socialist that gets in my face telling me that our troops are "murderers"... you do so at your own peril. I will not hold back. PROMISE.
At one time you could depend on the UK...they've turned as lunatic as the rest.
I'd be damn a-half-a-camper if he said, "these soldiers are guilty as sin and we don't give a flyin'" as long as he says something.
On the other hand, I just think it's a bit convenient these things just seem to be hitting the news like this, all the sudden. I'm about ready to contact my two wonderful NJ loser Senators to say it's about time we went Dresden on everything from the Morocco to Indonesia.
The insurgents or terrorists or whatever you want to call them finally hit the bait to catch the MSM and these fish are hittin' hot and heavy.
Finally some good news this week.
I really don't think that needs an explanation after reading and watching what's coming out of the UK. LOL
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.