Posted on 01/05/2005 6:09:09 PM PST by ovrtaxt
U.S. Marine in Mysterious Case Declared Deserter
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By Will Dunham
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Marine Cpl. Wassef Ali Hassoun, charged a month ago with desertion in a mysterious case in which he left his unit in Iraq only to turn up in Lebanon, has failed to return to his base in North Carolina, the Marine Corps said on Wednesday.
In a statement, the Marines said that Hassoun "has been declared a deserter" after not returning on Tuesday to Camp Lejeune from authorized leave.
The statement said Hassoun had been required to return to the base by noon on Tuesday, but has not reported for duty. The statement said "his command officially declared him a deserter and issued authorization for civil authorities to apprehend Hassoun and return him to military control."
CNN reported that he had gone to Canada.
Hassoun disappeared last June from his unit in Iraq where he had worked as an Arabic interpreter and later turned up in Lebanon, the country where he was born, claiming he had been kidnapped by militants.
The Marines announced on Dec. 9 that he had been charged with desertion, rejecting his account that he had been kidnapped. Hassoun was also charged with loss of government property and theft of a 9mm military pistol.
Although desertion from the U.S. military in time of war could be punishable by death, the Marines said they had no intention of seeking the death penalty.
Hassoun disappeared from his base near Falluja in Iraq and turned up safe at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut on July 8. He was seen during his absence in a videotape, seemingly being held by militants, blindfolded with a sword poised over his head. An Islamic militant Internet site said later he had been beheaded, but he later showed up unharmed at the embassy in Beirut.
Hassoun told reporters after he returned to the United States that he was captured and held against his will and did not desert the military.
"He should have been in the brig until the charges were answered."
Well, maybe a training accident would have sufficed instead.
My thinking was that the enemy would think they had a Marine "deserting" and that would be great PR for them; so he may have been "spy material." But your point is defintely good, that we probably would not go this route.
What about the idea that he WAS captured and the guys who captured him were just incredibly incompetent.
He's either a fruitcake or a very stupid terrorist wannabe.
Wow. I am soooo naive.
Didn't he have relatives where he ran off to?
Maybe they wanted to see what he would do or where he would go.
A good point! I can[t believe they let him "escape".
On the other hand.....
Just one of the many proofs of "al Taqiyah" which is muslim justification for lying, to advance islam.
Safe now to assume this guy was effectively an infiltrated operative, of our islamic enemies.
Maybe the shitbird will attempt to resist arrest....
Incompetence seems to be pretty credible for these people. They just run into the same death trap all day long, while our boys sit back and pick them off by the hundreds. Not very bright in combat.
They probably had no idea what to do with him, especially if he said all the right religious words.
Now there's a thought...
Incompetence? Our MARINES?
What makes you think they aren't tracking him? Our MIL does have a nice contract with http://www.adsx.com/content/index.htm
Bump!
Well, that is my thought anyway.
I didn't either. I'm pleased I was done on about this guy but at the same time I'm torn up by it. I have friends serving in the war and this guy could well have put lives in danger. Makes me angry.
P.S. Good post!
This scumbag is from Utah - my home state. I've said from day 1 that he was a traitor, and have been endlessly bi*&%ed out about it. But look - the pansy ran to canada. But I agree - we should keep our minds open to alternate explanations:
1. It's about p***y (as previously mentioned in other posts)
2. He's a p***y (I think we all agree on that one)
3. It's about allah (Yeah. that's my guess)
4. He's a terrorist (That's my guess...AND it's the same thing as #3)
5. I like the hairless boy idea - it fits nicely with #'s 3 and 4
-BT
This traitor, whether a spy or not, probably really did not have the balls required to be a real United States Marine,
deployed with 2/2 (2nd Battallion 2nd Marine Regiment), the War Lords. I know because my nephew (man I love this guy), was deployed with the 2/2 at that time in Iraq. I do know based on the little my nephew told me back then, that they where really worried when this guy was reported missing. 2/2
while on various assignements tried their best to find him.
I sense my nephew must have actually new him, since he was in the 2/2 HQ Co. Intel group. I never ask due to SECOPS earlier on (while 2/2 was deployed) what the deal is with this guy. Perhaps I can ask my nephew at this point, he is back at C.L. waiting for the upcoming new deployment to the sand box, what the deal was with this guy. And if I do not sink a loose ship with lose lips post a small vanity on what the deal was back then. Bottom line is the prick is a FUCKIN& traitor. I hope Canada can find him and send him back to Camp Lejeune to be processed and await a court marshall for treason.
OK. Now my chance to ask. I have often said Big John FUCKIN# Kerry should either end up in Leaveworth or be shot.
Where would Marines and Navy personel that have been convicted of crimes end up?
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