I don’t understand why the US MArine Corps would go to such lengths to try these Marines if there was not good evidence agains them.
I don’t know why, if there was evidence that the Iraquis who filed complaints were insurgents and anti-American, the defense whould not present this evidence.
I do not know why, if there was not a problem with individual violations of Rules of Engagement, why Senior Officers from the USMC would have to travel to Iraq to lecture on the grond Marines in following orders, as happened in the last year.
I pray for these Marines because if they are innocent, they face a s*** storm unnecessarily- but if they are guilty, they should swing.
Political pressure is why. I'm guessing you haven't been following this story closely because the evidence supporting the Marines' version of events is pretty overwhelming. Just today Red posted above recently declassified documents that pretty much clears them. Rather than the budding journalist or "human rights" worker the guy who gave the tape to TIME claimed to be, he was part of the insurgency. That was picked up through cross talk on cell phones. That would make any evidence he had suspect.
If you followed this from the beginning you'd also know that the 12 year old girl who is one of the witnesses (though she won't appear in court, nor will any other Haditha person involved) changed her story several times. Now if this were just small details I could understand, but to have the location of her brother being shot changing from the kitchen, under the bed, in the bathroom, etc. pretty much destroys her credibility. If she were 4 or 5 this kind of confusion makes sense, but not from a 12 year old. Especially when we know from an interview she did with CNN that she stayed home from school that day because she knew the bomb was going to go off (even covering her ears beforehand). The forensic analyst that testified said that the men who were shot in the house were shot from AT LEAST 2 feet away, indicating they couldn't have been shot at point blank range as the "family" contends.
I don’t know why, if there was evidence that the Iraquis who filed complaints were insurgents and anti-American, the defense whould not present this evidence.
They have been presenting it (hence the release of some of the classified info). You're just not hearing it because, with the exception of one or two sources who are reporting what actually happens in the courtroom, most are giving a slanted version to support the story they've been feeding the public since this whole mess started, thanks to TIME (who have had to retract more than one thing about their article) and Murtha's completely irresponsible statement.
I do not know why, if there was not a problem with individual violations of Rules of Engagement, why Senior Officers from the USMC would have to travel to Iraq to lecture on the grond Marines in following orders, as happened in the last year.
In all honesty, politics. These Marines absolutely followed the rules of engagement, I think that's been established here, at least, for a while. But, the story is out and sensationalized. It's been compared with Mai Lei (with which it has nothing in common), leaks have been one-sided and in our ultra-PC world, we can't have Marines being "insensitive". The have to appear to be doing something. So they go talk with the boots on the ground. The problem is, in a battle you can't hesitate and if civilians are in the crossfire, they're going to be shot. It's sad, but unavoidable. The PC war the press & the left in this country want could get people like my son killed if they constantly have to hesitate (to make sure some insurgent isn't hiding behind a civilian) while being shot at.
Honestly, there are many, many links posted to information about this case. You should read up on it at least a little bit.
Cindie
Wow, do you have a lot of catching up to do.