"Maybe War Should Be on Trial": SSgt Wuterich Court Martial, Day Six

Defend Our Marines ^ | January 12, 2012 | Nathaniel R. Helms

[RedRover]

For the latest news on the trial of SSgt Wuterich, go to the master thread here.

The commanding officer on the scene that morning in Haditha, Lt William Kallop, testifies this morning.

[RedRover]

.HADITHA MARINE PING!

[Venturer]

It’s funny, you call in an air strike and everyone dies, but no one holds the pilot responsible.

You send in Marines and a civilian dies and they all want to hang the marine.

These men should be given an apology for this travesty of a trial and sent home.

[smoothsailing]

Everything Nat writes is worth reading, but I think this is his best piece since the trial started.

[DeaconRed]

"These men should be given an apology for this travesty of a trial and sent home."

We are on the same page.

[stuartcr]

The act of taking lives is relative. Since we all know that a bomb doesn’t make decisions, we can justify it by calling it acceptable collateral damage.

Apparently, that doesn’t apply to infantry.

[stylin19a]

...House Two where eight more innocents died.

Isn't that still in dispute ?...

[Flintlock]

Not enough for me.
They have to go up the chain of command, grab every little chickenshit brass who approved this nonsense—ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP—and bust ‘em back to the ‘back sink’.

[SeaHawkFan]

Several dozen fruitless questions later Sullivan asked Salinas what he would do different if he could.

“I would have called in an airstrike,” Salinas replied.

What little chance the prosecution had of getting a conviction vanished with this question and answer.

[bksanders]

Not when you has traitors (Murtha, a congressman, a decorated Marine himself) and complicit allies (BBC) in the global media on the attack.

Shot dead, in cold blood…
American military officials are admitting, off the record, to the execution style killings…
…bodies bent over, shot dead as if in prayer…

Has the Michael Slut Moore movie been released?
Someone here earlier said, 'no more wars over two days…'
I couldn't agree more. If an enemy screams for our Marines, wipe their carcasses and move on.

[Girlene]

Excellent overview by Nat Helms. So, the jurors have photos of all the victims in their notebooks? How normal is that, I wonder?

This seems pretty prejudicial to me. The jurors are being forced to look at the photos constantly vs. the photos being a part of the body of evidence that can be reviewed if needed. I guess the prosecution believes their case is so weak, they are relying on the horror frozen in time in 2D to influence these men. These pictures would have been just as horrifying (maybe more so), had an airstrike been called in as Salinas suggested.......but noone would be on trial.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

War, the military, and our American way of life is on trial here. That's the only reason. Since there has been no My Lai since Vietnam the left had to make one.

I would also like to see all politicians who overrode reality and used their influence so that this transvestite of justice would go forward be prevented from ever doing it again but I know that's never going to happen. They need to get back to their unicorn worshiping butt sniffer world and let the adults do their job.

[RedRover]

I think so, too—and so does Nat!

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

An airstrike would have just left a pile of rubble and a greasy spot. Pics would have useless to the prosecution.

[Pentagon Leatherneck]

The military jury comprises combat-veteran Marines senior to the defendant. I do not think pictures of combat casualties will shock them.

TC

[RedRover]

The deaths aren’t in dispute. One could argue that these eight weren’t necessarily entirely innocent. But the defense isn’t making that case.

What’s likely is that the insurgents fled from house to house, leaving civilians behind to take the response to their attack. Of course, the Marines had no way of knowing that at the time. The insurgents could have made a stand in either house.

[Girlene]

The military jury comprises combat-veteran Marines senior to the defendant. I do not think pictures of combat casualties will shock them.

Maybe, maybe not. I don't know.

Col. Watt, who was in charge of the intial investgiation in February, 2006, testified this week that he would have changed his mind about this being a legal combat situation had he seen the photos. Now personally, I think Col. Watt is trying to cover his rear end/reputation at this point, but he said these photos would have caused him to call this a criminal action. post 155

[taxcontrol]

Many times the brass assumes that the Infantryman can see his target and thus should be able to make the judgement call. However, that is often not the case.

Alot of times there is blind fire and supressive fire designed to keep their heads down. You are engaging an area not a person. Secondly, there are a lot of different weapons available. Grenades tossed into a room prior to entry. Mortar, artillery and air strikes called in are area effect weapons.

However, the brass does not take this into account. But I agree with the Cpl on this one, should have called in an airstrike.

[SparkyBass]

"Vhy yes, vhy did I not tink of dis! Put VAR on trial und make it illegal!"

[Girlene]

Interesting twist to this whole story with Salinas claiming to be in charge that day. Puckett and Faraj

A former Corporal took the stand today insisting he was the Squad Leader, taking over those duties from the Sgt Wuterich that day because Sgt Wuterich was selected for promotion and was to be transferred soon. Others testified that normally, the Squad Leader is the Assistant Driver in a Vehicle with the hardwired radio. The former Cpl was in that position on November 19, 2005 and unequivocally stated he was the Squad Leader, and Sgt Wuterich was along on the patrol acting only as a driver.

According to this source, Wuterich Squad Mate Maintains He Was in Charge of Haditha Convoy

Salias' testimony raises questions about who was in charge that day and whether Wuterich can be found guilty of dereliction of duty.

Interesting.