Posted on 06/30/2006 10:24:17 AM PDT by presidio9
The American army in Iraq suffered a fresh blow to its image today as it emerged that five soldiers were being investigated for allegedly raping a woman and then murdering her and three members of her family.
The soldiers are accused of burning their alleged victim's body, according to sources quoted by the AP news agency.
Major General James Thurman, commander of coalition troops in Baghdad, has ordered a criminal investigation into the alleged killing of the family of four in Mahmoudiya, south of Baghdad, in March.
"The entire investigation will encompass everything that could have happened that evening. We’re not releasing any specifics of an ongoing investigation," said military spokesman Major Todd Breasseale.
"There is no indication what led soldiers to this home. The investigation just cracked open. We’re just beginning to dig into the details."
A US official close to the investigation said that at least one of the soldiers, all assigned to the 502nd Infantry Regiment, has admitted his role in the attack and been arrested.
It is believed that one of the soldiers has already been discharged and returned to the United States. The others have had their weapons taken away and are confined to Forward Operating Base Mahmoudiyah south of Baghdad.
Two soldiers from the same regiment were killed this month when they were kidnapped at a checkpoint near Youssifiyah.
The official said the killings appear to be unrelated to the kidnappings. He said those involved were all below the rank of sergeant.
He said senior officers were aware of the family’s death but believed it was due to sectarian violence, common in the religiously mixed town.
The killings appeared to have been a "crime of opportunity," the official said. The soldiers had not been attacked by insurgents but had noticed the woman on previous patrols.
Meanwhile, the US Army has reported the deaths of four personnel in the past 24 hours.
A Marine was killed in fighting in the Anbar provice, west of Baghdad today, and three American soldiers died in combat yesterday. One was shot in Mosul, a second killed by a roadside bomb near Balad, 50 miles north of Baghdad, and the third killed by a bomb on foot patrol south of the capital.
The deaths raised to at least 2,533 members of the US military who have died since the Iraq war started in March 2003.
The accusers need to produce a semen-stained dress.
Wait, this isn't the 1990's ?
Never mind............
This reads like a press release by an Iraqi Baathist front group.
The Times felt compelled to add this even though it has 0% bearing on the rest of the article. Actually, I'm suprised that the article doesn't say anything about "Mission Accomplished."
The ABC news radio report said that one of the soldiers went to his commander and reported the incident and his role in it "because his conscience was bothering him."
Now they raped killed and burned her? The BS is getting pretty deep.
If guilty they need to pay the ultimate price. Thoughts on this anyone?
If guilty, yes. And they will, if guilty.
For the time being they are innocent until proven otherwise (except in media accounts of course). No need to start speculating on a punishment.
A very big IF.
The Left continues to employ one of their favorite tactics.
Accuse your opponent constantly of heinous deeds, no matter how absurd or unfounded, using anonymous sources and quoting quotes that can't be sourced yet sound as suspiciously unreliable as urban legends.
Even after each is disproved, a year later you can point a condemning finger at their opponent and say, "they are corrupted. Just look at all they have been accused of..."
This sounds like just another item in a catalog of false accusations.
The expected reaction is guaranteed.
Anyone who believes this story is too stupid to be considered a fully functioning human.
"five soldiers were being investigated for allegedly raping a woman and then murdering her and three members of her family. "
To me five soldiers doing something is just a crime, catch'em, try' em, sentence' em, execute' em, it's all just part of the human condition.
The only crimes that are significant are those that reveal a larger problem reflecting on the military in general.
How many days till a retraction and/or apology?
There is also a rumor that they turned her into a newt.
Like I said it's a very big IF there. I'm doubting the veracity of this story big time. Until I see something different I'm considering this b.s.
If one of them has already confessed, and I know this is hearsay at this point, then it doesn't look good. Anyone guilty of such a thing should pay the ultimate price. It's just that I've gotten suspicious of these types of reports out of Iraq. But the answer to your question is an unqualified--IF found guilty--yes.
There has been an accusation, and confession, by one of the participants. He has been "proven" guilty by his own word.
The others, however, are innocent until proven otherwise.
Look all we know is that he had a role in some sort of attack, admitted dit, and was arrested. The rest is sensationalism at this point.
Yep. And ABC got its info from AP which got it from an anonymous source. This one smells like Haditha.
They so DESPERATELY want to believe this story, they really do.
If the facts be known, the reality is certainly vastly different. But this is rumor and gossip, with no substantial backing for the story.
Very possibly there WAS a rape and multiple murders that took place. But with the known punishment that lies in wait for any US serviceman who DOES undertake a similar act, why would any soldier risk the consequences? More likely, the soldiers walked in immediately after the family members had just received their repayment from the "insurgents", who had fingered this family as the culprits that had reported the presence of these same "insurgents" to the coalition forces.
Except there has been a confession. This incident is different from Haiditha in that respect.
I don't consider it a big if at this time. I'm willing to hear the other side of the story and give them the presumption of innocense.
Maybe they misunderstood an American colloquialism. They may have heard some soldier talking about how he'd like to 'haul that chicks ashes'.
Sex and charred remains in a single sentence! HE CONFESSED!
Look-that's just a bad idea. Soldiers aren't "plaster saints" (as Kipling would say, to be fair he would also say that they "ain't no blackguards too") and they need supervision. If I was the platoon leader or PSG I would never have my troops working without at least a junior NCO in charge-especially outside the FOB.
I slipped on my Mental Hazmat Suit and slid into the Dummies site to see what they thought of this little tidbit. They are all over it, how our butchers have been doing this all along and this is just the tip of the iceberg so to speak. I did find out one interesting thing, supposedly the 2 guys who got kidnapped, tortured and killed were two of the five that did this also, according to their accounts.
look all the terrorists are working together,,,,,the kid from the wast bank was burned also.....It was probaby a sunni shiite thing that really happened and the fact they lie cause their good book tells them to is no comfort to me....The arabs are klling arabs and blameing us.....I really believe that...
Wow. Just read this alleged report..
I love these un-named official sources close to the investigation.
As to the soldier's confession...I'll wait on the veracity of that too...
Exactly.
Oh I jumped the gun,,,,i missed the fact he confessed....So much misinfo i don't kno what to believe anymore....
Raped and burned? The Times omitted pillage? Sounds too fishy to me, will have to wait and see this one out.
That the U.S. gives any credence to these highly questionable accusations against our military in Iraq by the enemy only gives the perpetrators of the accusations clearance to continue and enlarge upon them. A war is being waged, admittedly with one arm behind our backs, in a country we are trying to free from tyranny. Rather than raising their flimsy shields in defense, the terrorists are resorting to an outrageous offense. Our Military should not bear the consequences of these meritless accusations!
(Unfortunately, I fear that the many centuries old animosity between the sects in that country will not be assuaged in any way by our goodwill actions there.)
Please help our incarcerated troops in Camp Pendleton!
Yep. And Time magazine had a "most damning" piece of evidence in their story about Haditha. That they ONLY very recently corrected after the blogosphere interviewed Sifton and jumped down their throat:
By MATTHEW COOPER/WASHINGTON
Posted Friday, May. 26, 2006
In the original version of this story, TIME reported that "one of the most damning pieces of evidence investigators have in their possession, John Sifton of Human Rights Watch told Time’s Tim McGirk, is a photo, taken by a Marine with his cell phone that shows Iraqis kneeling — and thus posing no threat — before they were shot." While Sifton did tell TIME that there was photographic evidence, taken by Marines, he had only heard about the specific content of the photos from reports done by NBC, and had no firsthand knowledge. TIME regrets the error.
Yet, you can continue to believe in the veracity of ABC/AP if you want. I don't.
They tried with the help of the NY TIMES and DBM to make the Haditha story into another My Lai and that didn't work! Since then there have been 3 or 4 new stories about Soldier/Sailor/Marine killing of civilians, in an attempt to keep THIS TYPE OF MY LAI headline on the FRONT PAGES.
I do NOT believe a word of it and the US MILITARY and their gaggle of lawyers should just butt out of this war and take up any case reported AFTER our troops LEAVE IRAQ!!
Then why is there an investigation?
When is this crap going to stop?
Ditto - could be another Jihad Johnny.
IF true, those scumbags have not only committed a crime worthy of hell, they have hurt an entire country. (Note, I capitalized the word 'IF').
Eeek. You are much braver than I.
I did find out one interesting thing, supposedly the 2 guys who got kidnapped, tortured and killed were two of the five that did this also, according to their accounts.
Until I hear that from a reputable source, I am inclined to believe this is "DUmmy fantasy". I imagine they are reveling in this report. They disgust me.
Yes. My thought is that it's open season on the US military in the media. They will print anything as long as it is shames our brave soldiers and marines. Thoughts on THAT anyone?
Exactly...Or maybe a slip up by the reporter, oh! that could never happen could it?
Can't be repeated enough. Excellent Post - Dittos
It's the new terrorist tactic....Convince a family to claim attrocity and the US military takes the entire platoon of combat experienced troops off the battle field. Even if innocent, the troops will no longer reenlist after being smeared and shackled. It's just as effective as killing them with the added bonus of a PR coup.
If it's coming from the AP, my guess is they are incorrect. The AP got it from an anonymous "military" source. You be the judge.
Just like Murtha's anonymous "inside" source that said "killed in cold blood" and "covered up all the way top Gen Pace".
Like I said, you be the judge.
Just like NY Times anonymous source that said the Haditha Marines were not fired on after the IED exploded.
Like I said, you be the judge.
Do you have any recollection of the MSM stories decrying Lt. Patano shooting the poor wounded Iraq "civilian" during the Falluja raid?
"My thought is that it's open season on the US military in the media."
Quite right. The truth will come out. If guilty they will be punished and if innocent they will be vindicated and the media will be shown once again for the deceitful, anti-American scumbags that they are.
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