Lessons from Haditha's Quiet Denouement

American Thinker ^ | January 30, 2012 | Jonathan F. Keiler

[jazusamo]

Six years ago, in Haditha, Iraq, in the wake of a deadly insurgent attack on their convoy, a Marine quick reaction force raided several houses from which they were taking fire. At the conclusion of the action it became clear that a number of Iraqi civilians had been killed, which was duly reported up the Marine Corps chain of command. The command determined that while the deaths were unfortunate, the engaged Marines had not violated the laws of war.

Then, early in 2006, a reporter from Time Magazine got wind of the incident, and all hell broke loose. An Army report condemned the Marines, Democrat Congressman John Murtha announced that Marines had killed Iraqi civilians in "cold blood," and the press in general had a field day. Under this new assault, the Marine Corps changed its tune and preferred court-martial charges against eight Marines, from enlisted men to battalion commander. These unfortunate men were accused of everything from obstruction of justice to murder.

Over the next two years the Haditha cases fell apart. One after another, the eight accused Marines were exonerated in Article 32 hearings, saw charges dropped in return for immunity, or were acquitted at trial. By 2008, only a single remaining Marine, Staff Sergeant Frank Wuterich, stood accused of unpremeditated murder in the case. His case lingered until last week, when it too died with a whimper. Wuterich pled guilty to a much-reduced charge of dereliction of duty. What did the military justice system finally determine was Wuterich's crime? He told his men to "shoot first and ask questions later." After all, his men were Marines, not policemen.

Wuterich received no jail time and no loss of pay,

[jazusamo]

Well said by Jonathan Keiler.

[jazusamo]

.

HADITHA MARINE PING!.

Link to master thread: The Haditha Marines-The Squad Leader-A Final Chapter

[Roccus]

Then, early in 2006, a reporter from Time Magazine got wind of the incident, and all hell broke loose.

IIRC, this vermin got e-mails about the incident.....FROM INSURGENTS!!!

[jazusamo]

Exactly...It was Tim McGirk and they were insurgents posing as human rights workers.

[Tenacious 1]

Semper Fi, Marine.

There is a fog of war and tactical fire fight rules of engagement tend to find the circular file when bullets are flying at you. Shoot those you think are shooting at you.

There is a VERY good chance that “innocent” Somalis were killed in the “Blackhawk Down” event. American slaughtered hundreds (probably thousands) in a desperate fight for survival. “The whole city was attacking them.” Helos were clearing roof tops with 50 cal gun fire and strafing crowds of attacking Somalis. Snipers were, in one case, sometimes killing two per shot as he heroically tried to slow a rushing tide of Somalis advancing on his position. It was said, there were more Somalis attacking than there were guns for them to use. It can be inferred that some “unarmed” Somalis were killed by American fire.

What's the point?

War is messy. Sometimes our sympathetic rules of engagement come at the sacrifice of American lives. If this marine gave orders to protect the lives of his men, which I absolutely believe, and some bureaucrat wants to armchair referee the event in hind sight, then a demerit to the marine will be worth any American lives saved.

I compassionately regret the loss of innocent lives but understand the circumstances and accept the outcome, objectively absolving our troops of fault.

[GeronL]

bump

[jazusamo]

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[jazusamo]

bttt

[a fool in paradise]

Time Magazine had an Australian journalista embedded with the “inurgents” of Al Qaida. I suspect that the media had a collective panty wad about wiretapping terrorist phone calls that connected to the United States because the newsrooms didn’t want their researchers being brought up on charges of espionage and treason.

Frontline had an episode that interviewed the above journalist.

Additionally, Peter Jennings and some journalist (Mike Wallace?) discussed how they would NOT notify US troops of an impending attack if they got word of it in advance.

The US media (with Canadian citizens like Petah at the anchor chair) was decidedly anti-American.

Neutrality my rump.

[Marine_Uncle]

"He told his men to "shoot first and ask questions later." After all, his men were Marines, not policemen."

To this day, I at times get mental images of what my nephew must have had to go through, while running for his life during mortar attacks upon the Fallujah MEK operating base in 2004, when he was spared but his Marine Sarg was blown into pieces perhaps twenty yards from him, as well as attacks not unlike what we read happened in Haditha while my nephew was on patrols in places just south of Baghdad, like Al-Mamudiya and Latifa some twelve clicks south of the capital, and recon patrols he participated in other enemy strong holds around the capital area.
I guess the images of some terrible things our Marines and soldiers have had to do, just in the Iraq and Afghan operations will stay alive in my mind. God bless all that serve in service of their country within the military.
As President Bush stated. They are among our finest Americans.

[Roccus]

Additionally, Peter Jennings and some journalist (Mike Wallace?) discussed how they would NOT notify US troops of an impending attack if they got word of it in advance.

YUP!
IIRC, that was on one of Fred Friendly's panel shows on PBS

[jazusamo]

Amen!

[smoothsailing]

Almost certainly soldiers and Marines have died or been unnecessarily maimed due to adherence to complex and unrealistic rules of engagement.

And good men will continue to die as long as bottomfeeding vile scum like Tim McGirk can influence our handwringing candyass military leadership.

[jazusamo]

Correct, and I’m sure more than a few have died and been maimed due to the pathetic ROE in Iraq and Afghanistan.

[smoothsailing]

Then, early in 2006, a reporter from Time Magazine got wind of the incident, and all hell broke loose. An Army report condemned the Marines, Democrat Congressman John Murtha announced that Marines had killed Iraqi civilians in "cold blood," and the press in general had a field day.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

[jazusamo]

Thanks, Smooth.

Hopefully all will sign petition and contact Mabus’ office, no Navy ship deserves Murtha’s name on it.

[Lancey Howard]

Fortunately, competent journalists and writers like Keller far outnumber incompetent assclowns like McGirk. Un fortunately, cowards at the Pentagon outnumber the cockroaches in a crack house kitchen.

[Gene Eric]

>> Six years ago, in Haditha, Iraq, in the wake of a deadly insurgent attack on their convoy, a Marine quick reaction force raided several houses ...

Not the way Mark Walker would word it. He typically stops short of naming each, unfortunate casualty.

What's most troubling about Walker's framing is the lack of upfront context that would otherwise support accidental death instead of the wanton murder scenario painted by the jackasses that are indifferent to the facts of that tragic day.

[Gene Eric]

Yeah, include McJerk in my post #18.

[jazusamo]

It’s great for a change to read an article by an author that presents it unbiased. Not only that but this gentleman was an Army JAG himself and can talk with authority on the JAG Corps of past and present.