Posted on 05/31/2006 4:01:53 PM PDT by Types_with_Fist
A preliminary military inquiry found evidence that U.S. Marines killed two dozen Iraqi civilians in an unprovoked attack in November, contradicting the troops’ account, U.S. officials said on Wednesday.
President George W. Bush said he was troubled by news stories on the November 19 killings of men, women and children in the town of Haditha, and a general at the Pentagon said the incident could complicate the job for the 130,000 U.S. troops in Iraq.
“Allegations such as this, regardless of how they are borne out by the facts, can have an effect on the ability of U.S. forces to continue to operate,” Army Brig. Gen. Carter Ham, deputy director for regional operations for the military’s Joint Staff, told a Pentagon briefing.
I'm trying to stop. You stop first.
I know, but its the tone of it I was commenting on. the statement focuses on the assumption that the basic charges are legitimate.
at this point, even if the investigation provides a different explanation - it won't matter. the media has run with the story as if it were true, and the administration makes the same mistake over and over again - you have to be out there with an opposing point of view, some kind of rebuttal. if you aren't, then the spin from the MSM becomes the truth in the eyes of most americans. and if the story is later shown to be otherwise, its buried on page 30, and it dissappears from the news. hence, the damage is done.
Free speech is beautiful.
The press will think it's worse than the truth no matter what. It's up to us to get the truth out when the actual investigation concludes. Our press sucks big time....let's fight them rather than pick on Bush, okay?
Good grief. Playing fast and loose with YOUR OWN rumor is UGLY.
Shame on you.
Yes it is, but free speech with truth and responsibility is much more beautiful...........
Reuters must be getting spoon fed by Osama bin Laden's cronies. If you can't beat America on it's soil use it's media. Just as they used our planes as missiles.
(The discussion about what I said has gone on longer than what I actually said. I think that is incredible).
Anyway, this thread is supposed to be about the Haditha Probe but I have a right to defend my free speech rights. You see, I am a constituent, not a worshipper of any politician. I think it's more reasonable to be a constituent.
I understand what you're saying about the Administration, but he cannot rebut anything.
He could caution the media to wait and let everything play out. That would be an alternative. But he cannot give the slightest edge to the side that says these people are innocent or these people are guilty. You think he gave the edge to that they're probably guilty. I don't. He focused on news stories, rather than on any actual "facts" about the case or incriminating or exculpatory material.
At that time, the news stories were overwhelmingly suggesting that they are guilty. He reacted to that. Yes, it was a reaction, not a planned counteractive. It was all based on the Media basis of "oh this is horrible oh this is awful the Marines slaughtered some innocent civilians waaaaahhhhh waaaaahhhhh!" He said the stories were troubling. IF guilty they would be punished.
The media stories are driving this. You want Bush to drive it his way. He cannot do that. Cannot.
Anyway, this thread is supposed to be about the Haditha Probe but I have a right to defend my free speech rights. You see, I am a constituent, not a worshipper of any politician. I think it's more reasonable to be a constituent.
Same old news wrapped up in a new headline.
I am starting to think maybe this so-called probe was an anal-probe because they obviously pulled that headline out of their butts.
Excuse me for being crude. ::grin::
I'm sure more BS. Dave Thompson (sp) showed how easy it is to post something to the wires and it goes around the world without one bit of truth or fact.
I haven't seen any tabloids and I haven't been anywhere but here on the internet. I got my info a couple of weeks ago. Good night.
But he sure has a tough row to hoe.......dealing with an opposition party and a press that are virtual traitors. Glad I don't have opponents this vicious..........
I don't care what the media stories have been so far, he must counter that with some kind of message. he doesn't have to stand up there and say "they are innoncent", but the tone of what he did say could have been more along the lines of what I wrote.
Well, DUH. You're the one who hijacked the thread with your vicious rumors and now you want to change the subject to your free speech rights! FOTFLOL!
In the military justice system, command influence can cause a case to be thrown out for exactly the reasons you cite.
Those in a position to reward underlings who parrot their superior's opinions is a terrible thing when a poor troop is trying to get justice.
If the general thinks you're guilty does not make you guilty, but it sure can make the military justice system crank out results pleasing to the general (or president, or senator or congressman.)
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