[brityank]

Good point, Girl.
I believe this whole debacle for the Haditha Marines falls back to this:

The Marine Corps initially said that 15 civilians died in crossfire and that eight insurgents had been killed.

Despite that first report, when the Marines were charged nine months later, the service said that 24 civilians were killed and did not identify any of the victims as suspected insurgents.

In the end, the Marine Corps made death benefit payments to survivors of all 24, Stone's attorney Gittins said Monday.

IIRC, the Division PIO initially stated that all of the civilian deaths were as a result of the IED, and was lax in issuing a correction until after the story had been reported. Also, the fact that they paid off ALL of the decedents families with maximum solatia payments means they need someone to account for that expenditure. I believe evidentiary statements showed that there were AK47 weapons by the car, and 7x39 cartridge cases were collected in two of the houses.

To live in Haditha during that time, you either accepted or were an insurgent, or you didn't survive. Seems too many REMFs are making front-line decisions they are totally unqualified to make.

[Girlene]

I think that's right. Death benefits were eventually paid for all 24 killed that day. It was easier. The families of those killed in the last house (that LCpl Sharratt was found innocent of any wrongdoing) were paid after NCIS took their statements.

IIRC, the Division PIO initially stated that all of the civilian deaths were as a result of the IED, and was lax in issuing a correction until after the story had been reported.

I don't think the official press release has ever been modified. Go figure.