[NutmegDevil]

Actually, I've been in a couple of wars.

The NBC newsman, I'm guessing, has not been trained for warfighting. His position is from a civilian seeing what he perceived as a needless brutality. He most likely was mistaken, but his allegation has to be thoroughly reviewed.

Not unlike LT(jg) Kerry having seen atrocities (as if that's true) while in Viet Nam and not reporting them immediately. We ain't the badguys! The newsman was not wrong IMHO to report the incident. Likely misguided - much out of his element - but not wrong.

[faithincowboys]

He shouldn't have reported it... PERIOD!!

Even if I saw what I thought was a war crime perpetrated ON a WAR CRIMINAL, I would have taken it to my bunk and lumped it. I would have lived with it and not teared down the brave marines putting their lives on the line.

[WifeMotherDaughterSister]

I am believing that the young marine believed fully that the "insurgents" were all confirmed dead. Logically that was the only reason they would have been left unguarded. When he saw one of the confirmed dead move, he believed the mover had been faking being dead and was going to do the marines (or the embedded photog) immediate severe, lethal harm. That's the way I saw it.

I think that if the above post and the one that I am responding to would be reread your position on it would be pretty crystal clear. Seems the best route our embeds could take, and considerably more loyal to our country and our military would have been if the reporter had only reported the incident to those INSIDE the military first. HE held responsibility to do that and IMO, only that, until the investigation was complete or he was given MILITARY clearance (some freedom of movement and that means the movement of information must inherently be restricted during times of war).

While the reporter may not have been wrong (no one really knows unless you were in that room) he handled it atrociously and opportunistically. He did harm, to our country and military and created needless work for those fighting on the morale front who are trying to make sure that those men and women know that they are honored, respected and trusted.

It's not necessary for you, NutmegDevil, to talk about which wars you've been in before I can see the reason behind your statements, I just wanted to thank you for the part that you did in keeping our country and way of life safe. :)