Stone tells Haditha hearing officer he did his best

North County Times ^ | May 15, 2007 | MARK WALKER

[RedRover]

Bet he comes from a long line of von Dickheads.

Notice he says that witnesses got immunity to testify against Capt. Stone. Same old misreporting. Maj. Hyatt and Capt. Dinsmore (among others) did not testify against Capt. Stone.

[Girlene]

And this from the article, In fact, the seven-day hearing opened a rare public window onto a debate about how the Marine Corps is fighting in Iraq against a ruthless insurgency that uses civilians as cover and disregards the laws of conflict taught in the United States.

What are the laws of conflict being taught in the US? When did we stop calling it WAR? I can guarantee the terrorists/insurgents think of it as War, not a "conflict". They are playing for keeps, not worrying if it was a "fair" fight. Of course the Iraqis don't want needless civilian deaths, but more importantly, they want security. Until lawless/insurgent filled towns like Haditha are secured, there will be no progress toward democracy in those areas.

[RedRover]

Just received an e-mail from a retired Marine buddy who writes in response to the last day of testimony...

It will be interesting to follow the outcome of this hearing, especially after the Battalion XO testified that Captain Stone was "an able and competent officer, who had been instructed to rely on higher-level legal affairs officers to determine when investigations were necessary."

This would throw it right back in Major Connelly's lap. He was the Regimental Legal Officer. If Captain Stone is found to be derelict in the proper performance of his duties, then Major Connelly is equally derelict and on up the chain of command of the JAG officers involved. They are all supposedly bright, intelligent well educated folks. From what I can observe, they have no common sense.

[Girlene]

From what I can observe, they have no common sense.

Absolutely. Some of the most brilliant people have no common sense. How these charges got handed out makes NO sense.

[trooprally]

ping

[freema]

Very interesting. Red’s Post #57 and Girlene’s Post #60

[Mr. Jazzy]

Any kin of the VonButtheads?

[freema]

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/05/17/ap3734221.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/17/AR2007051701640.html

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/politics/wire/sns-ap-marines-ethics,1,2232218.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines

http://www.bellinghamherald.com/354/story/81110.html

http://www.philly.com/philly/wires/ap/news/nation_world/7560897.html

Associated Press
Commandant: Marines Must Focus on Values
By LOLITA C. BALDOR 05.17.07, 5:58 PM ET
___________________________________________________________

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-force17may17,1,1497323.story?coll=la-headlines-world

General urges Marines to add a friendly wave to their arsenal
When U.S. troops show anger toward Iraqi civilians, it’s a victory for Al Qaeda, the commander says.
By Tony Perry, Times Staff Writer
May 17, 2007

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-force17may17,1,1497323.story?coll=la-headlines-world

[freema]

MUST READ

http://www.montereycountyweekly.com/issues/Issue.05-17-2007/cover/Article.cover_story

[Marine_Uncle]

Thanks. Main thing is for the captain to be exonerated from any wrong doing, and a precedence set for freeing the rest of them from any charges or court martial trials. Let the pencil pushers debat all they want. Perhaps they should carefully re-examine the little girl that stayed home from school, and with her hands on ears waited to hear a big boom, knowing Marines would get killed. These people where not innocent standbyers. Perhaps they where forced into a bad situation, but the fact remains small arms fire came from the houses, shortly after they bastards blew up our guys.
And if the five clowns raced to the burning HUMVEE only to gloat, then so be it. They had no brains.

[jazusamo]

Thanks for the ping, Ma, good read. I’m glad Jimenez is getting help.

[Girlene]

Thanks for the references, freema. We owe so much to these young guys who just "do what they do" when asked.

Jimenez takes off his black T-shirt and lays it face down on the dining room table. Under the heading “Freedom’s Sacrifice” are the names of 33 Marines, all of them from his regiment, many of them his friends, and all of them dead.

So Major McCann, if noone else is going to ask, I will. "How many Marine deaths would it take to justify unintentional civlian deaths? What's an American Marine's life worth to you? Should it be a ratio of one-to-one, two-to-one? What seems fair, Maj. McCann?"

Thankyou, Lance Cpl. Adrian Jimenez, for doing what was asked of you. I appreciate your sacrifice.

[freema]

I hope for a response to your question from Major McCann, soon, Girlene. It would be only fair if he would be required to make that response while under fire, in a split second.

[peod]

This has been my sticking point from day one. I saw the interview. The girl knew the blast was coming. If she knew, others in her home and probably surrounding homes most likely knew it too....the insurgents were working among them....THAT interview vanished quickly!

[Marine_Uncle]

Right on. The little girl's testimony should have been sufficent to cancel any further hearings. This whole charade was carried out for political correctness. Sort of appease the then wailing Maliki and crew.
Now. Maliki could give a rat's *ss less if the anything further comes out of it. He has a country to run, and he damn well knows how these people (Iraqi) live and operate.