Posted on 05/30/2006 4:50:16 PM PDT by Aussie Dasher
US lawmaker John Murtha today renewed his explosive charge that US soldiers killed unarmed civilians in Haditha, Iraq and the US military tried to cover it up.
"This is what worries me. We're fighting a war about America's ideals and democracy's ideas and something like this happens, they try to cover it up," Pennsylvania Representative Murtha told CNN television.
"It is as bad as Abu Ghraib, if not worse," Mr Murtha said.
Two separate US military investigations are under way into the killings in November of some 24 unarmed civilians in Haditha.
"They knew the day after this happened that it was not as they portrayed it.
"They knew that they went into the rooms, they killed the people in the taxi. There was no firing at all. And this comes from the highest authority in the Marine Corps, so there's no question in my mind."
The lawmaker, a Democrat and a former Marine, said: "It breaks my heart to think Marines did something like this. And when you hear some of the stories now that are coming out, it just makes it worse than ever."
Yesterday, General Peter Pace, the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, said it was too early to pass judgment on the allegations.
"It would be premature for me to judge the outcome" of the Pentagon investigation into the incident, Gen Pace, a marine, told CBS television.
While acknowledging the investigations, Gen Pace said that, if true, the Haditha case was in contrast to "the 99.9 per cent who are doing their job exactly the way the American people expect them to".
US officials said on Saturday that the probes into the November 19 killings were nearing an end and that Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld had been briefed on the investigations.
Time magazine reported on Monday that lawmakers were told in briefings last week that some members of the Marine unit involved may soon face charges as serious as murder.
Mr Murtha told CNN that some Iraqi families had been compensated.
"The reason I've been speaking out is Iraqis know about this. This has been all through Iraq. There's no question about it. They paid people $US1500 to $US2500. This doesn't happen unless it comes at the highest authority," Mr Murtha said.
Asked if he meant victims' compensation Mr Murtha said "Yes. And that doesn't happen ... if it's an explosive device".
"For the Marines to do something like this has got to be punished as quickly as possible so the world understands that we don't condone something like this," Mr Murtha said.
Senator John Warner, the Republican chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has said he would treat the matter like the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal and hold congressional hearings into the incident.
Ping
Every Marine US or Her Majesty's, needs to send this scum a Social Calling Card with a White Feather! ARRRRGGG!!!!!
Filthy Murtha
If Diana Irey defeats John Murtha, conservatvies will celebrate even if Republicans lose the election as a whole.
If it's a 'bad' as Abu Ghraib then it's a just another overblown piece of anti-American lies and yellow journalism and is nothing to worry about.
He is the Murtha of All Traitorous, Bitter, Powerless, Anti-American Democrats.
What's with the Congressional Repubs? They should be condemning Murtha - instead, they want hearings? Whatever for? Are they signaling that they don't trust the military?
Diana appears to be a vast improvement in EVERY way!!!
What are her chances?
Am I the only one to notice the increased violence in Iraq as this scumbag keeps trashing our troops?
Diana appears to be a vast improvement in EVERY way!!!
What are her chances?
M unless it's murtha
Here's a link to a letter written by Marine Lt. Pantano about his court marshal last year and the way Murtha has called our marines guilty of cold blooded murder before the ongoing investigation is complete.
A must read if you haven't already read
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/27/AR2006052700846.html
Support Diana Irey to retire Murtha in November.
http://www.irey.com/
I would love to see every Republican (non-RINO) veteran in Congress, along with any conservative Democrat veterans there may be, line up and one by one call Murtha on what he is - a liar, a coward, and a traitor - right to his face.
If each of them spat in his face after talking, that would be even better. But that's just a fantasy.
Is Murtha crazy, a communist, or both? Giving him the benefit of the doubt, I would say that his blind raging hate for President Bush is clouding his judgement. With no evidence and no trial he is a yellow coward for showing no support for his fellow marines. There is no excuse for such outrageous behavior except that he has a serious mental disorder. What kind of officer was he to turn like this? Or is he hoping to be the next Secretary of Defense under a Democratic Administration? God save us all if that happens!
We could use a GOP hottie in the Congress!
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