Posted on 05/13/2005 8:11:22 PM PDT by strategofr
For the story behind the story...
The officer who presided over a pretrial hearing for a Marine suspected in the murder of two Iraqis has submitted his recommendation on whether the case should go to court-martial, a military spokesman said Friday.
Maj. Mark E. Winn has sent the paperwork to Maj. Gen. Richard Huck, said 2nd Lt. Barry Edwards, a spokesman for the 2nd Marine Division at Camp Lejeune.
The hearing officer has recommended that formal accusations of premeditated murder and other crimes against 2nd Lt. Ilario Pantano be withdrawn, stating there is no evidence to support prosecution. Huck will review the recommendation and decide how to continue in the case of Pantano. Prosecutors in the case allege that Pantano killed two suspected insurgents in April 2004 because he believed they were launching mortars at his troops. Pantano, a former Wall Street trader who rejoined the Marines after the Sept. 11 attacks, says he acted in self-defense after the men moved toward him. Winn had been given a week after the close of the hearing April 30 to send his recommendation, but requested an extension. "There's no timeframe for [Huck] to make a decision," Edwards said Friday. "He will carefully review the evidence and the investigating officer's recommendations before making a decision." Pantano, 33, continues to work at Lejeune as an assistant training officer helping to develop training regimens. © 2005 Associated Press.
Even if some general officer were to continue charges, the results of this investigation would be admitted, and there is reasonable doubt there, given the statements attributed to the Art 32 investigating officer in other media.
These charges should have never bee filed in the first place!! Nothing but the claims of the Socialist Left trying to digrace the US Armed Forces anyway they can.
To watch and listen to Teddy Kennedy and Joe Bidden sit in the committee meetings, and degrading our soldiers. Tying the hands of our Government in getting information from TERRORISTS is to me TREASON or at least sedetion. These two jerks and their commie associates need removed from office.
"These charges should have never bee filed in the first place!! Nothing but the claims of the Socialist Left trying to digrace the US Armed Forces anyway they can."
Couldn't agree more. Pantano is an unbelievable person. He was in the Marines, worked for prestigious investment house Goldman Sachs, then went back in the Marines!
The guy who made the charges is a 2nd rate performer---a subordinate Pantano downgraded.
Personally, I wouldn't be surprised if some FSB-related individuals blackmailed someone in the Marines to ge this going, bribed them, or whatever. I suspect foul play, plain and simple. They are striking at Marine morale---one of the greatest things America has and one of our most precious resources.
Give the Devil his due---they have done an excellent job of damaging us. We must work as a society to defend ourselves against this kind of attack---which is made at Conservatives on every level.
I certainly hope that the charges are thrown out. It's the least this nation can do for one of its warriors.
Amen.
The only way to accomplish that is to start, in the 2006 election, to elect people we KNOW are American Patriots and will defend the US Constitution. Those people will be trounced upon by the Socialist and the RINO's but come hell or High Water, we must reverse this attack on our Freedoms and our country.
Cutting the funding for the UN and getting out of that organization would be a great start. Pulling out of the bases in Europe, defending American Borders. I know it is Fortress America, but I would rather have FOrtress America than this divide and conquor strategy.
1 This is good news
2 Once again the "over the top" crowd is wrong
3 (no flame intended) What pressure can we bring to bear?
We can (and should) send letters of support to Lt. Pantano, we can (and should) follow this story, BUTwhen you get down to it the Marine Corp. is going to do what the Marine Corp. is going to do, weather you or I like it or not.
"The only way to accomplish that is to start, in the 2006 election, to elect people we KNOW are American Patriots and will defend the US Constitution."
I agree with your strategy, but we have to be realistic. We will be putting forth that kind of candidate in 2006---not actually electing them.
This will be an intercene war inside the Republican Party. In the short run, the Democrats will gain from it.
But in the long run we will gain and the country will gain. The Republican establishment has to get the message that they cannot enjoy the perks of power without delivering on American freedom.
The Republicans and the Democrats ARE getting the message!! Senators McCain and Kennedy recently submitted a plan to control immigration. It was just more feed for the Dog and Pony show!! No teeth or specificity in how they would actually control the borders or what would be done to illegal aliens that failed to register under their plan. Those illegals who did register would receive $2,000.00 for registering!! More of our taxes being given away to the illegals.
Instead they should put a bounty of $2,000.00 on the illegals and deport them! Start building a double wall all along the border with points of access. Control the Border and deport the illegal aliens!!
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