Posted on 12/21/2006 11:03:18 AM PST by areafiftyone
CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - A Marine Corps squad leader was charged Thursday with 13 murder counts stemming from the killings of 24 civilians in the Iraqi town of Haditha last year, his attorney said.
Staff Sgt. Frank D. Wuterich was charged with 12 counts of murdering individuals and one count of murdering six people by ordering Marines under his charge to "shoot first and ask questions later" when they entered a house, according to charging sheets released by defense attorney Neal Puckett.
As many as eight Marines could be charged in the case, the biggest U.S. criminal case to emerge from the war in Iraq in terms of people killed.
The deaths occurred on Nov. 19, 2005.
Lawyers for two Marines already have said they expect their clients will be charged and it’s believed up to six others could join them.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
"In the kind of environment that they are fighting in...the "shoot first, ask questions later" lesson is probably the only reason we don't have MORE dead troops."
NOT having this policy is why we are at where we are at in Iraq and why we will NEVER win.
And you know what I care about .... how?
(Hint: not by assumption nor by projection...)
Don Rumsfeld is amongst the most honorable men I have ever seen serve this country.
Not so.
Murtha has dirtied the water. Every leader knows that Murtha now holds the purse strings as head of the Armed Services Appropriations Committee. He has put his credibility on the line, and he doesn't want it besmirched after he's stuck his neck out like this.
This is command influence of the worst kind. There is no way that I'll ever believe these guys are guilty no matter what any court says. This needs to be taken away from the Marines and be given to a court of retired officers & NCOs who are not influenced by the current needs of the military.
Their rules of engagement authorized them to do exactly what that SSG told them to do....shoot first and ask questions later.
They should be givent the benefit of the doubt. They were in combat, they were receiving fire, and they were permitted to spray rooms and toss grenades into them.
I can't believe they even have to defend themselves.
In any case, the gross command influence exercised by Murtha means we'll never know if these guys truly are guilty.
Thanks for that reminder....everyone should read David Horowitz's book....Unholy Alliance to really understand.,....the ACLU is the legal arm of the Marxists...
They don't like our Marines much either.
I pray you're right. I trust our military justice system, too, but I don't trust Murtha.
His reputation (what's left of it) is riding on a trial. He'd look like an idiot if these boys weren't charged. And Murtha controls Marine Corps appropriations. A powerful man indeed.
I repeat, go away.
Okay newbie, what are your previous incarnations here?
Can't argue with that. Hang around, Zemo, alot of us are in a sour mood, don't let it bug ya.
There'll be another six or seven Marines charged before the day is over.
Oops sorry about that! I goofed!
Why would I discuss anything with a spamming retread...?
US marines face Iraq murder trial
************************************AN EXCERPT ****************************
There was no full US investigation into what happened until three months later when video footage that was taken by a local human rights activist of the aftermath reached Time Magazine.
I just don't understand this...
One of the "lessons learned" from past conflicts..the Beirut massacre, etc., should have been to NEVER tie the troops' hands re: using their weapons.
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