Probe Finds Haditha Killings Unprovoked

Reuters ^ | 5-31-06 | Will Dunham

[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.

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[sinkspur]

This is the same cut and paste post you put up to me on another thread. So go over there and read my response.

[Pox]

Are you saying that Laura I. and/or her sources could not possibly be mistaken or even possibly being misled?

I've heard a half dozen versions of what happened since this first broke last year, and literally hundreds of different spins from all spectrum of the political wilderness, and I think we owe it to our soldiers not to engage in petty speculation bordering on vicious gossip.

Let it go until the investigations are concluded....

Then, if any charges are filed, take those with a grain of salt until they are fairly tried, which is supposed to be the bedrock foundation of our legal system, civilian or military, which is "Innocent until proved guilty".

Consider we've been down this road a few times with other allegations over the last few years and exactly how did those turn out?

[FreedomNeocon]

Thats their M.O.

Get out in front of everything with wild assertions, that way its win/win (for them in their minds).

If something comes of it, they consider it a bonus, and when nothing comes of it, they st know it still leaves a residue of general suspicion, and a pop-culture attitude of mistrust. To say nothing of the 'headline above the fold' and 'correct buried on A11' phenomena.

That the communist media tool's true goal.

[ikka]

Boy, they can't even spell "Jenin" right.

[sinkspur]

You are accusing US Marines of killing everyone with a square block of where the IED went off?

No, Johnnie, I'm not.

I've noticed that you don't actually read what anybody says. I'm beginning to believe those who criticized you when we were on the same side.

You put words in people's mouths, then jump down their throats, gutting them for things they did not say.

[Cobra64]

Mr. President. Don't be troubled NOW. Be troubled if they are tried and convicted.

He already said he was troubled, implying that the incident was true. Apparently he's still in "apologetic mode" from last week. I wish he'd keep his mouth shut.

[sinkspur]

BTW-was anyone else disappointed by the President's comments on this. More mush.

This is serious. The only people who don't seem to think it is are on Free Republic.

[andy58-in-nh]

All we have is a bunch of Hate America types screaming things. Accusations are NOT proof.

Precisely. If Fidel Castro's thugs were to be publicly accused of doing the same to suspected American sympathizers in Cuba, your News Media would be right there denying it and challenging the motives of the accusers. I thought Rush Limbaugh said it well today:

...the left in this country would have done not a damn thing about the slaughter, the rape, and the torture of the Iraqis by Saddam Hussein. The point is, they don't care about the Iraqi people and don't let anybody tell you they do, and don't let them convince you they do. These people claim to be all upset over the death and murder of innocent Iraqis. It's a little late for that, leftists, you phony baloney, plastic banana, good-time rock 'n' roller hayseeds. If you cared about the citizens of Iraq, you would have done something about it and demanded something be done about it soon after you learned of the torture and rape rooms that Saddam Hussein was in charge of.
But, oh, no! You had to go out and portray the United States as the focus of evil. We're the bad guys. Saddam just had to do all that to keep his country in control. You claim to be concerned, these leftists claim to be concerned only when they can use information to embarrass our military and undermine the war effort, which is what everybody in the Drive-By Media and all of their guests who are chomping at the bit for this to be even worse than it appears to be, all they want is to undermine not just the forces that wear the uniform, they want to undermine the whole war effort, and that's nothing new. That's who they've been ever since I have been alive.

[Cobra64]

why should we be troubled by unproven allegations?

Bingo! Tell W that.

[jw777]

I'm disappointed. That's why previous post said that he should not be concerned with the mere allegation, he should only be concerned with a factual finding of guilt and conviction of the accused.

F*cking wish someone in this administration would start bringing sedition and perjury charges for bullcrap like this. It's one thing to say that some marines have been accused, but it's reading "marines murder innocents", and that undermines our troops.

[sinkspur]

He already said he was troubled, implying that the incident was true. Apparently he's still in "apologetic mode" from last week. I wish he'd keep his mouth shut.

Bush is helping prepare the country for the worst. So was Peter Pace, on Monday.

You guys don't seem to get it.

[Future Snake Eater]

You believe that if an IED goes off, anybody within a one block area can be shot and killed, even if they had nothing to do with the IED. Right?

If only you knew...

[jw777]

that's why i'm disappointed in him. his implication was guilt before a trial or conviction.

[demlosers]

Why should we be troubled if they're found guilty beyond reasonable doubt?

You appear to be reveling in bad news.

[jw777]

I have lots i'd like to tell that non-conservative President of ourse.

[JRandomFreeper]

Unlawful doesn't mean wrong. And lots of wrong things are lawful. God will be the final Judge of the Marines. Mankind will judge them here. Exculpatory evidence hasn't been provided, and the lawful part is subject to debate. There are times that unlawful behavior is vindicated, based on the circumstances.

/johnny

[Pox]

That may well be true, but to continue to speculate as you are is not useful to anyone but possibly yourself by putting yourself in a position in the next few days to weeks to be able to say " I told you so ", which is fairly petty and self centered, IMO.

How about just waiting until the reports are in and charges are filed, if applicable, before you strut around like you sh!t doesn't stink, eh?