Posted on 11/18/2004 1:19:03 AM PST by kattracks
BAGHDAD - A Marine who killed an unarmed wounded Iraqi in a Fallujah mosque "will be dealt with," the U.S. ambassador in Iraq said yesterday, as the military said it was looking into other deaths at the scene of the shooting."No one can be happy" about the incident, Ambassador John Negroponte said, "but the important point is that the individual in question will be dealt with."
Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi's office said he is "very concerned" about the killing, but backed the U.S. efforts. "Unlike others, the prime minister will await the outcome of the investigation before commenting any further," his office said.
The shooting was filmed Saturday by an NBC reporter embedded with the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment. Military investigators also are looking to see whether other wounded insurgents were shot, said Maj. Francis Piccoli.
Two other men in the video appear to be suffering from what NBC called fresh and fatal gunshot wounds.
The footage, aired repeatedly on Arabic television, has sparked argument across the Arab world, with most saying it fuels anger against America. But some also blame insurgents for waging battle from mosques.
Despite the furor, Gen. Michael Hagee, commandant of the Marine Corps, defended placing journalists with troops.
At a House Armed Services Committee hearing yesterday, he rejected the claims of Rep. Silvestre Reyes (D-Tex.), who said, "We should not be providing the Al-Jazeera with the kind of propaganda that they've had."
Hagee said "embedded reporters have actually worked very well. They inform the American public about what these great young Americans are doing over there."
Richard Sisk with News Wire Reports
Originally published on November 18, 2004
Feel free to read this stuff. Maybe you have, but I'm sick and tired of hearing people that haven't read it act like they know what it says. It does apply to fighting an insurgencies.
Laws or Conventions like this aren't your enemy. In the long run it benefits you if there is a clear cut policy toward these things. If you don't something like this:
1) How do the soldiers know what they're allowed to do?
2) How can they get a fair trail if they are accused of war crimes?
3) How can we expect our enemies to adhere to some code?
If the GC and other agreements don't cover the situation, ok. Extend them, and put it in writing. What is the US policy on torture or torture-light? What are acceptable civilian casualties? It shouldn't be a secret.
The innocents were given the chance to get out...
"Attention Fallujah, would all innocent people please leave. All you terrorist stay right there so we can carpet bomb you." Fat chance of that working. Also, I could see an armed American in the situation wanting to stay behind and protect his house from looters. Is he still an innocent civilian?
This war is going to be worse for civilians than Vietnam, because the lack of vegetation will force the insurgents to hind in Urban areas amongst the population.
About this case: sure if the soldier feels threatened, it's all good. People accusing him say he did not act threatened; he wasn't trying to minimize exposure to a potential explosion. I don't know the details. Have a fair trial. If he's innocent, it will only discredit the human rights groups. Every now and then innocent people need to be put on trial. Not investigating this case would put the crediblity of the military on the line.
Get these reporters out of the war zone. They have no place there, considering their ability to use visuals along with the printed word to totally misrepresent a situation and to place our boys in much greater danger. I am very distressed with our countrymen who do these things. I can think of nothing so despicable as the desire to harm one's own in preference for murderers and sociopaths and all because we have different political views of which the MSM is intolerant. I once heard someone say that if we were ever invaded by an enemy of the US, the leftist/liberals would join the enemy in the ensuing war against the US. By the way, it is overwhelming to one's mind to take in the constant assaults from the leftist/facists among us..This situation and the ACLU attack on the Boy Scouts are a perfect example of some things which I believe people are not going to tolerate much longer..Has anyone done a study to cross reference the members of the ACLU/MSM/Gay Organizations/PETA/Green Peace/Socialists and Communist organizations/Radical feminists organizations/Radical clergymen, etc., etc. to see how many of them have membership in several of the groups hitting our society on all sides. It would indeed be interesting to take a look just so that we could know whether we are dealing with various groups or different groups which are made up of the same people..
One hand on my Bible, the other in the gun locker. SSDD
It is 100% certainty that everyone in that mosque was a combatant. Not civilians. Not prisoners. Combatants. Jawing about the what the GC says about non combatants has little if no relevance in this situation.
There was no carpet bombing in Fallujah. I don't know where you get that.
Ayad Allawi repeated calls them criminals. The GC talks about how you can deal with them too. You can shoot looters. You can lock people up. There are guidelines. You can't torture them for example.
The problem is though that these criminals almost seem like normal combatants. The IRA had serial numbers, Britain treated them to some extent like POWs. They were released after the conflict. This might be a good model.
Put yourself in their place. Imagine your country was invaded and you were a resistance fighter. You'd make sure you could either melt away into the country side or the civilian population.
What did we learn at Lexington and Concord?
Of coarse it would be nice, if all civilians would leave the area, and only insurgents were in Fallujah. Yes, I think we would be allowed to carpet bomb the town then. It would be more acceptable than bombing German towns in WWII.
The sad thing is there won't be a good clean fight, because there is no option acceptable to both sides with less civilian casualties.
I am confident that in time, you will be proven WRONG WRONG WRONG!
Time is not Ann Coulter's friend. Coulter's only attraction is her looks. She's a terrible interview and has no particular expertise on her resume other than her penchant for bomb-throwing.
Nobody in his right mind would give her a responsible position that involved diplomacy.
It's not her friend, nor is it the friend of about 6 billion other people.
"Coulter's only attraction is her looks."
You're funny.
"She's a terrible interview and has no particular expertise on her resume other than her penchant for bomb-throwing."
I think she's a great interview. As for expertise, how about three best selling books? and how about: "A graduate of Cornell University and the University of Michigan Law School, Coulter has worked as an attorney at the Center for Individual Rights (a conservative, public interest law firm), served as legal counsel to Sen. Spencer Abraham on the Senate Judiciary Committee and worked as an attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice. She also has practiced corporate law and clerked for the Eighth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals."
"Nobody in his right mind would give her a responsible position that involved diplomacy."
It depends upon what message someone wanted to send.
Bingo!
Finally... a ray of light in this very dark place.
You sound like Bill Maher praising the bravery of the ba$tards who flew the planes into the WTC. Arabs are so ignorant, full of hatred, and brainwashed - THAT is why they stayed and fought. Your idea of bravery is skewed indeed.
"The footage, aired repeatedly on Arabic television, has sparked argument across the Arab world, with most saying it fuels anger against America."
Correct me if I am wrong but, the same Arabic television refuses to air the hostage execution videos???
a quality of spirit that enables you to face danger or pain without showing fear- Dictionary.com definition of bravery
If thats not what a suicide bomber does then what is? cowardice would be staying at home and not fighting for what you beleive in.
Though they may well be brainwashed how are they any different from idiots who dont beleive in evolution because its not in the bible? Admittedly there not on the same level in terms of evil, but they are both sympotoms of the same mental problem.
It must suck to be an idiot.
Yes, We'll deal with this Marine. We'll decorate him with a medal for taking care of his fireteam and fellow Marines & Corpsmen!
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