Marine Under Investigation in Shooting of Iraqi Soldier

Fort Worth(less) Startlegram ^ | 4/27/03 | AP Story

[harpu]

Military officials are investigating a Marine who says he shot an Iraqi soldier twice in the back of the head following a grenade attack on his comrades.

The Marine Forces Reserve announced the preliminary inquiry of Gunnery Sgt. Gus Covarrubias on Friday, the day the Las Vegas Review-Journal ran a story in which he described the killing.

Covarrubias, 38, of Las Vegas, said that during an intense battle in Baghdad on April 8, he pursued a member of the Iraqi Republican Guard who had fired a rocket-propelled grenade at his unit. Covarrubias said he received a concussion in the attack and several other Marines also were injured.

Covarrubias, a 20-year Marine veteran, said he found the soldier inside a nearby house with the grenade launcher by his side. Covarrubias said he ordered the man to stop and forced him to turn around.

"I went behind him and shot him in the back of the head. Twice," Covarrubias told the Review-Journal.

He said he also shot the man's partner, who tried to escape. He showed what he said were the men's ID cards.

"I'm not vindictive, and I might get in trouble for telling you this, but I take it very personally when you do that to my family," Covarrubias said. "The Marines are my family."

The Marine Forces Reserve said the preliminary inquiry by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service will determine whether Covarrubias "met the established rules of engagement and complied with the law of war," and whether a formal investigation is warranted.

Calls to Covarrubias' home and knocks at the door went unanswered.

Marine reservist Sgt. Michael Dunn, who fought alongside Covarrubias and was injured in the battle, said he stands by him "100 percent."

"If he wouldn't have done it, those guys probably would've come back and killed or severely injured other Marines," Dunn said. "He did the right thing."

[razbinn]

With all the bull$hit concerning fake surrenders,DON'T take chances,America first.That soldier is a hero....

God Bless america

[Central_Floridian]

If it's acceptable for an US Marine to shoot an Iraqi soldier after he surrendered then it was okay for the Iraqis to kill those US Army soldiers (507th maint. company?)after they surrendered. I think war crimes are war crimes no matter who committs them.

[MEG33]

I see now that it's supposed to be a quote to the reporter..I think this needs to be verified.

[kellynla]

I can guarantee you that there is nothing to worry about except for the injured and dead GI's and their families. Just be thankful that this Marne had the courage to do what had to be done. I have seen too many Marines who hesitated only to be killed or injured by a grenade or a suicide bomber. Semper Fi

[FloridaBoy]

I must agree with my fellow Floridian on this. We, as Americans cannot and should not conduct ourselves in this manner.Sounds no different than a cold bloded mob tpye killing.This soldier should be disiplined for this act.

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

I have to agree, though I'd like to hear everything that happened.

[Enterprise]

"Covarrubias said he ordered the man to stop and forced him to turn around. "I went behind him and shot him in the back of the head. Twice"

Assuming this is a true account of the incident, he talked himself into a trial. He has described a situtation in which the enemy stopped and complied with his orders, thereby demonstrating that he had control over a surrendered enemy soldier. I think this guy may be in deep trouble. By talking about the incident he gave his superiors no choice but to investigate and maybe prosecute.

[robertpaulsen]

What Covarrubias did was wrong, but understandable. He compounded the situation by bringing it to the public's attention, therby forcing his superiors to take action.

A sad, sad consequence of war.

[cardinal4]

Thank God Bush got us out of America hating Clinton's ICC commitment. This Marine would already have an arrest warrant issued from the Hague.

[krb]

Sounds like "heat of battle" to me...

[cynicom]

Lawyers are screwing up the military system like they have the civilian "justice" system.

[OldFriend]

Kill and maim an American, say oops sorry I surrender and that's okay with you during combat. Seems to me you were never in the military and never saw combat.

[cynicom]

What have we become??? This is war, you shoot at me, I will kill you. Some idiot officer needs to be indoctrinated again.

[cardinal4]

Unfortunately, people who share this writer's opinion REQUIRE the sacrificial lamb to slaughter at the altar of political correctness. And if you go back through the history of warfare, there has always been the ONE major publicized ENLISTED man who gets shafted for the "righteous".

Hmmmmm. For once we agree. You can see the writer of this Barbara Streisand is salivating at the thought of covering a US Soldiers war crime trial. The Iraqi fired an RPG at his Marine unit, fer cryin out loud!! I will following this one; this Marine was acting in self and unit defence IMO.

[El Gato]

Battlefield rules are not the same as those that apply when you find an intruder in your house. You can shoot those are merely fleeing for example, in fact you are expected to do so. Was the Iraqi wearing a uniform? If not he was liable to be sumarily shot. Was he comingled with legitimate civilians (ie. human shields) before the grenade attack? If he was wearing a uniform, even just an armband, and had surrendered, the rules are different. I'll bet no uniform.

Still he and his buddy should have kept their yaps shut. Shoot 'em, shovel 'em, and forget 'em. Although no need to shovel 'em in this situation.

[El Gato]

enemy stopped and complied with his orders

Maybe, but "ordered him to stop and forced him to turn around" is not the same thing as he stopped and turned around as ordered". He may have caught him, but he was still struggling and tried to get away after being forced to turn around. It will come out in the investagtion and and before any courts martial. I'd bet on no courts martial, but one never knows.

[Restorer]

Kill and maim an American, say oops sorry I surrender and that's okay with you during combat.

Just curious. Do you apply this same criteria to Americans attempting to surrender after losing a firefight?

Would the Iraqis have been justified in executing the members of that maintenance company after they ran out of ammo?

Or do the rules of war apply only to our guys?

[kellynla]

Marine Bump!

[Enterprise]

There can be any number of scenarios, but I have to take the statement as given. There was nothing about a struggle in the story. I agree that an investigation will bring about the facts. My hope is that the Marine did nothing wrong and an investigation exonerates him. The account as written, makes it appear that he shot a soldier who was complying with his orders.

[Van Jenerette]

Hi Ruben! One vet to another - I agree! BTW hope you and your family are doing fine! I'm so busy at the college and Katherine with her Congressinal work we don't get much time to comment on the issues of the day!

take care - Van & family