Two Haditha Marines Face General Courts-Martial [LtCol Chessani and LCpl Tatum]

Defend Our Marines ^ | October 19, 2007 | Nathaniel R. Helms

[Albion Wilde]

Pray.

[RedRover]

These are United States Marines who fought America's war in Iraq...

On their way to a hearing: (from left) LtCol. Shelburne (military defense counsel), Brian Rooney (civilian counsel), LtCol. Chessani (May 30, 2007.)

Marine Lance Cpl. Stephen B. Tatum, right, arrives with his civilian defense attorneys Jack Zimmermann, left, and Kyle Sampson, center, for his Article 32 Investigation Hearing at Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base in San Diego County Monday, July 16, 2007. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

[2111USMC]

I had really hoped that Mattis would put an end to this BS.

I guess it was just wishful thinking.

[Wills Powers]

Col. Chessani is getting the PC shaftola.

IN HIS DEFENSE, MilitaryCorruption.Com will be running a story on Monday about this latest betrayal of our warriors in uniform.

You heard it here first.

[jazusamo]

These are United States Marines who fought America's war in Iraq...

And now we must help them fight their war here at home!

I'm confident they will be exonerated.

[RedRover]

Story from ABC News, Courts-Martial for 2 in Haditha Deaths, is posted here.

[jveritas]

What is that mean? Is the Court Martial a sure way to conviction?!

[Chickenhawk Warmonger]

These Marines served honorably and received this in return. I am ashamed and very very sad.

[jazusamo]

The captions are not up to date.

If you would like to help with the civilian lawyer’s legal fees for the
Haditha Marines you can do so by going to these sites.

Defend Our Marines

Lance Cpl. Justin Sharratt

SSgt. Frank Wuterich

Lance Cpl. Stephen B. Tatum

Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani

NewsMax Fund Drive

[RedRover]

You bet, Albion. Prayers up.

[brityank]

“You might as well have a political officer in every battalion to make sure every order is politically correct,” Rooney said.

Sorry, Brian -- that is already in place now; they are from JAG and are now attached to almost all levels of command, to provide 'guidance in the LOAC and ROE'. The reason we didn't hit the funeral gathering of the Al Qaida group of almost 50 insurgents was because the JAG officer would not sign off as pertinent to a valid prosecution of the ROE.

[bray]

What a waste of time. When is Turda going to testify?? Is he still pressuring the Generals??

Pray for W and Our Marines

[occamrzr06]

in Haditha, Iraq almost three years ago in which.......

“........complex ambush” on December 19, 2005,

Am I the only one that counts this as almost 2 years?

Prayers to our Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen, and Coast Guardsmen!

[Girlene]

What???!!!! I imagine that Mattis was quite tempted to exhonerate all these Marines to lay the groundwork for Murtha’s lawsuit. I can only hope Mattis has a heck of a good reason for doing this.

[Lancey Howard]

Wow, what a horrific disappointment Mattis turned out to be. Disgusting.
It makes you wonder if this was part of the deal for that fourth star.
There is absolutely no excuse for this obscenity. There goes any respect I had for Mattis.

[RedRover]

Please keep us posted on the story, Wills.

[bigheadfred]

Since I am really just a 46 year old kid, when did everything change, did it start in Korea?
If Chessani didn’t think it was worth investigating further, good enough, end of story.
Really feel for Tatum and his family.
And if it isn’t overstepping the bounds,can we give Harry Truman another shot? He knew what to do.
I’m pretty sure more than 24 “innocent civilians” were killed in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

[RedRover]

You and both. I believe Gen Mattis is beyond political influence. But the timing of this fourth-star confirmation hearing leaves plenty of room to wonder.

[smoothsailing]

What is that mean? Is the Court Martial a sure way to conviction?!

No, it doesn't mean that at all. It's sad, IMHO, that this has to go forward, but it means nothing at this point. Chessani and Tatum will be defended, the burden will be on the prosecution, which is suspect at best. We should all be saddened that it's gone this far.

This is disturbing news, and we, all of us, must redouble our efforts to aid these men.