Former Marine Alleges Atrocities In Iraq

AP ^ | October 7 2005

[jmc1969]

PARIS A former U.S. Marine in Iraq alleges that his battalion committed atrocities against Iraqi civilians during the U.S.-led invasion in 2003, including shooting unarmed protesters.

Jimmy Massey, a staff sergeant who was in the Marines for 12 years and served three months in Iraq before being honorably discharged with post-traumatic stress syndrome, details the allegations in his book, “Kill! Kill! Kill!”, written with the French journalist Natasha Saulnier and published in France.

A Pentagon spokeswoman said Massey's complaints had already been investigated and found to be unsubstantiated.

Massey said he was in charge of a platoon in the 3rd Batallion of Regimental Combat Team 7, responsible for setting up checkpoints and providing armed cover against terrorists and insurgents.

He alleges that over a period of a month and a half in 2003, his platoon killed more than 30 civilians in Iraq.

“Mr. Massey made allegations of genocide by members of his command, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, resulting in an investigation,” she said.

[Plutarch]

[mlstier]

And if you dig into Jim Masseys ancestery, I'm betting you find French heritage.

[calljack]

So arrest him and charge him with murder.
He confessed, what's the holdup??

[Texas Eagle]

Point well taken. Having never experienced what our courageous troops are going through, I should give him the benefit of the doubt.

I can't quite put my finger on it but something about that sentence just rubbed me the wrong way.

[Americanexpat]

I served as a platoon sergeant for a year in combat (1969/70) and my guys went through a lot worse than what he is describing. They might have gotten excited and wound up but I didn't put up with that kind of crap and stopped it before it got started. Thats what platoon sergeants do.

[nonkultur]

post-traumatic stress syndrome. Wouldn't this be a medical discharge for a mental illness? How can they say honorable discharge?