Pantano's own story

Washington Times ^ | 6-9-06 | Bill Gertz and Rowan Scarborough

[JZelle]

Readers of this column are familiar with the inspiring story of Ilario Pantano. The New Yorker rejoined the Marine Corps to defend his nation after the September 11 attacks. He eventually found himself in dangerous Anbar province, Iraq, in winter 2004, leading his platoon in do-or-die counterinsurgency missions. One April evening, he fatally shot two insurgents. Rather than a pat on the back, Mr. Pantano found himself charged with murder by the Corps. Last year, he sat in a Camp Lejeune, N.C., courtroom fighting for his good name — and his freedom. On Monday, Mr. Pantano will tell his own story in "Warlord: No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy," a book that tells his life story and how he beat the Marine Corps case. "I think it is an honest and unapologetic description of the warrior spirit and is really a tome to the Marine Corps values of honor, courage and commitment," he told us. Mr. Pantano said he is not vindictive, neither against the Corps nor against the enlisted man who falsely accused him. Noted military defense attorney Charles Gittins eviscerated the prosecution's key witness. Using extensive hearing transcripts, "Warlord" shows how he did it. Mr. Pantano, who received Islamic deaths threats via a Pakistani Web site, kicks off the book tour with an appearance Monday on the "Today" show. That night, he'll appear on Fox News Channel's "Hannity and Colmes." Warlord was the nickname of Mr. Pantano's battalion; "No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy" was the slogan of the 1st Marine Division commander as his unit marched to Baghdad. A book excerpt: "I found it weird how Europeans always sought to criticize us.

[JZelle]

Loved the last part. LOL!

[Argus]

bump

[geezerwheezer]

Thank God we have guys like Mr. Pantano fighting for our side over there. He is what our country is all about, and I'm madder than hell this man was railroaded by the lies of another soldier. I hope he sells tons of books and makes a ton of bucks as he is owed a lot by all of us. I feel the same thing may be going on with the Marines in Hadafia, and the Corps will go after them based on more lies. What the hell is going on with them, anyway?

[JZelle]

I believe Pantano was the guy who gave up a six figure job in New York so he could serve. He then gets treated like this. I'm glad it worked out for him. Did they ever say what motivated the other guy to lie about Pantano?

[gramho12]

I just ordered this today - I read about initially on Michelle Malkin's website. I want to read it, then I plan on donating it to the soldier's in Iraq, along with Ann Coulter's newest.

[definitelynotaliberal]

Fortunately, there's something that we all can do. We can't all measure up to the heroism, courage, skill and patriotism of those like Mr. Pantano (and God does indeed bless America if we can count those like Ilario Pantano and Pat Tillman our own), but there is that little, very little something that we all can do.

[bnelson44]

ILARIO PANTANO'S MISSION

By Michelle Malkin  

***update: Ilario on the Today Show***

 

I couldn't put down 2nd Lt. Ilario Pantano's new book, Warlord. Put it at the top of your summer reading list. Send a copy to your local troops-bashing columnist or cartoonist. The writing is riveting. The timing fortuitous. The message timeless. Pantano has give us more than just a war story. This is an American story.

Blog readers will be familiar with the basic true-life military and courtroom drama that Pantano endured last year. Last spring, Pantano was fighting for his life—charged by the U.S. military with premeditated murder in the deaths of two Iraqi insurgents. The Marine sniper who enlisted at 17, served in Desert Storm, and rejoined the military after 9/11 at 31 faced the death penalty for defending himself and his men in the heat of battle. He was accused then, as Marines are being accused now, of wantonly executing Iraqis to send a message.

Lt. Pantano and his family fought back. He was exonerated. But not, however, without deep personal costs. After going through hell, he resigned from the Marines. He and his family faced jihadi death threats—including some posted on a website traced to Pakistan showing Lt. Pantano beheaded. Retired Marines set up a security watch to stand guard around his home.

In a passage that reminds me of the Times of London/Chicago Sun-Times Haditha photo debacle, Pantano recounted how Al-Jazeera ran his story "with a bogus picture of two blindfolded detainees and a caption suggesting that I had shot two bound and blindfolded men."

Because the press and propagandists spread his photos and smeared his name far and wide, he is forced to this day to take extraordinary precautions to protect his lovely wife and two children.

Milbloggers countered the rush to judgment about Pantano. Euphoric Reality helped expose Pantano's chief accuser--an unhinged, disgruntled sergeant who trolled on milblogs badmouthing Pantano and posting information that conflicted with his acccounts to naval investigators. The revelations helped sink the prosecution's case. Euphoric Reality has an audio interview with Pantano up today here.

I was honored to meet Pantano (and his wife, Jill) last week. Our segment with him is now available for viewing at Hot Air.

In a striking twist of fate, Pantano's book comes at a time when his experience, his perspective, and his abiding faith in the Marines and our country are all needed now more than ever.

His mission: Defend the Defenders who volunteer to put themselves in harm's way for their countrymen.

Your mission: Make this book a best-seller.

Spread the word.

http://michellemalkin.com/archives/005371.htm

 

[bnelson44]

[SandRat]

Lt Pantano USMC

[Marine_Uncle]

My nephew Steven was a Lance Corporal while serving in 2/2 (2nd Battalion 2 Marine Regiment), the Warlords, stationed at Mahmudiya (triangle of death area) and Camp MEK (Fallujah) during the time this Marine Lt. had the misfortune of killing those two goons that ran from the car, south of Mahmudiya.
I never asked Steve if he might have gone on any patrols that this Lt went on. Being in G2, he often went on recon type patrols as well as some for damage assesment, and patrols that simply went to a spot and sat for a few days, in old factory sites, towns and villages within their AOR.

[bnelson44]

Give your nephew our best. This Lt has been through a lot but seems to be standing up well.

[Marine_Uncle]

"Give your nephew our best. This Lt has been through a lot but seems to be standing up well."
And likewise to your son. They serve with honor.
Lt. Pantano surely has gone through a lot. But he survived it, like a good Marine. Unlike another Marine that also was in the Warlords while deployed at that time, who let us just say jumped ship as we remember and attempted to high tail it out of Iraq to meet his wife in Lebanon. 2/2 beat their brains out trying to find that Marine fearing AQ might have grabed him when he reportedly had left Camp MEK just prior to the first Fallujah campaign. This Marine as far as I know is sitting in a brig to this day in Charlestown S.C. awaiting charges of awol. What a contrast. One a all American boy, the other a Arab immigrant. Honor apparantly takes on a different form of meaning in these two cases.

[bnelson44]

or fear, or stupidity.

Thanks for the good thoughts about my son. He helped to make history last week and is flying high right now. I don't blaim him one bit.

[Just A Nobody]

Loved the last part.

Awesome!! Everything the "left" despises ranked very high! Life is good! ;*)

[neutronsgalore]

Any chance they'll ever make a Zippo version of the Abrams? Or would that be too politically incorrect? Think your son would find such a vehicle useful?

[bnelson44]

Right now he is riding around in an armord HMMWV most of the time.

I am not sure a flame thrower is needed in Iraq. Flame throwers are best against enemy dug into hillsides or in caves. In Iraq they go against people in buildings. There is ammunition now that is designed for such inner-city action:

http://www.military.com/soldiertech/0,14632,Soldiertech_120mm,,00.html

[neutronsgalore]

"Right now he is riding around in an armord HMMWV most of the time."

Ouch. That sends a chill up my spine.

"Flame throwers are best against enemy dug into hillsides or in caves."

I was thinking about possible future battles like the Najaf cemetary battle. But I can see it not being useful in a city battle.

I like that replacement round for the HEP, but I wonder if a 120mm version of the 105mm flechette would've been cheaper than the tungsten shotgun round and just as effective. If not more effective.

[freema]

Ping

[freema]

BUMP!