Posted on 05/29/2006 9:45:20 PM PDT by Lancey Howard
Military investigators piecing together what happened in the Iraqi town of Haditha on Nov. 19 -- when Marines allegedly killed two dozen civilians -- have access to video shot by an unmanned drone aircraft that was circling overhead for at least part of that day, military defense lawyers familiar with the case said in interviews.
It is unclear whether the video obtained from that day's flight captured the violence, said the lawyers, who have consulted with Marines who were there. One lawyer said investigators have reviewed surveillance footage taken hours after the shootings, which showed the Marines returning to the town to remove the bodies of the Iraqis.
Yesterday, Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said charges will be issued against troops if the evidence merits it. For now, however, "it would be premature for me to judge" the outcome of the two U.S. military investigations, Pace said on CBS's "The Early Show." "We'll get to the bottom of the investigation and take the appropriate action."
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
I believe you could very well be right. It's hard for me to believe a platoon of Marines would do this or that a platoon would cover something like this up for a few. It just doesn't smell right.
As for Murtha, I can't see one single reason for him to come forward like he did and crucify the Marines unless he's starting to suffer from the onset of dementia, and I'm serious. He sparked the media's onslaught of this even if they were ready for it.
It's hard to know how it'll play out but much damage has already been done, even if it turns out to be bogus. Murtha should be impeached but the next best thing will be if Diana Irey beats him in November.
I make the same assessment, I worked covert insertion/recovery of Marines and they are all about the mission, no wild card stuff.
"I make the same assessment, I worked covert insertion/recovery of Marines and they are all about the mission, no wild card stuff."
Doesn't matter. Those marines are already condemned in the world community. This story is being played world wide and being used for recruitment of more terrorists.
There are two sets of rules in play here. One side is doing their best to comply with the law and behave honorably. The other has no rules and will do anything to further their agenda of hurting Bush and America in general. Remember "its fake but accurate".
The MSM is rapidly becoming more obsolete. Our real agenda should be ways to expedite that and put these traitors out on the street or in jail.
I'm not a Marine, but I agree. Perhaps one Marine going around the bend, but several all at once?
An absolutely despicable thing to say. Those two people were employees of a legitimate American corporation, who were doing their job the best they knew how. If the military chain of command, at any level, did not want those folks tagging along, they wouldn't have been there. Your comment is disgusting and you should ask that it be removed.
bump
Two word: My Lai.
Well, yes. Re my "The MSM are writing in a manner that implies the Marines are already proved guilty, a tactic they seem unwilling to use on, for instance, William Jefferson D-La."
Our real agenda should be ways to expedite that and put these traitors out on the street or in jail.
Well, yes. Re my "When these Marines are exonerated, Murtha should have to pay under the Patriot act in Gitmo, I would do the honors."
While I agree that the Marines have been slandered deliberately worldwide, (and it will be used as a terrorist recruitment tool) they would be hated anyway. We can't please these scumbag foreigners that will make up and believe any lie about an American (with or without MSM help) and we should NEVER try.
The speed of the self destruction of the MSM is largely dependent on them. Unfortunately, they have to screw up and get caught (RaTher) and we won't frame them (two sets of rules). As much as I want it now, I always have to wait.
About all I can suggest is additional training for our military on politically motivated frame ups and how to pro actively frustrate them.
Agreed.
I was thinking of ways to pave their way and not to frame them. Framing implies we would have to lie about their behavior. Dont htink thats necessary.
Friendly Fire Incident.
AP is already publishing "analysis" saying this will drive down support for the war and further damage US President Bush.
How can Bush can out in front of this story and not let that happen.
How does a President at 35% approval deal with this?
Strange how the President is at fault for everything that every member of military does. Especially when his military has investigated and has punished members of the military in the past.
CBS as an organization in general is about as much an ally of Al Queda as "Pinch" Sulzberger is...
"...The Wrights declined to say whether their son witnessed the killings or what he thought of the allegations against other members of his unit. He was under so much pressure because of the investigation that he consulted an attorney, they said. He has also experienced psychological trauma...."
Terms like psychological trauma when used by the familes usually indicate close collaboration with lawyers. "This is what you NEED to say..." they are told.
Well, I guess that old saying that Lawyers suck until you need em' is true.
There's going to have to be some really compelling evidence before I turn on this Marine unit. None of this so far passes the smell test.
This doesn't smell like a cover up any more this smells like a set up of Muthra and company, that perhaps they have been fed tibbits of info that will make them run off at the mouth, and at the right moment they will be exposed to the truth and will be totally discredited and disgraced.
"There's a ton of information that isn't out there yet," said one lawyer, who, like the others, would speak only on the condition of anonymity because a potential client has not been charged. The radio message traffic, he said, will provide a different view of the incident than has been presented by Rep. John P. Murtha (D-Pa.) and other members of Congress. For example, he said, contrary to Murtha's account, it will show that the Marines came under small-arms fire after the roadside explosion.
One of the military lawyers said Nov. 19 was the 3rd Battalion's "hottest day" in Iraq, and was unusually violent even for al Anbar Province, which is where the insurgency began and where it remains extremely active.
In addition to drone surveillance that day, AV-8 Harriers were dropping bombs, helicopters were evacuating wounded, and a large firefight occurred about one-third of a mile from the site of the civilian shootings, said several people familiar with the investigation.
Also yesterday, the Los Angeles Times reported that a Marine said he photographed at least 15 bodies after the attack, which he said he was not involved in. Lance Cpl. Roel Ryan Briones, the first member of the unit to speak publicly about the incident, told the newspaper that after he took the pictures he helped remove bodies, including that of a young girl who had been shot in the head.
Briones indicated that since returning home to Hanford, Calif., he has suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder stemming from the corpses he saw and carried that day. "They ranged from little babies to adult males and females," the Times quoted him as saying.
Less than two days after coming home he was charged with stealing a pickup truck, leaving the scene of the accident, driving under the influence of alcohol and resisting arrest, the newspaper said.
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Since when do Marines carry bodies in their arms? They have body bags, stretchers, etc. for this task.
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