If the reports I heard on the news last night about bullets to the head of women and children in kneeling positions is considered collateral damage, then someone is playing a video game and they are not following the rules of engagement.
I agree that if these Marines did an atrocious thing, it should be dealt with. Having said that, it doesn't help to have Murtha sensationalize it from the get go. I would expect the military to deal with the press in a professional and somber manner.
Al-Qaeda in Iraq Announces Ongoing Battles in Haditha, and Claims Responsibility for Several Bombings and Attacks upon American and Iraqi Forces throughout Iraq
By SITE Institute
August 8, 2005
Al-Qaeda in Iraq [Tanzeem Qaedat Al-Jihad Fi Bilad Al-Rafidayn], in ten separate communiqués issued today, August 8, 2005, announces that the mujahideen in Haditha are in “very good condition” and lauds their alleged success in the ongoing battles, and claims responsibility for several bombings and attacks on American and Iraqi forces throughout Iraq:
1. Announces the Whereabouts of the Mujahideen in Haditha, al-Anbar [Province]
2. Claims Responsibility of Destroying a Truck and Two Humvees Belonging to the Crusaders in Rabya’a
3. Claims Responsibility of Destroying an American Vehicle in al-Mosul
4. Claims Responsibility of an Attack on a Police Patrol in Rasafat Baghdad
5. Claims Responsibility of Attacking a Police Patrol in Baquba
6. Claims Responsibility of Killing 14 of the National Guards in al-Fallujah
7. Claims Responsibility of Bombing the National Guard Barracks in the Area of al-Haswa
8. Claims Responsibility of Bombing the National Guard Barracks in the Area of Abu Ghraib
9. Claims Responsibility of Confrontations with the Crusaders in al-Amerya One Hour Ago
10. Claims Responsibility of Detonating Two Explosive Packages on a Crusaders’ Patrol in al-Ishaqi
http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:qAK3JhB9M_wJ:siteinstitute.org/bin/articles.cgi%3FID%3Dpublications80705%26Category%3Dpublications%26Subcategory%3D0+haditha+battles&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=2
sure, they just remained frozen in the kneeling position after the Marines shot them - long enough to be photographed.