Posted on 05/20/2004 8:18:20 AM PDT by areafiftyone
FALLUJA, Iraq, May 20 (Reuters) - A U.S. Marine general said on Thursday he had no need to apologise for an attack in the remote Iraqi desert that killed around 40 people who witnesses say included women and children celebrating a wedding.
"How many people go to the middle of the desert 10 miles (16 km) from the Syrian border to hold a wedding 80 miles (130 km) from the nearest civilisation?" Major General James Mattis, commander of the 1st Marine Division, told reporters in Falluja.
"These were more than two dozen military-age males. Let's not be naive."
Asked about witness testimony and footage from Dubai-based Al Arabiya television which showed weeping relatives lowering bodies, one of a child, into graves, he said: "I have not seen the pictures but bad things happen in wars. I don't have to apologise for the conduct of my men."
Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt, deputy director of operations for the U.S. military in Iraq, earlier told Reuters the attack early on Wednesday had targeted "a suspected foreign fighter safe house", 25 km (16 miles) east of the Syrian border.
Witnesses said the attack was on a house where a wedding had been held and killed 41 people.
I don't think Paul Harvey supports this war, based on a few comments of his that I've heard. I think he believes it's an overreach.
What about it? That behavior was not condoned but it was wrong, therefore the apology that it took place by those who were part of our forces.
perhaps he needs to understand the rest of the story behind this war.
I'm not 100% sure what Harvey thinks of this war, but early on it sounded like he thought it was too risky, too ambitious, and too expensive.
"According to earlier stories, numerous weapons were found at the site. They forgot to print that, too."
And they forgot to mention the $2,000,000 in cash in Iraqi and Syrian currency that they found there, as well.
How about "civilisation"?
Another wire service reported the burial of a popular wedding singer in Baghdad and his associate both of whom were killed in the attack.
WPMA (wedding party........everyone knows the rest)
Go Marines!
I'm sick of the enemy propaganda reported as gospel truth by our media.
WHAT A MAN!
The killers plot to kill and use maximum media splash. They are only effective with media coverage.
Attention everybody else in CENTCOM:
Listen to the Marines:
WE DON'T HAVE TO APOLOGIZE FOR KILLING THE ENEMY!
Semper Fi, Devil Dogs, you are bringing respect back for our troops.
Attention everybody else in CENTCOM:
Listen to the Marines:
WE DON'T HAVE TO APOLOGIZE FOR KILLING THE ENEMY!
Semper Fi, Devil Dogs, you are bringing respect back for our troops.
"What I like, it that most of us who served in the military - Navy, Army, and I will even include the Air Force - all joke about the Marines. But when push comes to shove, we all respect them and admire their kick arse, take names manner. Semper Fi!"
Good post. I refuse to do the service rivarly thing during a time of war also.
As an 82nd Airborne vet, the relative close proximity of Ft Bragg (airborne/special forces) to Lejune (marines) led to lots of tension when we met at the bars of Myrtle Beach.**BUT, when we were on the field together training, both units were all business.
This is an example of the Marine leadership taking care of his men. I don't buy the wedding crap either, if it's a ForFighter traffic route - they likely have an alibi to make the US look bad.
Semper Fi - All the Way Airborne
LOL
Don't get carried away. Before this is over someone in the Pentagon will apologize and offer a payment to the "victims" of the "mistake". That person will then vote for John Kerry.
Didn't say anything about not agreeing with the rest. Just that it doesn't matter if those in the field have got fed up; there are plenty of beauracrats to overrule them, apologize, and reimburse the "victims".
....This is exactly the kind of response we need to see from the Military. Ignore the critics and don't even engage in debate. State the facts and move on.....
Exactly right. These men are the ones fighting and getting killed - not the PC police who just judge them.
I don't think we have the capability to do that, although we once did. We could jam the uplink signal though.
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