Posted on 06/01/2006 8:15:24 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
June 1, 2006 — Military sources told ABC News that there are likely to be charges filed against officers up the chain of command in connection with the killing of 24 civilians by U.S. Marines in Haditha, Iraq, in November 2005.
Those who could be charged include senior officers who were not on the scene at the time of the killing but should have known something wrong had happened and done something about it.
Today the White House confirmed that it was nearly three months after the Haditha killings that an investigation began, only after Time Magazine showed a video to a military spokesman.
Until then, the military insisted the civilians in Haditha had been killed by a roadside bomb.
But the video showed a bloody scene that suggested otherwise and prompted officials to launch a preliminary investigation into what happened.
The investigation quickly uncovered evidence the civilians were killed by the Marines, not a roadside bomb. From that point interest in the case quickly reached the highest levels.
"This is just a reminder for troops either in Iraq or throughout our military that there are high standards expected of them and there are strong rules of engagement," Bush said. "The Haditha incident is under investigation. Obviously, the allegations are very troubling for me and equally troubling for our military."
Bush was first told about what happened on March 11, one week before Time Magazine first reported the story. Since then, the president has received regular updates on the investigation from the secretary of defense and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Sources familiar with the investigations told ABC News that the initial report claiming the civilians were killed by a bomb was filed by Sgt. Frank Wuterich. Wuterich was the top ranking Marine on the team that went into the houses where the civilians were killed. The question now, though, is where were his superiors?
They will.
Does anyone else question the authenticity of this video? Has anyone seen it? Who made it? Sunni's?? The very same people behind most of the terrorist acts in Iraq??
It seems rather strange to me that a video would surface in ABC News hands in March, 4 months AFTER the supposed massacre.
Would it be a stretch to assume that IF this video really did show a massacre by American Military that it would have been sent to every news organization in the world within days, perhaps hours of the event??
The investigation quickly uncovered evidence the civilians were killed by the Marines, not a roadside bomb. From that point interest in the case quickly reached the highest levels.
So, let's see: The investigation did not begin until AFTER ABC showed this video to the military in March, 4 months AFTER the supposed incident. I would sure like to know what evidence showed up that supports this media claim.
It is very obvious that the media is enjoying themselves immensely over this. They hate the military and want to see the military spat on when they return (ala Vietnam).
Well, I have had enough with the media. Each media I see from now on I will, at the least, SPIT IN THEIR FACE and hope, PRAY, that they retaliate against me.
Oh goodie... more "sources"
C'mon Chaplain 'everything his/her unit does or fails to do'.
How I hope that this has some mitigating factors and unknown aspects for the actions of the Marines.
This sounds like a field report right?
The 'government' has lost credibilitiy -Only among you far-left cool aid drinkers. Fortunately, the highly credible (look at all the polls) US Marine Corps will do a professional and thorough investigation. For the Military Justice system to work, the accused should mount a credible defense.
Things are just about wrapped up in Iraq. Zarqawi will be turning himself in any day now. It was a nice try by you lefties, but your information warfare couldn't keep us from winning.
A Sergeant is an enlisted soldier of the 5th highest out of 10 ranks. It typically is held by a soldier with 3-8 years of service; that is, it is held by a young, inexperienced but motivated troop.
The article says that the soldiers entered civilian homes.
What I don't see is a time frame. When was this junior NCO asked to recount these events?
If I wanted to cover up something on a patrol, I would not refer to at all in any after-action report.
It's entirely possible a young troop was asked to remember something and he simply wrote what he thought he recollected from that period.
We are addressing legal liability as opposed to leadership responsibility.
I think the whole thing is a lie.
The Muslims are lying. I think the terrorists killed
the people in cold blood. They want the Americans blamed.
The people in Haditha are only too willing go along.
IMHO.
Well isn't that special!!
If this is true it shows:
A. That media types are truly idiots when they cannot see a setup made specifically to manipulate them.
B. Or that media types really do think we the peeples are truly stupid.
Will need to keep tabs on this and verify the origin of this video.
It will be tried fairly in a military court. After a fair trial, I expect there will be convictions. That's all I am saying, as I would predict an outcome about any other case discussed in public, though not yet tried.
That said there is no doubt the treasonous media has moved into the stage where the manufactured narrative of American atrocities is heading into full swing. You have to be able to separate (1) the possible actual guilt of those Marines (albeit under conditions that true Americans know are mitigating in our hearts), and the necessity for the press to report accurately about the particular case, from (2) the overall misleading, lying, unbalanced reporting, etc., etc., etc., that the press does with its anti-American agenda.
I totally agree with your statements. I don't believe anything that's reported by the Liberal MSM. Their agenda is obvious for those willing to see the truth.
Since the results of the investigation has not been made public, to my knowledge, how would this 'source' know this to be true?
9, E5 to E7 here... Apparently the original Marine communique from Camp Blue Diamond in Ramadi did say that the families were killed by the roadside bomb. Here's a link to a post with the Nov 20, 2005 Reuter's article to that effect. I thought there would be a mixup between the field report between there and battalion. This story says sommething different. That the Sgt involved in the incident initiated the story that the civilians were killed by the IED.
What is it you expect the President to do about this? He may be their Commander in Chief, but he does not, and should not, direct their actions on the ground. He is doing exactly what he SHOULD be doing right now, staying out of it and letting the military do its investigation without any pressure or influence from his office.
From what I've read, the video is just of the bodies of the women and children who had been shot while in a kneeling position. The ASSUMPTION has been made that it was the Marines who did it. As far as I have heard, there is NO proof of this.
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