CHILD ABUSE of the worst kind!!!
Posted on 11/16/2004 5:44:59 PM PST by jarcolaNY
FALLUJA, Iraq (Reuters) - U.S. Marines rallied round a comrade under investigation for killing a wounded Iraqi during the offensive in Falluja, saying he was probably under combat stress in unpredictable, hair-trigger circumstances.
Marines interviewed on Tuesday said they didn't see the shooting as a scandal, rather the act of a comrade who faced intense pressure during the effort to quell the insurgency in the city.
"I can see why he would do it. He was probably running around being shot at for days on end in Falluja. There should be an investigation but they should look into the circumstances," said Lance Corporal Christopher Hanson.
"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."
The military command launched an investigation after video footage showed a U.S. Marine shooting a wounded and unarmed man in a mosque in the city on Saturday. The man was one of five wounded and left in the mosque after Marines fought their way through the area.
A pool report by NBC correspondent Kevin Sites said the mosque had been used by insurgents to attack U.S. forces, who stormed it, killing 10 militants and wounding the five. Sites said the wounded had been left for others to pick up.
A second group of Marines entered the mosque on Saturday after reports it had been reoccupied. Footage from the embedded television crew showed the five still in the mosque, although several appeared to be close to death, Sites said.
He said a Marine noticed one prisoner was still breathing.
A Marine can be heard saying on the pool footage provided to Reuters Television: "He's f***ing faking he's dead."
"The Marine then raises his rifle and fires into the man's head," Sites said.
NBC said the Marine, who had reportedly been shot in the face himself the previous day, said immediately after the shooting: "Well, he's dead now."
THOROUGH PROBE PROMISED
The Marine commander in Falluja, Lieutenant General John Sattler, said his men followed the law of conflict and held themselves to a high standard of accountability.
"The facts of this case will be thoroughly pursued to make an informed decision and to protect the rights of all persons involved," he said.
Marines have repeatedly described the rebels they fought against in Falluja as ruthless fighters who didn't play by the rules. They say the investigation is politically motivated.
"It's all political. This Marine has been under attack for days. It has nothing to do with what he did," said Corporal Keith Hoy, 23.
Rights group Amnesty International said on Monday both sides in the Falluja fighting had broken the rules of war governing the protection of civilians and wounded combatants.
Gunnery Sergeant Christopher Garza, 30, favored an investigation but like other Marines said the Pentagon should weigh its decision carefully.
"He should have captured him. Maybe the insurgent had some valuable information. There may have been mitigating circumstances. Maybe his two buddies died in Falluja," he said.
Sites said: "I have witnessed the Marines behaving as a disciplined and professional force throughout this offensive. In this particular case, it certainly was a confusing situation to say the least."
The U.S. military has been embarrassed by scandals in Iraq, most prominently the Abu Ghraib affair in which at least eight U.S. soldiers have been tried or face courts-martial over the abuse of prisoners at the jail outside Baghdad.
There have also been several cases in which soldiers have been charged with wrongfully killing Iraqis during operations.
I reaaly want to see the video
I called the USMC PR relations office today and the gentleman I spoke with said they were getting lots of support for this young marine. I asked if they wanted my name or phone number and he said no, they were just noting the calls and thanking the public for their support and concern.
ID make sure no media was around me for sure because I would of been up the river along time ago with my terrorist trigger finger.
the media...including some Conservatives simply havn't a clue that at least 2/3rds of Americans don't care about this....a Marine killed a wounded rag-terr...so effin what?
The lamestream media doesn't even mention the "unarmed iraqi civilian" was an insurgent terrorist. Sgt. Graham has it right except for one thing-- the marine should've shot the embedded enemy propogandist first.
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Traitor NBC photographer email addresses:
kevinsites@hotmail.com
kevin@kevinsites.net
http://www.kevinsites.net/
I noticed that on KFI-640AM Los Angeles today, during the news breaks, that they used the 'terrorist' word, and often. A marked difference from last week, actually.
His comrades may be most important but the least of it. If we put our minds to it he easily could get the support of hundreds of thousands of us at home.
The "side picking" is getting more clear by the day. Media sides with fighter in mosque, cboldt sides with US Marines.
This idiot doofus "correspondent" better hire some bodyguards, because from this point forward, he is on his own!
I've been hearing Ernie Pyle spinning in his grave a lot recently.
Next time scrub the emebeded terrorists.
Shut down the Alphabet Channels (ABJazerra & Her Sister Stations)!
Vote with your Remote!
But, I Have A Plan
Zippo Hero
Seven Dead Monkeys Page O Tunes
Rules, what rules? Were rules being followed when our embassies overseas were being bombed? Were rules being followed during the 1st bombinging of the WTC? Were rules being followed when the USS Cole was bombed? Were rules being followed on that horrible Tuesday in September 2001?
I realize that we are a moral nation for the most part and I certainly don't condone killing for the mere purpose of killing. But I sure am sick of everyone coming to conclusions based on the simple face value of information and then becoming a self appointed judge, jury and executioner.
An American marine shot an killed an injured insurgent, this is the information at face value. Move past the cover on the book. Those very same American Marines have been burdened with having witness their own being wounded or killed by boobytrapped dead bodies or boobytrapped injured individuals (I ask you, is turning an injured individual or a dead body into a bomb playing by the rules?)in otherwords the gameboard has been changed so then have the rules.
The same bleeding heart liberals that are out in our streets protesting the very fact that our troops should not be in Iraq getting killed for what they deem to be a nothing war are the very same damn bleeding hearts that would now have us string up the very same marine to the highest tree. Sounds like left over Kerryism to me.
The Geneva Convention this, the Geneva Convention that, don't get me wrong, I don't disagree with the articles of the GC, however they only work when both sides are accepting of them and abide by them. The only ones abiding by the GC are the coalition forces and it's costing them their lives. Any species of people (and I use the word people very losely)that would use commercial airplanes as missles to take out buildings and obliterate lives are not in the least concerned with rules, much less abiding by them. I would contend that those that are yelling the loudest of their contempt of this fine marine would also yell loudest should the terrorists take over this nation and make these bleeding heart liberals subject to their wrath. They should pray heavily that God hears their cries, because surely no one else will. I know that I won't no matter how loudly their voice should become.
The definition of war: Kill or be killed
Let these men and women do the job that they have burdened with and thank God that they are willing to do what they do and shut the hell up.
The thread has been pulled.What was it?
If I remember right (and that's debatable!), it was a thread on the reporter's own website.
But, someone posted that info on THIS thread already...scroll up & keep it in case THIS gets pulled.
:)
thanks for that info!
#21
I hope that they do.
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My sense is that this is going to make the American public even angrier at the media than they already are. There was no purpose to releasing this film except to make the United States look bad.