Posted on 01/20/2012 9:00:14 PM PST by smoothsailing
Neal Puckett and Haytham Faraj
January 20, 2012
Scott Pelley of CBS 60 Minutes, asked just as direct and hard-hitting questions as any government prosecutor in a 2006 interview of SSgt Wuterich. Today in court the prosecution played nearly 3 hours of outtakes where Pelley attempted to get Wuterich to admit his Marines went on a rampage in Haditha Iraq.
The prosecution team hoped to show that Wuterich admitted to shooting 5 military aged men and made irresponsible decisions to declare a house hostile and then prove he did it without clear understanding of the rules of engagement. Instead, those in the court room watched the last Marine take responsibility, correctly define the rules of engagement in force in 2005 and all specific training for the squad as well as identify the truth of what happened that day.
SSgt Wuterich identified that he used 4 main indicators to determine that the men who drove up simultaneously with the IED explosion could have been insurgents. He further explained the incoming small arms fire on the smoldering remains of the 4th Humvee as emanating from a house south of the explosion site. With careful detailed descriptions, Wuterich told Scott Pelley how he positively identified the house, which may have harbored insurgents and how his squad cleared that house and a second one right behind it.
In the entire 3 hours, Wuterich never once blamed the Marine Corps, his squad, his commanders or the intelligence briefs given to his squad that day. He calmly explained combat and the results of engagements. Throughout it all, Wuterich took responsibility as the senior person in the squad. He came across as truthful, forthright and humane. His testimony was in stark contrast to Sgt Mendoza. Mendoza gave rambling, contradictory testimony and at times admitted to lying to investigators. Nevertheless, Sgt Mendoza has been awarded a combat action ribbon and been promoted three times since the events at Haditha. SSgt Wuterich has yet to be awarded his combat action ribbon for the same day in combat.
It;s very pretty looking. Of course, it’s in the 20’s with snow and ice here in PA, so palm trees are easy to look at! :)
smoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooth <3
Marine Survivor of Haditha IED Attack
By the way, there seems to be some confusion about the name of the third Marine who was in that humvee. Is it "Guzman" or "Rodriquez"? The photo gallery below identifies the Marine as "Rodriquez", but other stories and references identify the Marine as "Guzman".
That King5 reporter, Deborah Feldman did a great job of slanting the info in the interview to satisfy the leftists in the Seattle area. Sounds like she’d just seen some clips of John Murtha shooting his mouth off about the cold blooded killers.
BTW, it looks like Debbie still works for King5 in liberal land.
LCpl Terrazas was in the same Humvee with LCpls Guzman and Crossan. All three were casualties.
Rodriguez wasn't wounded that day: he was in the Humvee with Cpl Salinas and LCpl Sharratt.
Thanks again. I'll make the correction.
I know I will stay there the next time I seek accommodations in Oceanside! And it’s just 15 minutes from the gate at Pendleton and a Taco Bell is even closer!
Oh, and I think Guzman may have been a PFC, not a Lance, at the time of the ambush.
LCPL Tatum, in his statement to NCIS agent Marshall, March 18, 2006, refers to
“the fourth HMMWV (highback) had LCPL TERRAZAS as the driver, LCPL CROSSON as the A-Driver, and LCPL Guzman as the gunner.”
http://warchronicle.com/DefendOurMarines/Documents/LCplTatumNCIS.pdf
Thanks to the magic of the Internet, the photo has been corrected (thanks again Lancey!).
I found one source (the one that smooth cites) that has Guzman as a LCpl and two that had him as a PFC. So I went with PFC.
Ha! Sometimes it’s as good as it gets.
I meant the photo you posted on FR is now correct on FR, in case that wasn’t clear!
Yes, I noticed that. Good work.
Thanks!
FRegards,
LH
Big developments, story soon.
It’s over.
The general court martial of SSgt Frank D. Wuterich ended Monday morning with a plea deal.
Military Judge Lt. Col. David Jones told the court that the 31 year old father of 3 has agreed to accept a prosecution negotiated agreement to a guilty plea of negligent dereliction of duty.
More soon...
I’m saddened by it, but I’m not in his shoes.
I wonder which area Wuterich is accepting that he negligently did not do his duty: white car, houses, rooms, all of it, some of it???
I hope it’s to something that carries no penalty.
I would have let my attorneys present their case.
I’m saddened also but as you say, we’re not in his shoes. I fully support his decision and hope for a just sentence with no confinement.
According to NC Times:
“Negligent dereliction of duty is a misdemeanor punishable by a maximum of 90 days in custody and a reduction or forfeiture of pay. It was not immediately known when a sentencing decision would be announced.”
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