Posted on 08/09/2007 2:02:38 PM PDT by radar101
Statement from Lt. Gen. James Mattis concerning his decision to drop all charges against Capt. Randy Stone in the Haditha murder case. The Marine Corps released his remarks Thursday:
"I have thoroughly reviewed and considered all of the evidence surrounding the Haditha incident and Captain Stone's conduct with respect to command reporting of and response to the incident. It is clear to me that any error of omission or commission by Captain Stone does not warrant action under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
"The Article 32 Investigating Officer recommended that the case not be tried at court–martial. I am aware of the line that separates the merely remiss from the clearly criminal, and I do not believe that any mistakes Captain Stone made with respect to the incident rise to the level of criminal behavior.
"In determining the appropriate disposition of this case, I have also considered Captain Stone's conduct and performance in full context. During the time period at issue, Captain Stone was in his first assignment serving as a Marine judge advocate under difficult circumstances as a staff member of an infantry battalion engaged in combat operations. He willingly volunteered for this assignment and took on challenging duties with enthusiasm. Similarly, his attentiveness to training the Marines in the law of war and rules of engagement and willingness to share their hardship to better appreciate the challenges facing them are notable. By patrolling alongside the infantrymen in his Battalion, he helped them embrace the imperative of ethical behavior in combat. In this manner, he directly contributed to our Nation's effort to fight a shadowy enemy who hides among and endangers innocent people and does not comply with any aspect of the law of war.
"Captain Stone and his fellow Marines served in the most ethically challenging combat environment in the world. Nonetheless, Marines are expected to withstand the extreme and fatiguing pressures inherent in counterinsurgency operations, protecting the innocent, while tirelessly fighting the enemy with relentless vigor. I have no doubt that he now understands the absolute necessity for objective inquiry into the combat actions of our Marines in such an environment, especially when innocent lives are lost.
"Captain Stone's experience in this incident offers many hard learned lessons that I am confident will serve him well in the future. It is incumbent on him to ensure that the lessons he has learned provide guidance for future judge advocates who may serve under similar circumstances in an infantry battalion in combat.
"I have impressed upon Captain Stone the fact that the Marine Corps' investigation into the Haditha incident has been driven solely by the interests of justice. Now that his case is resolved, I know that he will continue to serve with motivation and dedication, and with the understanding that he has much to contribute to the success of his unit and the Marine Corps."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Statement from Lt. Gen. James Mattis concerning his decision to drop all charges against Lance Cpl. Justin Sharratt in the Haditha murder case. The Marine Corps released his remarks Thursday:
"The events of November 19, 2005 have been exhaustively reviewed by Marine, Army, and Naval Criminal Investigative Service investigators. An independent Article 32 Investigating Officer has considered all the facts and determined that the evidence does not support a referral to court–martial for LCpl Sharratt. Based on my review of all the evidence in this case and considering the recommendation of the Article 32 officer, I have dismissed the charges against LCpl Sharratt.
"LCpl Sharratt has served as a Marine infantryman in Iraq where our Nation is fighting a shadowy enemy who hides among the innocent people, does not comply with any aspect of the law of war, and routinely targets and intentionally draws fire toward civilians. The challenges of this combat environment put extreme pressures on our Marines. Notwithstanding, operational, moral, and legal imperatives demand that we Marines stay true to our own standards and maintain compliance with the law of war in this morally bruising environment.
"The experience of combat is difficult to understand intellectually and very difficult to appreciate emotionally. One of our Nation's most articulate Supreme Court Justices, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., served as an infantryman during the Civil War and described war as an 'incommunicable experience.' He has also noted elsewhere that 'detached reflection cannot be demanded in the face of an uplifted knife.' Marines have a well earned reputation for remaining cool in the face of enemies brandishing much more than knives. The brutal reality that Justice Holmes described is experienced each day in Iraq, where Marines willingly put themselves at great risk to protect innocent civilians. Where the enemy disregards any attempt to comply with ethical norms of warfare, we exercise discipline and restraint to protect the innocent caught on the battlefield. Our way is right, but it is also difficult.
"With the dismissal of these charges LCpl Sharratt may fairly conclude that he did his best to live up to the standards, followed by U.S. fighting men throughout our many wars, in the face of life or death decisions made in a matter of seconds in combat. And as he has always remained cloaked in the presumption of innocence, with this dismissal of charges, he remains in the eyes of the law – and in my eyes – innocent."
LtGen Mattis = A Marine’s Marine.
Semper Fidelis,
fontman
“From ABSCAM, including (but not limited) to...
Our Military being decimated during his tenure as Head of the Defense Committee
King of “EARMARKS”...more than 150 MILLION DOLLARS for 2008!
Proponent of a Draft
His rescue and unmatched support of Code Pink
Martha is under (AGAIN) investigation?
John Martha’s “culture of corruption.”
His constant trading of votes for pork
His bribe cover-up
To having a Democratic director of the VA. bus vets to his (Martha’s)rally
His brother getting $20.8 million as a defense lobbyist
...to his seditious allegations and anti-American positions in a time of war.”
And this is just what the MSM decided to cover/let us know about him. It makes me wonder what we don’t know about Kennedy, Clintons, Reid, Pelosi et al..
Murtha needs to resign; I hope these troops sue Time (I think it was Time Mag that indicted them with their false reporting) and I hope they sue Murtha for slander. I don’t know if a sitting congressman can be sued, but Murtha deserves to be shunned, sued, thown out of congress, and live the rest of his life in total guilt of what he did to these marines.
The democrats and their poodles in the media are disgraceful and disgusting.
Murtha needs to go in disgrace. IMO, any apology by Murtha would be meaningless and a joke. There is no way in this lifetime that Murtha can right the wrong he perpetrated on these brave Marines. Murtha’s conduct was self-serving and damaging to our troops and our country. Murtha disgraced his political office, he disgraced our country, and made a total ass out of himself.
I haven’t been following this as closely as you. Does this mean all the Haditha charges were baloney and all the soldiers are not guilty?
“Murtha needs to apologize”
He needs to resign.
How about impeachment for that.... less than honoroable former Marine?
“Does this mean all the Haditha charges were baloney and all the soldiers are not guilty?”
Hammer meet nail.
Ping
Thank you!
I know, Red, it is so contrived and collaborative that it sickens me.
I remember that bit about the photo showing the poor innocent Iraqi being executed as he was kneeling in prayer. Time had to issue a retraction for that, but it was already out there. And it had already been repeated on several news shows. None of them issued retractions.
Scumbags, all of them.
That’s why we must absolutely NOT give up the fight to expose this fraud for what it is and how the MSM conspired with certain politicos to tarnish our military and weaken American support for the war. It is collusion, pure and simple, and you have illustrated that in your graphics time and again.
Thank you.
I should give a hat tip to Gitmo Sailor for getting me starting on those graphics.
Back on the Diana Irey threads, he said we should do more graphics because they were attention getting.
And a hat tip to ol’ smoothie for tracking down most of these clips and transcripts.
I am but their lowly handmaiden.
Well, major props to you all!
Thank you.
Gitmo and Smooth, two thumbs up for the both of you. :-)
Thank You, Shelayne for helping to make Murtha accountable, he’s a disgrace!
Red - does this mean that the charges the IO recommended instead of the courtmartial for Capt Stone are a “no go”?
When Lt. Gen. Mattis requested that the I.G. look into this case back at the beginning of the year, I would have put my money down on this exact outcome. LtGen Mattis is widely respected by Marines on the ground. They know he’s a leader by old-school standards and that he will protect the Marines in his charge. He’s never been known as a pc type, which makes him even better (if you’re a Marine). The media might not like him, but his subordinates do — and that’s what matters most to him. He’s a fair, straight shooter, and a rarity it seems, since the clinton era.
Regardless, I thank you, Lt. Gen Mattis! My husband respects the heck out of you.
Some of my favorite Mattis moments:
“The first time they [Taliban and Al Qaeda] run into U.S. Marines, I want it to be the most traumatic experience of their miserable lives,” Mattis told his Marines. “I want them to fear us and never want to engage us again.”
“For the missions sake, and the
sake of the men who carried the division’s colors in
past battles - who fought for life and never lost their
nerve - carry out your mission and keep your honor
clean. Demonstrate to the world there is ‘No Better
Friend, No Worse Enemy’ than a U.S. Marine.”
-Major General James N. Mattis
Commanding General, First Marine Division
...my personal favorite...
“I’m not a great general. I was just up against other generals who don’t know shit.”
Major General James Mattis, 1st Marine Division, Iraq 2003
“Apologies won’t cut it. Murtha needs to be brought up on charges.”
That’s right and nothing else will do.
>> The experience of combat is difficult to understand intellectually and very difficult to appreciate emotionally.
Do you know from whose perspective Lt. Gen Mattis’ is referring? If it’s meant to be that of the media and politico, then Mattis is being too kind in casting what is outright hostility to the veil of ‘misunderstanding’ and ‘appreciation’. On the other hand, the Military’s exemplary respect and honor of others is no doubt a factor in the words Mattis chose to use.
The reference to ‘detached reflection’ epitomizes the arrogance of those who, from the comfort of the security they’re provided, denigrate, disparage, and second guess the Marines who have but a split second to chose between life and death. The context in cases like Haditha is sorely absent from the dissemination machine operated by the scoundrels and deviants who indulge themselves in the misery of our men and women fighting for our freedom.
[“I’m not a great general. I was just up against other generals who don’t know shit.”
Major General James Mattis, 1st Marine Division, Iraq 2003]
That is classic but he underestimates himself! :-)
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