Posted on 07/07/2006 3:58:07 PM PDT by mdittmar
BAGHDAD, Iraq — The No. 2 U.S. commander in Iraq completed a review today of an investigation into a possible cover-up of the alleged Marine killings of 24 Iraqi civilians in the western town of Haditha.
Lt. Gen. Peter Chiarelli forwarded his findings and recommendations to Gen. George W. Casey, the top commander in Iraq, according to a statement.
The investigation was separate from an inquiry still under way into whether a small number of Marines from the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment murdered the 24 civilians — including unarmed women and children — on Nov. 19 after a roadside bomb in the town killed one of their comrades.
Chiarelli's report was based on an investigation conducted by Maj. Gen. Eldon Bargewell into whether the Marines followed proper procedures in reporting the incident to commanders, or whether anyone engaged in a cover-up.
His investigation also may consider whether any criminal charges should be brought.
The military initially said the Iraqi deaths were the result of the roadside bomb and a subsequent gunfight with insurgents.
A U.S. military official said Chiarelli agreed with Bargewell's findings for the most part, but there were some areas in which he recommended a different course of action. The official did not elaborate.
He said the investigation found that errors were made in the reporting and follow up of initial allegations after the killings and suggested some were of a criminal nature.
"It essentially bolsters the ongoing criminal investigation and lays bare some of the administrative faults that existed during November 2005," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the findings have not been publicly released.
"What some of these people did wrong is certainly not illegal or criminal, but administratively their actions are something that Gen. Chiarelli wants to look at," the official said.
The official said the military hoped to release most of the findings in the next two weeks, but anything that could be used in the criminal investigation would not be made public.
"Some of the portions will be redacted because they could be used in a criminal investigation, either a current one or one in the future," he said.
The case is one of several allegations of U.S. abuse of Iraqi civilians that threaten to further weaken popular support for the Iraq war in the United States and tarnish the military's image.
Iraq has ordered its own probe of the killings, with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki using unusually strong language to condemn them.
Ya gotta love the old media,they keep trying;)
Yes...isn't it convenient that there is a "leak" that says one thing...and another "leak" that says the opposite??
All I know is, one of my local TV stations reported this tonight, breathlessly, as the report having FOUND a cover-up and that there have been 3 Marines that have been released from service, and "there are more...."
So...it really doesn't matter what is REALLY said in the report..the MSM already have decided their story..and by gosh, I betcha they could give all of the Marines the Medal of Honor...and the MSM would STILL be calling them war criminals.
LOL..it WAS my local CBS station that reported it as FACT that this was a CRIME that was COVERED UP!
Lotsa "supposedlys" in your post....which is the EXACT problem with this whole case.
PING
It's all the fault of Private Umptyfratz.
And how do they know what's in the report if Casey just got it??
ping
Maybe Murtha told them...since he seems to know EVERYTHING about this case....blech
Seriesly, I have no idea...but, you can bet that this will BE the story, and that no amount of evidence in the future, that acquits any of these players from any guilt will make ANY difference.
The libs and MSM have found their "answer" tonight, by "sources", and, like with Karl Rove, they will always believe they are guilty.
They've been getting away with their BS on radio for so long - that's it's SOP for them.
The station here that carries Rush, Hannity, and Mark Levin ALL have ABC News...and they lie, and get really overly dramatic as well...blech.
I don't get the CBS RADIO news...but, unfortunately, I turned to the local CBS TV news tonight, when I heard their breathless reporting on this story...and it sounded almost word for word what you posted that CBS radio news said.
The MSM is fully a terrorist ally. What lying sacks of sh*t
Amen. And as we learned from the Judith Miller/Libby episode, journalists will throw out red herrings (e.g. calling a congressional staffer a "military official") in order to throw leak investigators and prosecutors off the scent.
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