Marine Called Haditha Shootings Appropriate

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/23/AR2006082301829_pf.html ^ | 8/24/06 | Josh White

[W04Man]

A sergeant who examined the scene hours after Marines killed two dozen Iraqis in Haditha last year said the shootings appeared to be an appropriate response to a coordinated insurgent attack, according to a sworn statement obtained by The Washington Post.

Sgt. J.M. Laughner, part of a Marine human-intelligence exploitation team that was hunting down insurgent bombmakers, went from house to house in Haditha on Nov. 19, 2005, and acknowledged finding two dozen bodies, including some of women and small children.

But Laughner said the scenes of the slayings appeared to match the version of events the Marine squad provided that day and did not seem especially out of the ordinary, according to a transcript of Laughner's interview with military investigators in March.

[kellynla]

Thanks for the post, WO4Man & the ping, usmcobra.

As I have been saying for months, when all the evidence is revealed regarding this incident; I expect these Marines & Corpsman to be exonerated.

We Marines just hope that when these Marines & Corpsman are vindicated that the MSM will be as vigilant in reporting their innocence. But we won't be holding our collective breaths.

Semper Fi,
Kelly