White House: Haditha details to be public

AP/Yahoo ^ | 5/31/06 | Unknown

[Coop]

... Snow said that he has been assured by the Pentagon that "all the details" will be made available...

Rep. John Murtha... has said Marines shot and killed unarmed civilians in a taxi at the scene and went into two homes and shot others.

On Tuesday, [Snow] said President Bush learned of the killings only after a reporter from Time magazine asked questions...

Asked when Bush was first briefed about the events in Haditha, an insurgent stronghold in western Iraq, Snow replied Tuesday: "When a Time reporter first made the call."

According to the attorney for one of three Marine Corps officers relieved of command from a Marine battalion are not targets of investigations into whether their troops killed the civilians or tried to cover it up.

Meanwhile, Lance Cpl. James Crossan of North Bend, Wash., who was injured in the roadside bomb attack in Haditha, told a Seattle television station that some of the Marines might have snapped after seeing one of their own killed in action.

"So, I think they were just blinded by hate ... and they just lost control," Crossan told KING-TV, which aired the interview Tuesday.

The targets... are about a dozen enlisted Marines, according to Hackett, a Marine reservist and Iraqi war veteran who represents Kimber... [Hackett] said the highest ranking among those under investigation is a staff sergeant who led the four-vehicle convoy that was hit by the bomb.

Kimber... was relieved of command last month because his subordinates... used profanity and criticized the performance of Iraqi security services during an interview with Britain's Sky News TV...

...Hackett told The Associated Press by telephone. "He's not under investigation for anything related to what has played out in the press." [snip]

[foxfield]

Thanks for refreshing my memory about Kerry's SF180.

A quick peek at Google reveals that people have already started looking into John Murtha's record. See Brent Bozell's "Murtha’s Mangled Medal Stories" for starters.

[Coop]

We have heard the report--and how it changed. As I said, that much is known--and it is, by any reasonable standard, probable cause.

Oh really? Show me. We have heard reports from suspect sources that reports were changed. I've seen no actual evidence here at all. We do not know if these reports are accurate or mistaken. If you have access to the original and subsequent investigative reports, please provide a source.

This initial report could have been a simple SITREP (daily situation report), in which case discrepancies are completely understandable. If it were a "thorough investigation," then some Marines likely have some serious problems.

[BeHoldAPaleHorse]

Oh really? Show me. We have heard reports from suspect sources that reports were changed.

The Marines do not start up investigations into capital charges based on reports from "suspect sources."

[SevenMinusOne]

The reality is (the largest story regarding this situation that is not being reported by the MSM) is one of the living children that lived within these three houses (that were raided) is on VIDEO TAPE admitting that she KNEW an IED was planted and would go off....therefore she didn't leave for school that morning (the morning in question here).

Those within these homes were helping the insurgents. That is the reality. This was LOS (line of sight) IED -

[BeHoldAPaleHorse]

The reality is (the largest story regarding this situation that is not being reported by the MSM) is one of the living children that lived within these three houses (that were raided) is on VIDEO TAPE admitting that she KNEW an IED was planted and would go off....therefore she didn't leave for school that morning (the morning in question here).

Smart kid.

Those within these homes were helping the insurgents.

Not proven. They simply weren't helping the Marines.

[Coop]

Curious choice of words. I don't believe I've found anyone in a public position who has adopted a "see no evil, hear no evil" position. Have you? However, I have come across at least one very prominent, overweight, EX-Marine Congressman who has had no problems pronouncing guilt. With an adoring media by his side.

If a crime occured in Haditha in November 2005, that's one thing, and it's why we have a military justice system.

But if, as it appears, there was an attempt to cover up a crime, that's a whole 'nother ball game.

Yep.

If it was merely negligence in the performance of duties by the unit commander, it's just as serious.

Nope. Nada. No way. Not by a long shot. This ain't Law & Order. It's combat. Your attempt to put both on equal footing is weak at best. And I notice you did not include an option anywhere for a positive outcome (legally speaking, as in no charges filed) for the Marine Corps. Kinda says a lot, doesn't it?

[Coop]

The Marines do not start up investigations into capital charges based on reports from "suspect sources."

As I suspected. You are basing your claims of what we know on suspect reporting.

Just like we "knew" there was no gunfire after the IED. And just like we "knew" three officers were relieved of command due to the Haditha investigation. (AP says otherwise this morning.)

[river rat]

".......sick of it...."

Roger that!

The ONLY way I can console myself, after seeing or reading about the stupidity, corruption or blatant racism of so many Congress Critters ---- is to go into my shop and make more ammo....

Sooner or later, I'm gonna run out of space to store the damned stuff.

Perhaps next week, I should instead start building a magnificent guillotine........

Semper Fi

[SevenMinusOne]

Not proven. They simply weren't helping the Marines.

When a 13 year old knows there is an IED planted (that is a LOS IED) and knows not to leave her house....They are in the know and most certainly helping the insurgents.

Especially when one understands where in Iraq this took place - That LOS IED was very likely detonated from one of these three houses.

[LanaTurnerOverdrive]

Wrong answer Tony. This portrays President Bush as out of the loop.

Is it true? If it is, Bush is out of the loop and you would prefer Tony lie about it. If it's not, then Tony is lying about it. Which do you prefer?

[Coop]

That 13-year-old girl (or maybe 12) is up to at least three different versions of her story. Perhaps it's the fault of shoddy reporting; perhaps not.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1641256/posts?page=9#9

[SevenMinusOne]

That 13-year-old girl (or maybe 12) is up to at least three different versions of her story. Perhaps it's the fault of shoddy reporting; perhaps not.

When this child admits she didn't go to school because she "knew" the "bomb" was going to go off...she is reveling the real truth. Children can't hide the truth once you get them talking very often -

She spilled the truth. She knew (which means her family knew) there was an IED planted - They are not innocent bystanders in an event in which they knew nothing about...or in a situation in which there wasn't a purposely provoked response from our Marines.

[Coop]

I'd sure as heck get off to school if a bomb was near my house! There are so many things about these accusations that just don't add up. But enough areas of concern that an investigation is certainly warranted. I just wish Murtha and friends would wait until charges are at least filed before pronouncing guilt and sentencing.

[FourtySeven]

Considering the MSM's track record as of late, I don't see a reason to believe anything they say unless their sources have names.

I think this whole affair is disgusting. Even if these men are guilty of what's being claimed, the precursors to the story, like these "unnamed officials" and "anonymous source" stories just show how eager the press, and also some in our government, are to relive the "glory days" of Vietnam type massacres. And yes, those are considered glory days by these America hating leftist scumbags, because it perfectly encapsulates everything they just love to hate about America in a nice bitter little pill: our military might and dominance.

To such people, the very fact that we are a superpower is enough to hate us; it's as though they have some kind of guilt complex, and simply loathe the fact that they live in a country that has such a unique and unquestioned ability. I just wish they would go to a psychiatrist, and quit burdening the rest of us with their sick desire to destroy this country, simply because they can't live with their own neuroses.

[SevenMinusOne]

The reality is a few of the Marines likely went a little through the roof after this IED hit (very likely). With that said, the picture that the MSM is trying to paint as if these were all "innocent" victims who had no reason at all for any of this to happen....is utter BS!

100% BS!

[lugsoul]

I know - should've put a sarcasm tag on there.

[Eagles6]

"First official report "concluded" that the Iraqis civilians were killed by the IED. A subsequent investigation concluded that the Iraqis were killed by gunfire."

Where did you get this info? From murtha, the msm and "unnamed" defense department employees, that's where. Has one Marine officer gone on the record confirming these allegations? Not that I can find.

[lugsoul]

You are losing it.

Victim? You couldn't come up with anything I've said about being a "victim" even if you just made it up out of whole cloth. Which you have already proven yourself willing to do.

[Coop]

Prove it

[OldFriend]

Murtha is so full of hatred for the President that the fact that the Marines are collateral damage in his campaign against the administration doesn't matter at all to him.