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.
Ain't it funny....Gonzales is "scum" for saying the Geneva Convention does NOT apply to terrorists (it DOESN'T!)...Abu "Grab-an-Arab" Prison was a "Scandal and torture"...a Marine who shoots one of these terrorist scumbags is a villian ( maybe he can become a HERO to the left like J. F'n Kerry, they nominate self-professed baby-killers (Dr. Dean/Abortion) and war criminals to be President!)...
But these Islamazis can kidnap...behead...plant bombs...kill civilians and local Police...boobytrap BODIES and WOUNDED to explode, use those supposed "Holy Sites" as weapons dumps and snipers' nests...and the Marxist-Stream-Media can't seem to find a story there...or even REPORT IT to the AMERICAN PEOPLE...after all, we have a RIGHT TO KNOW, right Ted/Dan/Petah/Wolf/Pinch?
Turn OFF the Marxist-Stream-Media, and end THEIR evil reign of their "theocracy" to Ba'al and the WRONG side!
Well FRiend..."the times they are a-changin"...:)
They actually started a-changin when I was in...the Corps was of course doing some bigtime expansion (1966-68) and two guys in my little group both made Staff Sergeant E-6 within their TWO year enlistment. One had a logistics MOS and the other was a photo interpreter.
I made Corporal in one year, and would have been promoted to Sergeant had I extended my two year gig...no way!
I have no problem with what I saw.
This Dead Iraqi had just moments sooner been shooting at our soldiers.
They were known to set IED's under dead terrorists. and also to Fake being dead, then shooting when our soldiers came close.
I want our soldiers to come home, alive and unharmed. and If that requires a shoot first attitude when assessing the situation of wounded terrorists....so be it.
If they dont want to die...surrender. period. surrender or Die.
Just a word about your request for the email addresses.
Emails are ignored. They pour into the Congressional offices in such volume, they can't be read. The Congress Critter would just have to add more staff than they can afford, to read all the email.
Past campaigns have shown that telephone calls or FAXes have far more impact.
If someone knows the toll free number to the Congress, would they please post it? The one I had doesn't work any more. Thanks in advance.
I think this soldier's commanding officer should put him in for a Silver Star...a la Kombat Kerry.
New rules for Marine gunfight:
1. Check for "embeds".
2. Shoot embed with "found" AK-47.
3. Confiscate and destroy "embed's" film, camera, video.
4. Inform command that embed was killed by sniper.
It would be good for President Bush to come out and support this Marine, but I guess that's too much to ask these days.
I am wondering what the problem is with this, too. . . Dubya, are you a cowboy or not? We VOTED for a strong CINC.
bttt
That's what I'm talkin about!!! Amen sister! I THANK GOD EVERYDAY FOR MEN AND WOMEN IN OUR ARMED FORCES!!! I WILL DO EVERYTHING I POSSIBLY CAN TO SUPPORT THEM AND SHOW THEM THAT THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS DO APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THEY ARE DOING! I WILL NOT STAND BY AND LET THESE A-HOLES GET AWAY WITH WHAT THEY ARE DOING!!! arghhhhhhh!!!!!!!!
I do too!
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