U.S. MARINES RALLY ROUND IRAQ PROBE COMRADE

Reuters ^ | 11/16/04

[cubreporter]

You know...every time I see one of these photos it breaks my heart. Imagine getting up in the morning to get ready and go to work never knowing that before lunchtime...you will be jumping out of a building that has just been hit by terrorists. It's mind boggling.

We are at war. This Marine did what he thought was the right thing to do. People need to look at the photos you posted again of the attack. They want to hide their heads in the sand.

Terrorists are the enemy. This Marine is our hero.

[WalterSkinner]

We had better rally around this young man--they are going to try to make a Calley out of him.

This is not social work people.

[handy]

Well it's 100% support for the marines in my office. Even the women in the office thought he did the right thing after hearing how insurgents have faked being wounded.

One woman said "if that was my son over there, I'd want him to do the same thing so he could come home alive". Another commented "they didn't let anyone at that Russian school surrender".

No mercy here in the south, back to you Tom

[SittinYonder]

What I've come to realize is that allowing running cameras on the front lines is a mistake. Will soldiers now hesitate because they're afraid of how an act will play out on TV, where it's most assuredly seen out of context?

I think you're right on target here. The larger media that seems to be on a witch hunt for this Marine is the problem. I haven't seen that Sites has encouraged any of this, but he may have. I knew a couple of embedded reporters who were both former military themselves. They have a grasp of what's happening and do a good job, but I think when the copy and the photos and the video get back stateside the problem starts. If Sites sold this story as a murder, then clearly he does need a severe beating, but I just haven't seen the evidence of that. I had hoped someone would link me to something suggesting he'd done something wrong. Instead, I was called a troll.

[RGSpincich]

That picture is of something totally unrelated to Iraq.

[O.C. - Old Cracker]

Have you ever considered adding the letter 'h' to your FReeper screen name? In light of your comments on this thread it seems the appropriate thing to do.

[Former Proud Canadian]

I don't know anything about the Geneva convention and maybe this has been discussed but could someone answer this question.

I thought the "rules of war" covered by the Geneva accords were rules agreed upon by nations who are signatory to the accords. It covers combatants who are in the armies of the signatory nations. Combatants are supposed to wear uniforms, among other things. The people the Marines are fighting in Fallujah are not "combatants" according to the Geneva convention. They are not members of a national army that has signed the accords. They are armed terrorists as far as I can tell. They have no status and therefore are not accorded the protections of the convention. Comments?

[SittinYonder]

What have I said that would make you say that?

[O.C. - Old Cracker]

I don't really care about the Geneva Convention, but your thinking sounds right to me.

[Stashiu]

Yup. I'd let that Marine cover my back. He knows what to do.

[Paperdoll]

The reporter needs to be immediately kicked out. No more press imbedding! Go Marines and take no prisoners there!

[nutmeg]

bttt

[Chief_Joe]

I have not seen the enemy soldier getting shot nor do I plan to see it. From what I've read, the enemy was hiding underneath some blankets and was caught moving around, blowing his cover (J), and the marine acted swiftly and expeditiously in exterminating the threat. What did people expect him to do -peek under the cover and get his face blown off? These embedded reporters are nothing more self-aggrandizing glory hounds. No military personal in full combat mode should have to worry about some jacka$$ with a camera watching over his shoulder 24/7 who looking to make a name for himself/herself at the expense of the mission.

[NittanyLion]

The larger media that seems to be on a witch hunt for this Marine is the problem. I haven't seen that Sites has encouraged any of this, but he may have. I knew a couple of embedded reporters who were both former military themselves. They have a grasp of what's happening and do a good job, but I think when the copy and the photos and the video get back stateside the problem starts.

Agreed. From what I've seen this reporter as well as others have done the job they were put there to accomplish. It's a bit of a double-edged sword, in that our military benefits when embeds bring forth heroic stories yet inevitably these damaging stories will also emerge. I would submit that we either must take the good with the bad, or remove embeds from the front lines entirely (at this point I'm leaning toward the latter).

I had hoped someone would link me to something suggesting he'd done something wrong. Instead, I was called a troll.

Yes, emotions appear to be running a tad high. I haven't seen much in the way of logical discourse on these threads.

[Former Proud Canadian]

I don't care about it either but they are talking about a "war crime". Hopefully the investigation will be restricted to whether or not he breached the rules of engagement, not if this was a "war crime" because I don't think that can be argued in any case.

[ZULU]

"I would have shot the insurgent too. Two shots to the head," said Sergeant Nicholas Graham, 24, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. "You can't trust these people. He should not be investigated. He did nothing wrong."

I agree. He should get a Congressional Medal, not face an "inquiry".

[ZULU]

Better Alternate Headline: Embedded Reporter killed by booby-trapped insurgent playing dead.

[ThePythonicCow]

I retract my earlier proposal. Rather, the Marine Commandant should hold a well publicized news conference to respond to the charges and announce how it will be investigated.

He should stand before the microphones, wait patiently for silence, sneer the single word "nuts", and walk off.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

BAN ALL REPORTERS. ANYONE WITH A CAMERA (EXCEPT MILITARY) TO BE SHOT ON SIGHT!

Yes sir!!!

[adiaireton8]

Does anybody have a link to a downloadable file of the *unedited* video? I use a dial-up connection, and the only way I can view a video without it cutting out large chunks of frames (and just leaving the audio) is to download the file, and then play it. I have tried the BBC, Reuters, AlJazeera and MSNBC sites, and still can't find a downloadable file of the *unedited* video. Thanks for your help.
- A8