Posted on 06/18/2007 7:36:28 AM PDT by Chickenhawk Warmonger
It started in November 2005. It became a political witch-hunt after Time’s Tim McGirk plastered the media with half-truths, suspect statements from “eyewitnesses” and a great deal of hearsay. It exploded into an anti-war talking point once John Murtha called it “cold blooded murder” and compared it to My Lai. The media and the anti-war crowd were salivating at the thought of US Marines convicted of murder. It did not occur to them that the Marines deserved the benefit of the doubt – you know, innocent until proven guilty.
The Article 32 Hearing for LCpl Justin Sharratt wrapped up Friday June 15. This was the third hearing for the seven Marines charged in the incident at Haditha in November 2005. Now that there is sworn testimony out in public (not just cherry picked leaked information), the media seems to have lost interest in the story. Other than the NC Times, most media outlets pick up abbreviated versions of the wire stories. Murtha is suddenly silent. Time does not have time for coverage. This means that a great deal of evidence has not been disseminated to the wide audience that was bombarded with premature claims of cold-blooded murder.
So doing the job the media fails to do, here are some of the facts from the Haditha cases.
Did you know that the Article 32 Hearing officer, Lt. Col. Paul Ware, stated "What the evidence points to is that the version of the Iraqis isn't really supported” during the closing of LCpl Justin Sharratt’s hearing?
Did you know that the wounds of the four “civilians” in the last house came from at least 2 feet away, which negates the claims of “execution style”?
Did you know that the witnesses who claimed the four young men were herded into a closet and shot were not even in the home during the firefight?
Did you know that the four “innocent civilians” attempted to kill the Marines with AK-47’s and were stopped only by the quick response of LCpl Sharratt and Sgt. Wuterich?
Did you know that aerial drones filmed the events that occurred on that fateful day in Haditha?
Did you know that footage from a drone shows an insurgent leaving a home carrying a child and attempting to blend in only to be discovered by the Marines due to a bloody ear?
Did you know that intelligence reports prior to November 19 2005 indicated an ambush was planned for that day and a white car would figure prominently in the attack?
Did you know that Lt. William Kallop ordered Sgt. Wuterich to “clear a group of building” south of the bomb crater after arriving on the scene in Haditha?
Did you know that the Armory Officer for Kilo Co received two AK-47s at the ambush site along with a suitcase that contained a million Iraqi dinars and Jordanian passports?
Did you know that Lt. Col Chessani has reported everything he knew about the incident o his superior officers and none called for an investigation?
Did you know that LCpl Justin Sharratt passed a polygraph exam, which was included in the NCIS report but not reported with any of the more lurid leaked information?
Did you know that the Battalion Intelligence Officer’s after action report included photographic evidence, logs of all the day’s radio transmissions and a narrative of the day’s events?
Did you know that the after-action report including a PowerPoint presentation were sent up the command ladder to all the higher officers and not one recommended further investigation?
Did you know that NCIS did no background research on any of the “civilians” killed in Haditha other than checking an insurgent database for the names?
Did you know that NCIS investigators spent approximately 1 hour interviewing the “witnesses” due to the extreme level of violence in Haditha?
Did you know that the “budding journalism student” responsible for the video at the root of the investigation was known to be part of the anti-government, anti-American Sunni insurgent sympathizers inhabiting Haditha a year prior to November 19, 2005?
Of course you didn’t know about any of the above facts. Instead, the media has focused on the Marine who testified that he urinated on the dead body of an Iraqi. They have reported the claims of photos showing powder burns without ever examining the bodies. The media would rather tell you about wounds to the head and equate them to execution style killings.
Seven Marines and their families have been subjected to poison arrows thrown by the media, blowhard politicians and the anti-war crowd. Their finances have been depleted & their lives a constant turmoil… All because of a political agenda that can only survive by plying the public with massive doses of propaganda. What did these Marines do to deserve such an injustice? They served their country in a time of war and defended their lives in a kill or be killed situation. The only thing cold-blooded and out of control in this whole Haditha incident has been the attempt to score political points by those pointing fingers at the Marines. But don’t count on any of that to be reported in the media.
Great post!
Sadly, those responsible for the heartache caused to these Marines are never going to face any backlash.
Nice hat. ;o)
That one always cracks me up!
The man has no honor left in his soul.
Thanks as usual for post #40. Will check out now.
Paperdoll has a great idea : )
“I hope that wherever that film is shown there will be a large crowd of protesters in place with handout sheets printed with all the “Did you knows” included above.
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See Red’s Post #40 for related pings.
A great idea. I do hope these ex-military folks that are to star in this film take a deep soul search and are willing to demand only factual stuff be portrait. Catch it in the bud. I doubt this British movie maker has plans to show all the stuff we now know happened, in an accurate way.
I honestly don’t know how these people sleep at night. I understand having a different political philosophy and I can see there are principled reasons for and against the Iraq War. But to knowingly and deliberately ruin the lives of people they don’t even know, I just can’t imagine ever being cold enough and unethical enough to do that. You want to talk about jobs most Americans won’t do, how many would volunteer to be sent to the most dangerous places in a war zone? But these men did and not ONE media outlet that has convicted them this past year will have the integrity and just plain compassion for another human being to retract their previous slander and print the truth. At the very least they should have to pay the legal bills of these families WHEN their Marines are exonerated.
Cindie
Phil, If too many more facts and truths come out about the Haditha charges, Mr. Murtha may end up with egg on his face underneath that big’ol cheekan hat.
Red, has there been another filing or updated filing against Mr. Murtha by Frank Wuterich’s lawyers since the original one last year?
Yes, indeed. The suit’s alive and well.
Gimme a few ticks and I’ll post a link to an pdf. (Dagnabbit, this was supposed to be a lull!)
Now THAT is a great idea if the movie makes it to the states.
I’m going to send out the “Do You Know...” list to all my email buddies and ask them to forward. The last time I did a “Do you know...” article, it ended up as an email forwarded so much that the NYT, AP and Drudge picked it up.
Excellent post.
>> Of course you didn’t know about any of the above facts.
Blood was dripping from the serrated fang of the media, and its integrity and judgment were in question. The media reports were stories and the stories were not about the U.S. Marines.
>The last time I did a “Do you know’ article, it ended up as an email forwarded so much that the NYT, AP and Drudge picked it up.
Good for you! It’s amazing how one’s idea can take wing, isn’t it? Keep up the good work!
:) Have you ever heard the cheer: “Hey, hey, what’s the score? That’s ok but we want more!” Well, I made that one up in 1947 at a football game! I’ve heard it over and over through the years.
No WAY! We used to do that cheer in high school and I taught it to my little league cheerleaders that I coached. I tell you what - FReepers are amazing!
WAY!
:-)
Paperdoll, did you really make up that cheer? That is cute. I didn’t realize it went back to 1947. The things you learn on FR.
LOL!
It was a chilly, clear night and I was at my high school football game. I can still smell the night air! I really did make it up. (Those were my early poetic years!) Astounding! I had no idea it had gotten so far! :)
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