Marine accused of killing Iraqi soldier: Attacker says he saw possible enemy link

San Jose Mercury News / Los Angeles Times ^ | September 4, 2007 | Tony Perry

[RedRover]

Same crap, different case.

NCIS was also totally uninterested in investigating the Iraqis who lost a firefight with LCpl Sharratt and SSgt Wuterich. Had NCIS done so, we would have positively identified insurgents among the dead in Haditha.

[lilycicero]

So can you put up with more teasing until Dec?

[LiberalBassTurds]

Marked for future reference.

LBT
.....

[RedRover]

A well-disciplined Marine, and a slovenly Iraqi, should never be on guard duty together. It’s a recipe for disaster.

Putting the best possible face on this, the Marine was trying to bring discipline to the OP, they fought and the Iraqi died in the fight.

Worst case, the Iraqi was an insurgent.

Court martialling the Marine seems insane in either case.

[Ben Chad]

Makes you want to throw up your hands and say bring the boys home.

[Girlene]

Tease away, lily!

A message from the family at the defense fund site helpdefenddelano Delano remains in the brig at Camp Pendleton awaiting his Court Martial. Your prayers are most important to Del. This website contains information on some other ways you may be able to help Del. As we work hard to clear Del and bring him home, we also continue to pray for other American soldiers who are facing similar legal battles. We also pray for those who are still overseas fighting in this war and for the families who have lost loved ones!

Sincerely,Delano's family

Red, the family is also asking for letters to the convening authority, Lt. Gen. Mattis, along with letters to their son. Can this info be posted here?

[Girlene]

Makes you want to throw up your hands and say bring the boys home.

Sometimes I wonder if this is the whole point of some of these prosecutions.

[lilycicero]

Why are you always asking him for permission? Own it girl, do what you want and when you want.

[Chickenhawk Warmonger]

Girlene - you hit the proverbial nail on the head. THAT is exactly what they are hoping for. Break the will and all that..

[freema]

Thank you for the ping, girlene.

[RedRover]

I know you have many requests these days, but I hope you’ll consider holding up this young Marine in your Circle.

[Girlene]

They are soldiers. Agree, The_Media_never_lie!



LCPL DELANO HOLMES

[RedRover]

Certainly. And, please, if anyone writes to Gen Mattis, no disrespect and no profanity. I know for a fact that the letters are read and both are counterproductive.

Lieutenant General James N. Mattis Commanding General, I MEF
PO Box 555321
Camp Pendleton, CA 92055-5025

[freema]

Not soldier! M A R I N E !

[MindBender26]

>>>>The Marine Corps declined to release the hearing officer’s report that led Mattis to order a court-martial.

And why might I ask?

[MrEdd]

The Marine Corps declined to release the hearing officer’s report that led Mattis to order a court-martial.

And why might I ask?

Your honor, the Officer corps respectfully refuses to release that information on the grounds that they are tired of seeing the accused exonerated when more of the evidence is released. /Sutton

[Girlene]

Yes, ma'am. And thank you for the correction! :-)

[RedRover]

No idea. The IO reports have been released to the media in the Haditha cases. Not sure why this report is being kept under wraps.

Without the report, it’s impossible to really know the facts in the case.

[Captain Rhino]

Cook described it as an "extremely dangerous post," one that had been shot at a number of times in the days before the incident, including one time when a sniper wounded a Marine.

A language barrier kept the two men from talking to each other, Cook said. "He knew nothing about the soldier's background, his training." Some Marines had concerns about the training the Iraqi soldiers had received and whom they were loyal to, he added.

As Holmes stood watch, Hassin pulled out a cell phone, the glow of which lit up their post, Cook said. The man was doing something with the keypad on his cell phone, and Holmes couldn't tell what he was doing. Hassin quickly put the phone away and lit a cigarette.

Holmes tried repeatedly to get Hassin to put the cigarette out, Cook said, and made gestures and did everything he could think of to get his point across. The soldier only laughed.

"Finally, Lance Corporal Holmes reached over and knocked it out of his hands. The soldier grabbed him and they started wrestling."

In the pitch black, Holmes could feel Hassin move his hands and thought he was reaching for a weapon, Cook said. The only weapon available was a bayonet strapped to his chest, Holmes' attorney said. "He pulled it out and started striking at the soldier until he stopped fighting back."

Then Holmes called for help.

source: http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007708160462

(Link is off of the helpdelano website mentioned in the original post. (And keep in mind this is Holmes account of events via his lawyer (i.e., the most favorable). The Marine prosecution says there have been other versions given.)

Yeah, I like two stubborn men version of events better.

Personally, beyond resolving the purely legal issues of the nature of the death and its justification, I think Cpl Holmes is being tried because of the Iraqi-US politics involved and the need to maintain discipline in the ranks. We just can't have Marines getting the idea they can go killing every Iraqi because they feel uncomfortable around them.

Hell, if that were the case, most of al-Anbar province would have been dead by 2004.

[fatima]

Will do,we will pray tom.in a special way.