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?
Oh C'mon. The President could have come out and said something to the effect of:
"Rather than comment on an ongoing investigation, I remind everyone in the media, the Congress, the public that in our system we are innocent until proven guilty."
Instead he gave that weak response about making people pay if they broke the law. Reminding us of our laws, values and commen sense is not only correct and needed, it would in no way compromise the Military legal system. Get a grip.
General Pace and Secretary Rumsfeld are following the same path. To be equal, go ahead and attack them, too, hotshot.
If I had heard them say something as feeble as that, then yes, I would have gone after them too.
Why you would think that reminding the everyone that these men are innocent until proven guilty, to remind us not to pass judgement until the investigation is over would be a wrong approach is beyond me.
Well then, "undue influence" works both ways. the President should have been neutral, he was not. If undue influence is truly what you are concerned about, then reminding us that these men are innocent until proven guilty, that we should not jump to conclusions, would have made a hell of a lot more sense. Instead he appeared to allow media reports to sway.
I guess we must disagree.
The 4 guys in the 4th house had one. It was also at hand. That's why they recieved no compensation.
"sources say"
seems we should be finding and arresting these "sources say" as they should not be "saying"
If they are lawyers they should be disbarred.
You're the joke, puke.
Her name is Diana Irey and she is a great alternative to Murtha Focker. Plus, she is attractive and that is always a bonus for a public official. JK/LOL
FReepers are giving her support no matter the state they are from.
http://www.irey.com/
You'd be waking up in Leavenworth the very next morning. That kind of motion would get laughed out of any court -- it would last about a nanosecond in a military court.
Took little if any resources to win the War on Telemarketeers.
If Iraq is allowed to be retaken by the forces of Terrorism you can say goodbye to a lot more than telemarketeers.
Removing the King of Terror was an absolute necessity for the region and the world. Now some of his minions and allies are making war upon the Iraqi People itself as a means of winning the War in the US media. It is only this success which keeps its hopes alive. It can only win the war HERE.
OK. Then if the "war on terror" didn't cease to be priority #1 when the Federal anti-telemarketing legislation was passed, it certainly did when the Medicare prescription drug law was passed soon afterward.
If trivialities can becloud our ability to comprehend what is necessary to protect our nation then we are truly forked.
How could I have been so wrong? Zarqawi will not be turning himself in! The resistance goes on.
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