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Excerpt - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The head of the U.S. Marine Corps briefed Rep. John Murtha on the Haditha case after the vocal war critic publicly said Marines had killed innocent civilians in that Iraqi city, the Corps said on Thursday. A group of Marines, while suspected in the killing of 24 Iraqi civilians, has not been charged, and official results from the military's investigation remain outstanding. A U.S. defense official said on Wednesday, however that evidence indicates Marines deliberately shot to death unarmed civilians. Murtha, a Pennsylvania Democrat, is being sued by one of the accused Marines for libel....

The barons of bombast allowed President George W. Bush a few minutes of air-time to commend our troops and note that they had administered "a severe blow to Al Qaeda." Then it was business as usual, bashing the administration, trashing our troops, and making sure that the words "Haditha" and "atrocity" are firmly branded in the minds of everyone with access to American media. article in full here ==================================================================== Islamist: *Me Lie* about Haditha. Your Media laps it up The story of Haditha puts national security -- the GOP's forte -- back on the front burner. Which means it's probably...

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- As the military investigates two reports of Marines in Iraq allegedly killing innocent civilians, Gen. Michael Hagee, commandant of the Marine Corps, left for Iraq on Thursday to talk about use of force. According to a statement released by the Marine Corps, Hagee is expected to address the core values of honor, courage and commitment, and "the risk of becoming indifferent to the loss of a human life." "We do not employ force just for the sake of employing force. We use lethal force only when justified, proportional and, most importantly, lawful," Hagee will tell the Marines,...

From future troop rotations to new weaponry, Marines got their chance to ask any and every question to the Commandant and Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps during their recent visit to Iraq. In a series of town hall meetings at Marine bases throughout Iraq, General Michael W. Hagee and Sgt. Maj. of the Marine Corps John L. Estrada, candidly addressed many issues affecting Marines. Troop rotations During a visit here July 19, 2004, the 33rd Commandant of the Marine Corps told Marines and sailors that the Camp Lejeune, N.C.,-based II Marine Expeditionary Force will relieve the I MEF, based...

Marine Corps Commandant Tells Stories of Respect, Heroism By Rudi WilliamsAmerican Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, June 24, 2004 – There was such a hush in the hotel ballroom that one could hear a pin drop in a haystack as Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Michael W. Hagee told short stories of how Marines are respected around the world and of three heroes from the battlefields of Iraq. Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Michael W. Hagee told stories of worldwide respect for Marines and of heroism on the battlefields of Iraq to attendees at the Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation's 10th Annual...