Posted on 07/01/2006 7:27:59 AM PDT by SandRat
WASHINGTON, June 30, 2006 – The Army's Criminal Investigation Command is looking into allegations that coalition soldiers killed an Iraqi family of four in their home near Mahmudiyah, Iraq, military officials here announced today. A written statement issued by Multinational Division Baghdad said U.S. Army Maj. Gen. James D. Thurman, the division's commanding general, requested a criminal probe into the allegations after the division's own preliminary investigation found sufficient information existed to recommend a criminal investigation.
The incident that led to the allegations reportedly occurred in March, but the military's written statement did not provide a time frame. The statement said two soldiers on June 23 reported alleged coalition force involvement in the family's deaths. The criminal investigation began the next day, and is ongoing, officials said.
Officials did not provide the identity or nationality of the accused soldiers or those who came forward with the allegations. A command spokesman told American Forces Press Service he was not yet releasing any information beyond that contained in today's written statement.
(Based on a Multinational Division Baghdad news release.)
Once more the sad saga begins of nedia conviction, investigation, media rage, Art. 32 proceedings, media leftist glee, Art. 32 recommendations of dismissal of all charges, media and lefist abject outrage.
My bet is that after the military sticks it's political finger into the air to see which way the wind is blowing, their investigation will determine that the Iraqis are dead and American troops drove through the town that day.
Sorry for shouting. :)
It is important to know exactly what the composition of this so-called "Multinational Division" is......the following (snipped) statement regarding composition is dated March 31, this year - the end of the month the article above claims this incident occurred.....my own opinion is that the press knows that American GI's are not the perpetrators, considering how little is being said about it....
" General: Baghdad Division Curbing Violence as Government Forms
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
In-Depth Coverage WASHINGTON, March 31, 2006 – The beefed-up force in and around Baghdad is helping curb violence and likely will stay at current levels as Iraq's new unity government forms, the force's commander told Pentagon reporters today.
Army Maj. Gen. James Thurman said Multinational Division Baghdad, with about 32,000 Iraqi security forces and just over 29,000 U.S., Georgian, Macedonian and Estonian troops, is likely to keep its current strength until the government becomes operational. "I see that as being a critical piece in getting the overall rule of law of law established in all of Iraq," and specifically, Baghdad, he told reporters in a video teleconference from Iraq" snip
http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/iraq/2006/03/iraq-060331-afps01.htm
After Haditha, terrorists and terrorist sympathizers know how to get the West all riled up -- report an alleged atrocity, get a "witness" to spin a tale, and the media will pick it up and run with it for you.
It's become a tactic, and I now look dubiously at all these stories.
Punish the wrongdoers and get on with it!
Amen!
This accusation is about as far fetched as a story can get. To believe this one, you would have to believe that five mad men just happened to be assigned to the same fire team, in the same squad, in the same platoon, in the same company, in the same battalion in the 502 Regiment. You would have to believe that they left their unit one night and went to Mahmudiyah, a town that is a hot bed of Sunni insurgents where Americans never travel in less than Company strength, committed an unbelievably horrendous crime and left without being taken under fire by the insurgents.
If you can believe that scenario, you gotta be a Democrat (the political party of the feeble minded).
IMHO, it is just as inadvisable to say, at this point in time, that there is absolutely no possibility that these allegations as true as it is to say with metaphysical certitude that they are true and start coiling nooses. A very active investigation process appears to be under way. The truth will come out. Whatever that truth may be, The Duke had it right ... let's move forward from it and get on with the mission.
Soldiers perform thousands of acts of kindness and heroism daily.
To make this 'accusation' a headline is a disgrace.
To acknowledge it would also require one to not only believe the congenital liars in the press but would also require one to have serve selective amnesia when it comes to stories like this.
The AP is not worthy of an "If this is true". They lie way too much.
I believe you just had a dusty moment.
What wrongdoers? Not proved yet. I would like to know who the witnesses are?
I repeat. The AP is not worthy of an "If this is true". They lie way too much.
Excellent points.
That's not my line, that's from The Duke in an earlier post, I put it in italics to signal that I was quoting him. My response to The Duke was "Amen," the reason I said that being that even if, and that's a gigantic IF, this accusation should be proven to be true, it should in no way halt or hinder our mission in Iraq.
It's the terrorists in Iraq playing to the whining and complaining of the left in America - "bring the troops home now" crowd.
It's so obvious to me .. all of a sudden we have all these accusations against our troops .. it's just too coincidental for me. I believe this whole scheme is to promote outrage against our troops and FORCE America to withdraw.
We must not allow that to happen.
I respect your right to hold this opinion. I would love to see these accusations proven completely and totally wrong. There is an ongoing investigation and the truth will come out. I will repeat my .02 on this situation. If these accusations are proven to be accurate, those involved should be punished to the fullest extent of military law and justice. If they are proven to be inaccurate, these men should be returned to their jobs and we should hammer the people who tried to make a mountain out of a molehill as hard as we can for as long as we have breath. But EITHER WAY, we move forward with the mission in Iraq.
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