Posted on 01/05/2005 6:09:09 PM PST by ovrtaxt
U.S. Marine in Mysterious Case Declared Deserter
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By Will Dunham
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Marine Cpl. Wassef Ali Hassoun, charged a month ago with desertion in a mysterious case in which he left his unit in Iraq only to turn up in Lebanon, has failed to return to his base in North Carolina, the Marine Corps said on Wednesday.
In a statement, the Marines said that Hassoun "has been declared a deserter" after not returning on Tuesday to Camp Lejeune from authorized leave.
The statement said Hassoun had been required to return to the base by noon on Tuesday, but has not reported for duty. The statement said "his command officially declared him a deserter and issued authorization for civil authorities to apprehend Hassoun and return him to military control."
CNN reported that he had gone to Canada.
Hassoun disappeared last June from his unit in Iraq where he had worked as an Arabic interpreter and later turned up in Lebanon, the country where he was born, claiming he had been kidnapped by militants.
The Marines announced on Dec. 9 that he had been charged with desertion, rejecting his account that he had been kidnapped. Hassoun was also charged with loss of government property and theft of a 9mm military pistol.
Although desertion from the U.S. military in time of war could be punishable by death, the Marines said they had no intention of seeking the death penalty.
Hassoun disappeared from his base near Falluja in Iraq and turned up safe at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut on July 8. He was seen during his absence in a videotape, seemingly being held by militants, blindfolded with a sword poised over his head. An Islamic militant Internet site said later he had been beheaded, but he later showed up unharmed at the embassy in Beirut.
Hassoun told reporters after he returned to the United States that he was captured and held against his will and did not desert the military.
We won't know the whole story ever, but someone in the puzzle palace knews every bit of it.
Interesting how very, very quiet Kerry has been.
"The Marines knew what they were doing when they authorized him leave. We won't know the whole story ever, but someone in the puzzle palace knews every bit of it."
Hmmm. Very good point. I bet they wanted him to run to prove that he was a traitor. His actions now confict him. Sad in a way, from the perspective that he went through basic and follow up MOS training, and probably appeared to be a Marine.
Now he is not. He is a traitor. And as for the more to the story of course. He never would have deserted his duties while at Camp MEK unless he was not a real Marine.
Thanks for your observance on this matter.
"Interesting how very, very quiet Kerry has been."
Yes. We really took these bafons out this time around. I assume he and Teeeerrrrrraaaaazzzzaaah had spent some time in France getting totally drunk for days on end to relieve the pain. Now as usual, how can we get someone to finally accuse him of his war crimes and then confict him and issue the penalties of those Uniformed Code Of Military Justice articles? Hanging or a firing squad are the only options.
The naivete of political correctness will bury us...
I am starting to agree that somewhere in this entire mystery is a woman. I think this guy had some kinda arranged marriage ceremony while on his little unauthorized leave...and no talks about it.
One of his relatives per day should "just disappear" until he shows up.
Let me guess, probably some Reservist who Authorized him leave right.
And just so I understand, we granted a Muslim leave for a Christian Holiday, right.....??
Hello, Darwin, is that you.
Yeah, like he didn't have a plan to run back to Lebanon or Canada.
And he no longer qualifies as a Marine in my book, he is just another piece of crap with allegiances other than the oath he took. Scumbag. I hope he gets caught and he will, and I hope he gets life in prison.
Arrrggghhh.... I can't believe he wasn't in the brig or confined to quarters.
Man, this gets my goat.
Regards,
Joe
Don't forget #6. Someone found out who he is and took the law into their own hands.
lol--no, not our Marines, the enemy!
Fox News is reporting his ATM card is being used in Lebanon.
Bump!!
Shame on somebody if he doesn't.
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