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.
My pleasure.
I agree that there's much that doesn't jibe.
No doubt whose side they are on. Thanks for posting these links.
I hope so.
I also noticed that the mother is on TV giving details of his friends death. The uncle said that fellow Marines did not want to tell him the details. I suppose the mother doesn't mind doing so.
My son was in Haditha. That could have easily been his squad. When he left to go over there we told him to his job and do what is necessary to survive. I would tell him the same thing today.
...told him to DO his job...(sorry)
Thanks for those links.
I think one of your other posts is very telling:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1640317/posts
Posted by Velveeta to Scotswife
On News/Activism 05/31/2006 8:55:21 AM EDT · 426 of 468
It also corraborates the testimony of a young girl who survived the massacre - she said it was American soldiers who came into her home.
Actually, that's not accurate.
The little girl specifically stated: "I couldn't see their faces very well—only their guns sticking into the doorway."
In FACT, the little girl thought the Iraqi soldiers were responsible: ""We were lying there, bleeding, and it hurt so much. Afterward, some Iraqi soldiers came. They carried us in their arms. I was crying, shouting 'Why did you do this to our family?'
http://www.time.com/time/world/printout/0,8816,1174649,00.html
I share your same fear...
I just posted on another thread...that in the news tonight was a story about 2 women in a car in Iraq, one pregnant that got killed by Americans, when the car didn't stop at a checkpoint.
WELL, just a few minutes ago, on Alan Colmes radio show, a guy calls up and starts saying, "First Abu Gharib, then Gitmo, then Haditha..NOW, these women"...then goes on to say that President Bush is a terrorist and our troops are becoming terrorists under his command.
On the other thread, I also said that what happened in Haditha is just the scenario that al-queda would want to pull off...because what do they hear, here?
Murtha's big mouth saying that we can't win militarily...we have to win "hearts and minds"...well, what happened in Haditha will make even the Iraqis that WANT to trust us, NOT trust us...and you even have the new Prime Minister blasting us..
This is just to "pat"...and plays too much into the terrorist's plans, and naturally the lefties HERE are going to run with it.
Well...I have to go to bed...see you tomorrow.
AMEN!!! I thought he was there and looked for you on this thread earlier. I'm glad you know where he is now. ;*)
Batiste was one of the "7 Little Generals" calling for Rummy's head last month. Cross him off the list as a reputable source.
support for the iraq war is already down to the core republican base - its not going to go any lower over this incident. this is why Bush should stop apologizing, and start delivering a message that hits back against the left. the same people who would insist that a killer like Tookie Williams get decades of due process, want these Marines cast as murderers and war criminals in 2-3 weeks.
"It also corraborates the testimony of a young girl who survived the massacre - she said it was American soldiers who came into her home.
Actually, that's not accurate.
The little girl specifically stated: "I couldn't see their faces very well—only their guns sticking into the doorway."
~~~~~~~~~~~
So, by this account, she couldn't see their faces at all, or their uniforms, because only their guns were sticking into the door.
Then
the problem with the falsified reports as in the IED being changed to gunshots as cause of death for the 'innocents' is NOT a problem when looking at the original Time story...a grenade exploded a propane tank=IED...and then they supposedly shot 'em all up.
ping
I could never DEFEND putting a bullet into the head of a child but I can EASILY UNDERSTAND how it could happen.
When all is said and done I will BET my last buck that the MSM is behind this, TIME MAGAZINE, NYTIMES etc.
One of those MSM outlets investigated this after getting a tip by some Iraqi and pushed it until the military had no choice but to investigate!!!
Not even gonna ask how glad you are that you're not looking down the barrel at a deployment.
'Cause I know the answer.
Semper Fi, Flora.
Where are you getting your information?
Thanks - good job sorting through the crap!
Sorthing thru the crap is right. Another thought. Bear in mind, I don't know what the report said. It sounds like these were just listed as a cause of action, I don't know if they report detailed who was responsible for either action.
So that there is no confusion (too late) what report are you referring to?
1. The initial military report
2. The Time "report"
3. The yet unreleased Pentagon investigation report?
The fact that this accusation against our Marines is being dissected and tried in the court of public opinion, using snippets of LEAKED information and the word of a 9 y/o child, coerced by a "human rights" group and media pukes makes me sick!!
Speaking of the 9 y/o - let's see if I have this right.
They said what killed them was shrapnel from an IED, then changed to a propane tank explosion, then changed to bullets.
Is that correct???
Words cannot convey the disgust and rage I feel at the dupes in the media for falling for and embellishing this terrorist propaganda and at Murtha and his political allies for their disgraceful comments.
These Marines and their families need all the support and love we can give them publicly and privately. They must be feeling it is them against the world by now. We have to let them know that is not so.
The truth about what happened that day in Haditha is only known by the Marines involved and I will believe them and only them no matter the outcome.
No one should be second guessing these men.
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