Posted on 03/14/2007 3:08:45 PM PDT by RedRover
Your lack of knowledge on this subject is evident - Understand it is not our ROEs that are the problem (per say). But interpretation conflicts that arise by the bureaucracy within the military itself.
Those interpretation conflicts coming from all different levels, be it by different commands, particular Cpt's, or as is typically the case JAGs involved with AARs.
Do you know anything about EOFs? Or AARs? - These two areas are the biggest reasons why disputes ever come about regarding the use of force. And the President can do little about each of these processes. That is the reality bud.
Those interpretation conflicts coming from all different levels, be it by different commands, particular Cpt's, or as is typically the case JAGs involved with AARs.
Do you know anything about EOFs? Or AARs? - These two areas are the biggest reasons why disputes ever come about regarding the use of force. And the President can do little about each of these processes. That is the reality bud.
Oh please. You make it sound as if the CINC is powerless to effect the outcome of any decision by any officer in his OWN damn Army!
A group of Marines is getting railroaded and you say the President of the United States has to sit back and take it because he is powerless.
As an Army officer, I can assure you there are lots of ways to cut through red tape. GEN Honore was my brigade commander back in the 90s, he was a master of making things happen, bureaucracy be damned. We need that kind of leadership in the White House.
His job as CINC is in on the strategic level. You are thinking foolishly if you believe it would be a benefit to have a CINC in office who daily involved themselves within the military bureaucracy
These Marines have not been convicted of anything yet. They will hopefully walk completely free (as they deserve). At this time in the process there is really no room for the CINC.
Found this from Newsmax about discrepancies in reporting on Haditha. It essentially says it was the Division's Public Affairs Officer who left out the information about the Marines' response to small arms fire contributing to civilian deaths that day.
From Newsmax, "Pentagon Leaders Distorting Haditha Facts"
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2006/8/25/114732.shtml?s=br
...."The Post reported that the anonymous sources at the Pentagon charged that after the killings, the Marine Corps issued a statement that Iraqis had been killed in Haditha by a roadside bomb, with no mention of insurgent small arms fire directed at the Marines.
Actually, the report issue by Sgt. Wuterich, who commanded the Kilo company squad, in effect reported that a total of 24 had been killed — 15 civilians by the IED blast and ensuing fire, and eight of the dead assessed to be enemy, in addition to the Marine killed in the IED explosion.
Most tellingly, the report concluded, "The follow-on small arms fire between insurgents and coalition forces contributed to the civilian deaths."
Incredibly, the Division Public Affairs Officer, who was totally removed from the situation, either left out the last sentence on purpose, or just overlooked it.
Marines at the battalion level said that they were dumbfounded that he left out that crucial piece of information when they read the final press release, but it was too late at that point. They recalled that they were not surprised that the press release raised questions, and attributed it to the out-of-the-loop people at division headquarters, and not to deception.
Even the Naval Criminal Investigative Service acknowledged the existence of that last line, charging that the last sentence, although fairly clear, was too brief and did not accurately reflect the magnitude of the number of civilian deaths. That is the basis of the accusation that the battalion was deceptive in its reporting."........
Red, this may also explain the 23 versus 24 deaths issue that we were discussing.
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