Father of Marine Backs Son's Iraq Comrades

Forbes/AP ^ | 5/31/06 | Felicia Caldwell

[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.

[Txsleuth]

I really appreciate you keeping all the threads on your page...there are so many of them...seems the media can't get enough of a story about rogue Marines...

BTW..on O'Reilly just now, he had on someone Army bigwig named Batiste that I have seen on Chrissy Matthew's show...he is going with the "this war wasn't fought right" line...

I guess so he can blame Bush and Rummy for this "massacre"...blech

[Txsleuth]

I don't know...

[Txsleuth]

You have your opinion, I have mine.

[delacoert]

I saw about three of our vehicles travelling one after the other on a dusty road when the lead vehicle was blown up (not just shot) and was instantly fully on fire. Then came the scenes of the bloody floors of nearby houses...
This was certainly presented as live footage of the incident by the narrator.

Yes on FOX... I saw it too.

I interpretted what I watched as a report with the video supplimented by unrelated pool footage (in the case of the convoy bombing), and including the Iraqi video of the aftermath. I'm almost certain that it was a typical MSM misrepresentation. But I could be wrong.

[SAMS]

You can add this Marine Mom to the list of names that support these Marines. Our son just returned from that cesspool, the al Anbar provence. My prayers are with them and their families.

[KTM rider]

[QUOTE]I am not condoning a massacre, but neither do I believe that one happened; and it would take a whole lot more than the words of some muslims who are taught to hate "infidels" from their infancy, and are taught that it's a virtue to lie to 'infidels', before I'd convict our own guys of anything. I get sick every time I read another story about the military pressing charges against our own guys. If this is how we're going to fight this war then prepare for it to last 100 years, or more. Perhaps it will never end.{/QUOTE]

Exactly ! I think you hit the nail on the head and drove it in with one hit here

this is the entire WOT in a nutshell, this has been going on since the time of the "Crusades"

[Txsleuth]

I know you aren't trying to offend anyone...

BTW...I have heard/read that story over and over by Briones' mother about how he carried the little girl out, and her brains spilled on his boots...

But, last night...on some TV show, she said he carried out her body bag..don't know if it is a big deal or not...but, since I don't trust the MSM at all...I guess I try to pay attention to actual quotes from people..instead of relying on what "a source" said.

Thanks for posting that part of the article...

[Paperdoll]

>Briones is going to be the poster boy for the "traumatized by massacre" Murtha etal will use<

And when I saw Briones on the news I think I was looking at a young man who will be alot richer before this is over.

[EyeGuy]

Thank you for your thoughts. I agree with everything you said. As a guy who did not serve in the magnificent military of our great country, I always give great weight to what current and former soldiers have to say.

Much of the nation, seems to be losing an understanding of the basics of warfare.

I pulled two thoughts out of your post, because I think they reflect the two most important, larger issues emerging from this incident:

---

"But if I were a young guy today, seeing all these prosecutions against our own troops by our own military, and being held to impossibly rigid 'rules of engagement', I can't say that I would want to join a military like that."

"I get sick every time I read another story about the military pressing charges against our own guys. If this is how we're going to fight this war then prepare for it to last 100 years, or more. Perhaps it will never end."

[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?

[daybreakcoming]

In your RE article - it says "In an interview with CNN, the new Iraqi ambassador to the United States, Samir al-Sumaidaie, said there appeared to have been other unnecessary killings of civilians by Marines in Haditha, where some of his family lives.

Civilians. Is it his practice to call terrorists 'civilians' because they are not in uniform? I do not believe his statement and he is the ambassador to the US? Not good.

[Txsleuth]

I saw the same footage...and agree, that they were just trying to put some footage together...

OH, DEAR...Alan Colmes is saying why should we believe President Bush that if the Marines did wrong, they would be punished??

PUH-LEEEEEEEEZE!

These lefties are just GIDDY over this...totally sickening.

[pissant]

Well God Bless your son and thank him on behalf of the us Freepers!

[Txsleuth]

I think it is possible...my goodness we have heard of uniforms missing...

Velveeta has also posted that the little girl has told 2 other stories that don't jibe.

[Txsleuth]

I found that whole article disturbing...because the whole tone of it seemed accusatory, without clear evidence.

But, Murtha has said they killed "in cold blood"...so, I guess is the MSM's minds, case closed.

[pissant]

Thank you for your posts on this thread. The USMC has a friend and admirer named Freerepublic.

[freema]

+


Thank you.

[Velveeta]

Here are the links to 3 different versions of Safa Younis' story:

Safa (also spelled Saffa) Younis (also seen spelled as Yunis) Salim.

There was one survivor, Safa Younis Salim, 13, who in an interview said she lived by faking her death. "I pretended that I was dead when my brother's body fell on me and he was bleeding like a faucet," she said.
http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,1518,418464,00.html


Only 13-year-old Safa Younis lived -- saved, she said, by her mother's blood spilling onto her, making her look dead when she fell, limp, in a faint.
http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060527/NEWS/605270390/1039


Twelve-year-old Safa says she survived by hiding under the bed.
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/13053200/

[jimboster]

I bet the marines went into the house and demanded, "Where are the men that did this?" The women said, "No men here, we love America." Then the marines found the men hiding in some trap door or something. The guys in the taxi were probably first rate insurgents. I bet the marines found something on one of these "students" that proved they were involved- maybe a videocamera.

[Txsleuth]

Thank you so much...I would have sent the poster to where I had read your post...but there are so many different threads it would have taken a while.

I find so many things about this that don't "jibe" and this is a good example...of course the ones that want to blame the Marines will discount her different stories because of her age...and the trauma.

I suspect we will get "evidence" in dribs and drabs...until the REAL report is released.

Thanks for posting those links..