Rush to Judgment Against Haditha Marines

NewsMax.com ^ | May 27, 2006 | Carl Limbacher

[jazusamo]

The trashing of our military by the media which was sparked by scumbag Murtha is just shy of treasonous. The allegations and presumption of guilt is degrading to our military, our country and our standing among nations.

The articles written to date by the media and statements made by Murtha have cited unnamed sources. That's not near good enough to convince me to abandon the presumption of innocence for our brave Marines or speculate on what may or may not have happened.

My comments about the event will wait until after the final outcome, whenever that may be.

j

[Dave S]

"It is a war. People, including innocents, get killed in war. The Marines are not playing a video game with "time outs for a do-over."

If the reports I heard on the news last night about bullets to the head of women and children in kneeling positions is considered collateral damage, then someone is playing a video game and they are not following the rules of engagement.

[Dave S]

If the reports are true that many died of head shots to the back of the head while in a neeling position and they came from weapons used by the marines, it doesnt look good.

WHERE did you get this from?

I 95% sure it was on NBC news last night while I was channel surfing. They had an analyst on afterwards (colonel who received Medal of Honor in Vietnam) to discuss.

[bnelson44]

I 95% sure it was on NBC news last night while I was channel surfing. They had an analyst on afterwards (colonel who received Medal of Honor in Vietnam) to discuss.

Well, don't spread such a story until you can validate it or at least link to a reliable news source.

[Dave S]

You can sit at your computer and ponder such questions. But don't pass judgement on those who are engaged is something about which you cannot know.

Hey trekie, get out of your scifi world and connect with reality. Our troops are trained not to execute civilians because it is against US and world law. Most, even accept increased casualties in order to avoid inflicting collaterol damage on civilians. Lining women and children up My Li fashion, if it occured, is NOT acceptable.

[McGruff]

Well, don't spread such a story until you can validate it or at least link to a reliable news source.

I agree. I'll take the Marine's side until proved guilty.

[SkyDancer]

I predict the end of the MSM when they run with this and it's all false ... along with Murtha and his ilk.

[Recovering Ex-hippie]

I agree that if these Marines did an atrocious thing, it should be dealt with. Having said that, it doesn't help to have Murtha sensationalize it from the get go. I would expect the military to deal with the press in a professional and somber manner.

[Carl/NewsMax]

If the reports are true that many died of head shots to the back of the head while in a neeling position and they came from weapons used by the marines, it doesnt look good. What provocation can there be that would justify executing unarmed women and children?

Even if those reports ARE true - we have no idea who fired the shots (Marines? Insurgents?) and whether the bodies were arranged by others in certain positions.

We don't know if any of the Iraqis had guns or pointed them at Marines.

We don't know if anyone made any false moves. (Remember the NBC video that purportedly showed a Marine executing an innocent sleeping Iraqi in cold blood?)

We don't know if the Marines had reason to believe that the people in those houses could have been suicide bombers themselves - which might explain why women and children were also among the victims.

There's a whole series of questions that need to be asked - and answered with proof beyond a reasonable doubt - before this story should be covered the way the MSM is currently covering it.

It's also worth remembering that it's not up to us - or the Marines - to prove their innocense. It's up to their accusers and military prosecutors. And if the witnesses against them all come from a hotbed of terrorism, I would think that hurts their case considerably.

Viewed from the perspective of who has to prove what here, there's very little evidence currently in the public domain that ties the Marines directly to the commission of this atrocity.

So far the media's case rests on the premise: How else could this have happened?

[bnelson44]

Hey trekie, get out of your scifi world and connect with reality. Our troops are trained not to execute civilians because it is against US and world law. Most, even accept increased casualties in order to avoid inflicting collaterol damage on civilians. Lining women and children up My Li fashion, if it occured, is NOT acceptable.

Agreed. AND they know THEY will be up on murder charges if they do. The Commandant of the Marine Corps is flying out to Iraq now to remind them.

Which by the way, is not a good sign as far as this story is concerned. If they were innocent, he probably wouldn't need to remind those currently in theater.

[bnelson44]

Murtha has been turned.

[Dave S]

Checked MSNBC website and Mike Myklashevski, NBC's Pentagon reporter was the guy who mentioned that last night. You can read the story or not here:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12998125/

[ArmyTeach]

We'll be patient, no other choice. But we're all aware that this is a generation of sixties radical politically motivated witch hunters. It's further true that even after these Marine heroes are vindicated, they are still victimized. Their careers are over. There will be no promotions or commands for them.

[bnelson44]

Story doesn't say anything like, " many died of head shots to the back of the head while in a neeling position"

In fact, the picture it paints is of a panicked platoon rushing into a house, shooting everyone in sight then going to the next house.

[woofie]

Im pissed off again at our press ...ABC radio is hamming away on this

[ArmyTeach]

But the story will go on and on as if it were the truth. You know, tell a lie often enough and loud enough and it's as good as if it were true. And Marines' lives are ruined.

[Dave S]

There's a whole series of questions that need to be asked - and answered with proof beyond a reasonable doubt - before this story should be covered the way the MSM is currently covering it.

Help me understand. We are not supposed to hear about this until AFTER marines in question have been convicted by courtmartial? Never thought I'd hear that from a newsman. I mean it's not like the information isnt out there. Supposedly the Iraqi version is all over the middle eastern websites. So its only the American public that needs to be protected by the media?

Well the original reports by the Marines were that those civilians killed were killed by the IED along with the Marine. They have subsequently admitted that was not true.

The marines claimed they were in a several hour long fire fight following the bombing. Later reports indicate that was not true.

The top three officers onsite at the time have been relieved of their commands for a series of reasons, not just Haditha. Republican officials who had seen the evidence admit it doesnt look good although they are not spinning it like Murtha.

We will know a lot more in a few weeks.

[Dave S]

head shot comments were on the newscast.

[photodawg]

Do you seriously believe that Marines picked out innocent people to massacre in a town that was a hotbed of terrorist activity that even required bombing from above?

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

In a land where 12 year olds strap bombs to their body to blow up innocent civilians ,and die for allah I refuse to believe the "innocent women and children" mantra. The press is more sympathetic to the "insurgents" and radical islam than to the USMC.

Those who died in the aftermath of this clash did so with just cause as part of a battle. What bothers me greatly is the right wing blogosphere's condemnation and conviction of these marines based on "leaked" information from the investigation. Another disgusting aspect of this "investigation" is the marine and U.S. Gov't actions of non support for these soldiers. The military is very capable of making these marines a scapegoat at a low level of command operation, to deflect criticism from marine command and government higher up[s. In other words, they are willing to cut their losses at portraying this as some stressed out rogue marines overreacting than they would want the corps to stand up and say, "war is hell" and this is an enemy we are fighting and our troops will shoot first when necessary to defeat the enemy.

This whole response absolutely sucks and further illustrates the folly of fighting a politically correct war in order to win the public relations "battle". Its why the enemy laughs at us and has no respect or fear of America's military.