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Father of Marine Backs Son's Iraq Comrades
Forbes/AP ^ | 5/31/06 | Felicia Caldwell

Posted on 05/31/2006 11:02:15 AM PDT by pissant

The father of a U.S. Marine killed by a roadside bomb in western Iraq in November believes his son's comrades did nothing wrong despite a criminal investigation into events that left more than 20 Iraqi civilians dead, including women and children.

"It's very hard for me, I don't even listen to the news," Martin Terrazas said of reports of the mass killings in Haditha, in Iraq's Anbar province. "The insurgents were hiding in there with the kids."

Lance Cpl. Miguel Terrazas was killed when his military convoy hit a roadside bomb in the western Iraqi city of Haditha. Initial accounts from Marines indicated that a fight with insurgents ensued and that 15 civilians and eight insurgents were killed in the explosion and subsequent firefight.

But now, separate investigations seek to determine whether the Nov. 19 killings were criminal and whether the Marines involved and their commanding officers tried to hide the truth. The Pentagon has said little publicly.

The New York Times reported Wednesday that evidence uncovered in February and March contradicts the claims made by Marines about how the Iraqis died.

Citing an unnamed senior U.S. official, the Times reported that a review of the incident by Col. Gregory Watt in Baghdad has uncovered evidence that casts doubt on initial reports by Marines involved.

"There were enough inconsistencies that things didn't add up," the unnamed official said, according to the Times. The report cites death certificates that show all the Iraqi victims had been shot, many in the head and chest.

Luis Terrazas, the uncle of the Marine killed in Nov. attack and a former Marine himself, said Marines are trained not to lose their cool under pressure.

"Jarheads don't just go out and kill because they get frustrated," said Luis Terrazas, 39. "Their training is exquisite. It just doesn't make sense."

Martin Terrazas, who said he has met with many Marines from his son's unit, said the men didn't give him many details of the attack.

"They wouldn't go into details," Martin Terrazas said. "I just needed to know if my son suffered. They just said it wasn't a pretty sight."

The Marines also told the grieving father that they did what was necessary to survive.

"Hearing my son's comrades is very hard," Martin Terrazas said. "Those Marines just did their job. Some of these kids were saying, 'We have to live with it.'"

The parents of two Marines from the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force based at Camp Pendleton in Calif. told The Associated Press that their sons were ordered to take pictures of the scene and help remove the bodies. The parents of Lance Cpl. Roel Ryan Briones, 21, and Lance Cpl. Andrew Wright, 20, said memories of the killings have haunted the Marines.

Briones' mother said her son did not witness the killings. Wright's parents declined to say what their son saw that day.

Miguel Terrazas was in the midst of his second tour of duty in Iraq when he was killed. His family says he knew how dangerous his duty was, having survived an ambush during his first tour.

When he came home before his second deployment, the young Marine told his family not to worry.

"He said, 'No matter what...don't worry,'" Luis Terrazas said, fighting back tears.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption
KEYWORDS: fakebutaccurate; haditha; murthawatch
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To: Just A Nobody

even when factoring in some media bias into the polls, the numbers are there. which americans do you think support the iraq war? democrats?


101 posted on 06/01/2006 8:24:57 AM PDT by oceanview
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To: Flora McDonald
They must be feeling it is them against the world by now. We have to let them know that is not so.

Let me know what I can do. I'm with ya!

102 posted on 06/01/2006 8:45:20 AM PDT by Just A Nobody (NEVER AGAIN..Support our Troops! I *LOVE* my attitude problem. Beware the Enemedia!)
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To: oceanview
I am assuming the one word answer to my question is "polls"

I have no further comment for you.

103 posted on 06/01/2006 8:48:39 AM PDT by Just A Nobody (NEVER AGAIN..Support our Troops! I *LOVE* my attitude problem. Beware the Enemedia!)
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To: Just A Nobody

sure, keep ignoring all the polls. there is actually 75% support amongst the american people for the iraq effort, keep believing that.


104 posted on 06/01/2006 10:07:03 AM PDT by oceanview
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To: oceanview
I ask you a simple question........

Where are you getting your information?

What do I get?

sure, keep ignoring all the polls

I plan on it! *shaking head*

105 posted on 06/01/2006 10:18:34 AM PDT by Just A Nobody (NEVER AGAIN..Support our Troops! I *LOVE* my attitude problem. Beware the Enemedia!)
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To: Just A Nobody

Rasmussen from 5/11:

"Fifty-one percent (51%) now believe the situation in Iraq will be seen as a failure in the long run. Just 34% believe it will be seen as a success.

Thirty-six percent (37%) of Americans believe the U.S. is safer today than it was before 9/11. Forty-six percent (47%) disagree.

Twenty-nine percent (29%) of Americans believe things will get better in Iraq over the next six months. Forty-nine percent (49%) believe they will get worse. A month ago, 31% expected things to get better."

See anything you like there?


106 posted on 06/01/2006 10:38:02 AM PDT by oceanview
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To: delacoert; pissant; TheCrusader; Donald Rumsfeld Fan
The intended accusation in this line is just so full of malignant stupidity that it really p!$$es me off. What did this reporter expect!?! A pile of dead bodies with bullet wounds to the knee and pinkie?!? Marines fired their weapons and people died. People die when wounded in the head an chest. And survivors (with or without bullet wounds) don't have autopsies done on them. The reporter's intention is to imply execution.

Yes, it really pi$$ed me off, too. She was feeding these accusations to the bleeding heart lefties who are sure to lap it up and nod their heads because this is what they've expected (after much propaganda, Kerry Swift Boat style) for so long.

107 posted on 06/01/2006 11:26:25 AM PDT by fortunecookie
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To: Protect the Bill of Rights
The media has been trotting out the footage of the 9 year old witness. Surprise...not IIRC, she said the Marines burst in while her father was praying. If what she says is what she remembers, what are the chances they were terrorists dressed as Marines?

It seems a little too pat. Either insurgents posing as marines or insurgents hiding behind children provoking marines, and, as I've said, making sure to leave terrorized children alive to tearfully retell their (the insurgents) story. Just her wording. She doesn't seem like a 9yo retelling a horrific event (we've seen them on TV before, children retelling catastrophic events). It seems odd at best. And the 'coincidence' of Kerry pushing his agenda against the Swift Boat Vets, with this story so eerily similiar - I'm not ready for a tinfoil hat, but the timing is odd.

108 posted on 06/01/2006 11:33:33 AM PDT by fortunecookie
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To: fortunecookie

It is beyond treasonous what the MSM is doing right now. I am going to work my tail off to see they are held responsible for this crap.


109 posted on 06/01/2006 12:54:10 PM PDT by pissant
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To: pissant; airborne

I think Haditha is next for cleaning out. Did you see Airborne's post that out of 50K people, only 100 went to vote, due to the terrorist hold of the city?


110 posted on 06/01/2006 12:56:57 PM PDT by txhurl (haditha delenda est.)
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To: txflake

Simultaneous raids on Ramadi & haditha would suit me just fine.


111 posted on 06/01/2006 1:01:37 PM PDT by pissant
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To: pissant
It is beyond treasonous what the MSM is doing right now. I am going to work my tail off to see they are held responsible for this crap.

I'm behind you on this! It just really riles me up. It is exactly that, treasonous. And it gets me, too, (maybe you've encountered this) the sheeple who drink it in and nod to each other, ignoring all the good they hear and focusing on this purported 'evil' of our troops. I run into them everyday. My friend and I can't civilly discuss it. See? I'm still torqued off about it.

112 posted on 06/01/2006 1:12:02 PM PDT by fortunecookie
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To: fortunecookie

And I'm thinking this whole episode is looking fishier and fishier. The media knows it is, and is still beating the drum. Grrrrrr.


113 posted on 06/01/2006 1:34:12 PM PDT by pissant
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To: Just A Nobody

The Time report.

Nope, don't have it right: ) You have:
They said what killed them was shrapnel from an IED, then changed to a propane tank explosion, then changed to bullets.

I think the propane tank explosion, caused by the grenade, could very well be the aforementioned IED......which, if true, means they didn't change their story..... An IED does not need to be buried in the ground and hit a Humvee. And IED is an IED.


114 posted on 06/01/2006 3:44:29 PM PDT by freema (Proud Marine FRiend, Mom, Aunt, Sister, Friend, Wife, Daughter, Niece)
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To: Flora McDonald

Tell it, sister.


115 posted on 06/01/2006 6:09:40 PM PDT by freema (Proud Marine FRiend, Mom, Aunt, Sister, Friend, Wife, Daughter, Niece)
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To: SAMS

Here's another excuse to hug him. Hug him for me : )


116 posted on 06/01/2006 6:15:51 PM PDT by freema (Proud Marine FRiend, Mom, Aunt, Sister, Friend, Wife, Daughter, Niece)
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To: Paperdoll

I rather think his mother was scared out of her wits for him... and ran to the media.


117 posted on 06/01/2006 6:17:34 PM PDT by freema (Proud Marine FRiend, Mom, Aunt, Sister, Friend, Wife, Daughter, Niece)
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To: Protect the Bill of Rights; fortunecookie

Just for the record. Ohio Reserve Marines were ambushed in August. All killed. Weapons confiscated.


118 posted on 06/01/2006 6:19:46 PM PDT by freema (Proud Marine FRiend, Mom, Aunt, Sister, Friend, Wife, Daughter, Niece)
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To: pissant

Thank you again.


119 posted on 06/01/2006 6:21:06 PM PDT by freema (Proud Marine FRiend, Mom, Aunt, Sister, Friend, Wife, Daughter, Niece)
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To: freema

Most welcome.


120 posted on 06/01/2006 6:23:39 PM PDT by pissant
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