Posted on 05/23/2007 2:35:50 PM PDT by RedRover
One of Marine’s most Effective Combat Commanders in Iraq Sidelined by U.S.—Hearing To Start next Week
ANN ARBOR, MI – His official 2006 Combat Fitness Report from Colonel Davis declared Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Chessani "A superb leader, who knows his men, knows the enemy, knows his business," and recommended him for promotion. The reviewing Major General Huck added, Lieutenant Colonel Chessani has "unlimited potential and value to the Marine Corps," and also recommended him for promotion.
Although his superiors considered him one of the most effective combat commanders in Iraq, Lieutenant Colonel Chessani is now facing criminal charges arising out of the so-called "Haditha massacre" of November 19, 2005—even though he was not at the scene. He is the highest ranking officer charged. If convicted, this 19 year Marine veteran and the father of 5 young children, who served in the Panama Invasion, the Persian Gulf War, and three tours in Iraq, could be dismissed (dishonorable discharge) from the Marine Corps, lose all his retirement benefits, and possibly serve 3 years in prison. His preliminary hearing (equivalent of a grand jury hearing) on the charges will begin May 30th in Camp Pendleton, California.
The following are excerpts from Lieutenant Colonel Chessani’s Combat Fitness Report (a required annual evaluation of a Marine officer’s performance) prepared by his superiors for the reporting period of September 2005 to February 2006 (This time period includes the date of the incident for which Lieutenant Colonel Chessani is facing criminal charges):
The Reviewing Officer, Major General Huck added his comments: "Top notch officer with outstanding potential. Promote and select for TLS (top level school). Post TLS slate for Regimental command and subsequent joint tour. Unlimited potential and value to the Marine Corps. Capable of the most challenging assignments."
The charges against Lieutenant Colonel Chessani were incited by an inflammatory Time magazine headline accusing Marine enlisted men of "massacring innocent civilians." The story was planted by a known terrorist propaganda operative—since discredited. Anti-war Congressman John Murtha, with influence over military appropriations, in an unprecedented action, publicly accused Marine officers of a "cover-up" even before the investigation of the incident was completed. The subsequent investigation specifically found no "cover-up" at any level of command.
Nevertheless, Lieutenant Colonel Chessani was charged with failing to investigate and properly report the incident to his superiors. The Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is defending Lieutenant Colonel Chessani against the charges, and believes he is being sacrificed for the sake of placating anti-war critics.
Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center, commented, "We are eating our own, and the terrorists are laughing in their caves. Because of them one of the most effective Marine combat commanders in Iraq has been eliminated by his own government. The testimony we will elicit at the Article 32 hearing, which begins on May 30th, will show just how ridiculous and politically motivated these charges are."
The charges against Lieutenant Colonel Chessani were incited by an inflammatory Time magazine headline accusing Marine enlisted men of "massacring innocent civilians." The story was planted by a known terrorist propaganda operative—since discredited. Anti-war Congressman John Murtha, with influence over military appropriations, in an unprecedented action, publicly accused Marine officers of a "cover-up" even before the investigation of the incident was completed. The subsequent investigation specifically found no "cover-up" at any level of command.
Oh God...Here we go again. BUSH STOP THIS NOW!
Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel for the Law Center ^, explained the decision to take the case. “The outcome of this case is vital to the security of our nation and to the military personnel we place in harms way. As tragic as these civilian deaths are, it’s essential that we not shackle our combat commanders’ ability to make decisions by placing them in fear of criminal prosecution every time there are civilian casualties as a result of combat action.”Thomas Moore news article from Tue, Mar 6, 2007. [Opens in new window].
Thompson further stated, “Lieutenant Colonel Chessani never retained an attorney during the year-long investigation leading up to these criminal charges and voluntarily answered all questions posed by investigators. He knew he had done nothing wrong and trusted he would be cleared. Despite the charges against him, he still believes in that last line of the military Code of Conduct—‘I will trust in God and in the United States of America.’”
And I will trust the Marines on the ground before any REMF no matter what title they possess!
Wish Brian Rooney could say it to Bill O’Reilly, Sean Hannity, Mark Levin, Rush Limbaugh, Hugh Hewitt....
Why on earth are all those people ignoring these hearings?
Perhaps that was because this top rated commander, one of the best counterinsurgency officers we have, recognized that there was no "incident" to report to his superiors.
Maybe these idiots should start looking at the obvious. Marines were killed. They chased the enemy and came under fire. They returned fire. In the fire fight, insurgents and civilians were killed.
War is hell. Best to prosecute it with extreme prejudice upon our enemies and those who support or harbor them so they want to quit...no, so they absoultely sue and beg for us to allow them to unconditionally surrender to us so it will end.
Excellent press release, thanks for posting.
Hopefully Richard Thompson is correct in his above statement.
I’m not poking at you in this in any way but I would like to call the question on exactly how any of those killed in this battle deserve the title “civilian”.
An insurgent is anyone involved with an insurgency. Women and children are often used to carry ammo, plant bombs, act as couriers, act as scouts, gather intelligence, etc etc and even go so far as acting as trigger pullers.
How is it assumed that any of those killed were actual legit civilians? There is zero actual reason to believe they were such.
The little girl “witness” calls the lie to any of them being either innocent or civilian. They were all complicit and cooperative with the insurgents, so they were all insurgent.
All insurgents are legit targets.
I believe we agree on this and that the difference is simply one of semantics.
And the Democrats are laughing in their cloakrooms.
May I just say:
BUMP.
Indeed you may.
“The story was planted by a known terrorist propaganda operative—since discredited.”
I relish this being placed on the record with sworn testimony. THIS is the reason McGirk and his comrade Aphraim Ghosh need to be “compelled” to tesify.
“We are eating our own, and the terrorists are laughing in their caves. Because of them one of the most effective Marine combat commanders in Iraq has been eliminated by his own government. The testimony we will elicit at the Article 32 hearing, which begins on May 30th, will show just how ridiculous and politically motivated these charges are.”
A lot of senior Marine officers need to step up to the plate.
Perfurmed Princes in action, covering their collective arseholes, IMHO.
Semper Fidelis,
fontman
Paging commander in chief, paging commander in chief....
BTTT
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