Posted on 01/02/2012 10:28:48 AM PST by smoothsailing
January 2, 2012
It certainly seems appropriate that the last defendant in the Haditha case is the squad leader, SSgt Frank Wuterich. Leaders take responsibility, and SSgt Wuterich has taken full responsibility for the actions of his squad in Haditha. His stance from the outset has remained clear:
As the last Marine originally charged in the deaths of Iraqis in Haditha, Iraq in 2005, SSgt Wuterich will be seated at the defense table in his general court-martial two days from now, Wednesday, January 4th. Barring last minute motions or outright dismissal of charges, jury selection will begin Wednesday or Thursday. SSgt. Wuterich will be tried by a jury of combat-experienced Marines, and the panel will include at least two Marines from the enlisted ranks.
Much has been written over the last six years about Haditha, and links to some of the most recent news articles and commentaries are included at the bottom of this post to help bring readers up to date. For older Free Republic postings, please use this link or enter the keyword Haditha in the Free Republic search engine.
The purpose of this Free Republic thread is to serve as a "Master Post" where trial news and updates can be brought together in one place for easy reference by those interested in following the proceedings as they unfold.
Freepers Smoothsailing, Red Rover, and Jazusamo will monitor the thread, post updates, and attempt to answer questions or direct readers to information sources. Jazusamo maintains the Haditha Marine Ping List. Please ask Jazusamo to be added to the ping list if you wish to be alerted to updates.
Recent News and Commentary:
MILITARY TIMES-Haditha Marine Faces Trial
Count Down to the Last Haditha Trial
MILITARY: Two high-profile cases set for Pendleton courtrooms
Remember SSgt Frank D. Wuterich: The last Haditha Marine goes on trial
Don’t rewrite Murtha’s legacy (Haditha Marines)
HADITHA: SINS OF THE GENERALS
Strategic Legalism
Bob Weimann | December 31, 2011
…”Strategic legalism”…the use of laws or legal arguments to further larger policy objectives, irrespective of the facts or laws… Law and War: An American Story by Peter Maguire
Peter Maguire defines “strategic legalism” in his book Law and War: An American Story. His book focuses primarily on the Nuremberg Trials immediately after the Second World War. Mr. Maguire discusses the extraordinary effort the US made to ensure the German war criminal trials are just and legal. In addition, he exposes an implied mission “that the trials would do more than render justice; they would also serve to "reeducate" the German people.” The strategic legalism occurs when the German war criminals sentences are systematically commuted and the convicted are quietly freed from prison. The United States releases these war criminals because as a nation, we are well into the Cold War and the US needs to curry favor and the loyalty of West Germany people.
I appreciate Mr. Maguire’s work, especially the crystal clear definition of strategic legalism. For me, it was a bit of an epiphany as I researched the reasons for the unfair political prosecutions of SSgt Wuterich and the Haditha Marines. Bam! There is was in black and white on page nine...it has a name. The definition pulled all the loose ends and rabbit trails together, including the Breaker Morant story which is the British version of strategic legalism....
...............................................................
THE NEVER ENDING BATTLE
by Nathaniel R. Helms | Thursday, December 29, 2011
Three weeks after The New York Times carped about the fellow in Iraq cooking fish with scraps of “classified” U.S. documents, “once closely guarded as secret of war” the long declassified observations of the witnesses detailed in the 400 pages of purloined interrogations are finally going to come out – maybe. That is if the scuttlebutt is dead wrong and no miraculous last minute intervention by someone on high puts a merciful end to arguably the most divisive event to ever test the honor of the United States Marine Corps.
Whether anyone cares enough to notice either way is a much bigger question than why a New York Times reporter wouldn’t bother to actually check the classification status of the documents he was peddling before selling it as fresh fish. He could have found out everything he needed to know just by clicking on Defend Our Marines...
Haditha Marine ping!
.
One would think that now that we are out of Iraq there would be no need for this politicized redux of Breaker Morant but I guess once the machinery gets going there’s no stopping it. Prayers for the Marine, he’ll need it.
Bump.
Auto-ping
I hope this Marine is cleared of the charges.This has gone on for way too long.
Smooth. Didn’t you post an article on the potential dropping of this case a few weeks back? I am certain, it appeared all charges would be dropped and the case closed. Please do not go to any length in verifying the article you posted. So much gets read, dropped, it is hard to keep track of such things.
Uncle, I think this is the thread...
DEFEND OUR MARINES-LATEST NEWS (Haditha Marines)
And this is the article you're referring to...
Lawsuit filed in case involving Marines charged with Iraqi deaths
Yes, that’s Martin Terrazas Jr.—Miguel’s brother. His grave is in his hometown in El Paso.
Thanks smoothsailing. Yes that was the article I was referring to. And obviously I wrote something into it that does not now apply to Sargent Wutrich’s upcoming case, necessarily. May you and yours have a content and healthy new year.
Thanks Red!
THANK YOU, EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF OUR SON FRANK!! Don’t think we would have made it this far without all of you. You are an inspiration to our family. God Bless All of You.
Father God, be with SSgt Wuterich, his lawyers and the judge.
Have this end quickly and have this man be set free.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.