The Haditha Marines: Why Do You Care?

June 27, 2007 | David Allender

[RedRover]

I know that a good number of people here on Free Republic support the Haditha Marines.

I would like to ask why.

My reason for asking is this. There is growing media interest in the support the Haditha Marines are receiving. Don Dinsmore (for one) has been sharing our threads with the press on his travels.

So, if you support the Haditha Marines, please take a moment and say why. And if you've donated some of your hard-earned cash to the defense funds, please say why you've gone that extra step to help see that justice is done.

[USMCPOP]

I support them because I think they are getting shafted.

I don’t know any of these accused Marines personally. But I have learned of the character of several of the fallen 3/1 Marines through their families, not to mention a couple dozen who fell in Haditha/Haqlaniyah/Barwana. I get the impression that these Marines are not vicious killers, unless engaged by the enemy. But what do I know?

[RedRover]

You know, Pop.

[xzins]

I contributed a little because the Prosecutor has unlimited funds, people, and experts, to draw upon.

You raise an interesting point in terms of military trials.

I would suggest that the military prosecutor must tally all hours, dollars spent, and outside expertise consulted, and a real-world dollar value be put on the total.

Given "innocent until proven guilty" AND given that the military is required to provide defense counsel for soldiers, I would recommend a legal financing rule that requires the government to grant at least as much money to the defense as the prosecution uses.

This would level the field a bit. As you point out, the government -- especially in a high profile case -- has nearly unlimited resources.

[Spacetrucker]

Red, for sure many on here espouse support of the Haditha Marines on patriotic grounds, as is justified. Many espouse support for the Haditha Marines because they see injustice for what it is - WRONG. Personally, I support the Haditha Marines for both of the above reasons along with the fact that I believe in two things that were taught to me when the United States Marine Corps accepted me into it’s midst some twenty years ago - “Esprit de Corps” and “Semper Fidelis”. Never turn your back on those who taught you what duty, honor and courage were all about.

[peod]

I support the Haditha Marines for several reasons.

1) I have NO doubt they are innocent.
2) I have read everything I could get my hands on and nothing has convinced me they are anything other than innocent.
3) They volunteered for their country, they were trained and sent to war, they did what I believe anyone would have done in their shoes.
4) We must stand up for what’s right. Being able to send a little money is the very least that can be done. These Marines and their families deserve our support. They’ve earned it through blood, sweat, tears and many many sleepless nights.

[freema]

I would suggest that the military prosecutor must tally all hours, dollars spent, and outside expertise consulted, and a real-world dollar value be put on the total. Inquiring minds want to know.

[Gene Eric]

>> So, if you support the Haditha Marines, please take a moment and say why

For me, it’s a matter of faith. From the first days of the sensational reports to the truth being unveiled today, my prayers were always with our nation’s defenders. The Haditha Marines deserve our unwavering support through every battle, crisis, and political persecution.

[brityank]

... the government -- especially in a high profile case -- has nearly unlimited resources.

I doubt we'll get a full accounting of the costs, but I did share info about Col. Mendonca from the UK and his Basra ordeal. Here are some links:

---

News
Colonel cleared over mistreatment of Iraqis
14/02/2007 00:01AM GMT  |  Duncan Hooper and agencies

Cleared: Col Jorge Mendonca Four of Col Jorge Mendonca's men were similarly cleared of charges at their trial at Bulford Camp in Wiltshire. For the past five months Col Jorge Mendonca MBE, 43, former commander of the Queen's Lancashire Regiment, has been ...read 

---

News
Mendonca quits Army over inquiry 'injustice'
01/06/2007 00:01AM BST  |  Stephanie Condron

Mendonca quits Army over inquiry 'injustice'. Timeline: The failed prosecution of Col Mendonca Colonel Jorge Mendonca, who was cleared after a £20 million court martial over the alleged abuse of Iraqi prisoners , is leaving the Army, it was disclosed ...read 

---

News
Officers attack MoD over 'scapegoat' Mendonca
02/06/2007 00:01AM BST  |  Stewart Payne and Nigel Bunyan

Officers attack MoD over 'scapegoat' Mendonca. Senior military figures rallied behind Colonel Jorge Mendonca yesterday following his decision to leave the Army in disgust at the prospect of facing another military inquiry over the alleged abuse of Iraqi ...read 

---

That £20 million is around $38 Million. Hell of a price to pay for undermining your Military, and I doubt most of ours will re-up either.

[xzins]

In the US, the defense as well as the prosecution is supposed to be a part of the UCMJ. Adequate defense is demanded by the UCMJ.

It is hardly “adequate defense” to give one side 38 million bucks and give the other side a couple thousand and change.

[ArmyTeach]

I care because it’s wrong to send a young man into combat and then prosecute him for defending himself and his comrades in arms.

I care because this conflict is being micromanaged from DC when decisions should be made by those in the arena.

I care because I know anti-American hype and propaganda when I see it.

I care because there’s every appearance that the decision was made a priori to hang these Marines out to dry for political purposes.

I care because their treatment is worse than we mete out to any terrorist prisoner.

I agree with all of the prior post.

[Girlene]

This is one aspect of this case that must be disclosed at the end of the day. The American people deserve to know what price they paid to investigate and prosecute these Marines. Likewise disclose the money spent by the defense (not the personal money). Let the American people see the comparison.

[ArmyTeach]

Don’t know, but when Marines are engaged by the enemy, shouldn't’t there be just a hint of ‘vicious killer’ as they defend themselves?

[USMCPOP]

As I said, “...unless engaged by the enemy”. No better friend, no worse enemy.

[Mad Marine Mama]

We need to demand an accounting for the accumulated costs to investigate and prosecute the Haditha Marines. I recall that the NCIS employed 40 investigators full time starting in May or June of 2006 to prepare the Bargewell report, not to mention the work that went into the criminal charges and all the prosecutors hours spent on this sham. I bet it adds up to at least $38mm. By the way, did you know that all other Marines who were present in Haditha on Nov 19 2005 have had their promotions held up by Congress. Who do you suppose did that? Hmmmmm......Mr Toad perhaps?

[RedRover]

I wonder where, in the vast budgetary bureaucracy, that information resides?

The Corps would never cough it up to jokers like you or me. Maybe I could hold of a researcher who knows where the financial bodies are buried.

BTW, I just told a buddy that we ought to write a book, free to any Marine, called “Never Shake Hands with a NCIS Agent”. Somebody has to expose NCIS for the bunch of shifty skunks they are.

[CaliMomOf2]

I have a few reasons of why I care. Maybe it's because my husband is currently serving his 4th tour in Iraq with 3/1, the unit of which these men are from. Maybe it's because these are men I have met and know that each of them have families that are also suffering through this. My personal opinion of what occured over there that day is that these men acted/reacted just how they should have. They are taught from day 1 at bootcamp that if you hesitate, you’re dead. When 3/1 was in Fallujah (2004) they lost 33 wonderful men and a good majority of the men in Haditha were also in Fallujah. Anyone who hasnt been in the situation that these men were in, including myself, should never disgrace them as Marines or as a man. They went over there and did their jobs, now let them be home with their families and not suffering through this pain.

[RedRover]

Thank you for the message, CaliMom. You know best the hardships families of deployed servicemen endure.

On top of that, to have a son or husband come home in handcuffs must be a very special kind of hell.

[50 Cal Gunner]

I have served our country for the past 16 yrs. I truly feel for our Military men and women. We don’t ask to be called a hero nor do we expect it. All we ask for is to be treated with respect. I hope with all my heart those brave men going thru this keep there heads up and hopes high for I am behind them 100%. Thank you Red for all you have and are doing for our Troops.

[HoorayForMe]

I am an Australian Christian who believes that peace is better than war. And I’m emotional about this, so please forgive my rant!

What these brave young Marines are going through is as horrible as the world wars people seem to have conveniently forgotten about. There were SS units still fighting into the 1950’s. Today’s press don’t seem to know this; they would have protested having a war against someone so “progressive” as Hitler, like the deluded people in the 1930’s did. Read up on what Bill Stevenson and Bill Donovan did. Read up on what the Poles knew back in the late 20’s.

Today’s press publish negative propaganda if a few Marines die in battle. There were, what? 2,500 US casualties on Omaha beach? To a Mother, one death is one too many. But in war terms, people need to toughen up. Thousands of French civilians died in the preparation bombardment on D-Day. Today’s soft-spined majority want a humane war and complain when a few houses are blown up.

The way to win is to kill the other bloke with a knife while he is asleep. There is no nice about war. The press are not intelligent enough to analyse what they think they see. They should read and understand history. From what I can tell from the accounts, I actually feel for the Iraqui blokes who were shot, but that is war, that is the game they were playing. Their own rules (running unarmed and then fighting again) worked against them.

If we give in to Fascism - and that is what this is - all the brave people will be killed or beaten down, and then there will be no freedom of the press except to promote what some old codger says allah wants.

God bless us all, including the Iraquis. I hope that my American brothers and those Iraquis who are peace-loving can one day share the same bond that exists between Australians and Turks. ANZAC day for us commemorates primarily the sacrifice in WWI of around 8,400 Australian and New Zealand soldiers. People get stuck on that. It reduces me to tears every April 25. But around 84,000 brave Turks died too, and today we have a strange bond of shared loss and friendship.

[RedRover]

Welcome to Free Republic, HoorayForMe. You'll find many here who think as you do.

Here's a photograph to go with your point about war...

Canadian troops move through the rubble of Caen, on or after 9 July 1944. And, no, the capital city of Normandy was not evacuated before the assault.