Free Republic

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. -- As the leadership of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force changed hands, the departing and incoming commanders said they believe an investigation into accusations that U.S. Marines deliberately shot civilians in Haditha, Iraq, will ultimately strengthen the corps. Lt. Gen. Keith Stalder took command of the Camp Lejeune-based group on Wednesday from Lt. Gen. James Amos, who is headed to the Pentagon to become deputy commandant in charge of combat development. "We don't know the facts on Haditha, let alone what the facts mean at this point," said Stalder. "We do owe it to the American people...

AL QA’IM, Iraq (June 27, 2006) -- More than 300 local Iraqis from Euphrates River towns near the Iraqi-Syrian border lined up at the Marines’ outpost June 27, 2006, in hopes of becoming policemen in one of Iraq’s newest police districts. The enlistment drive marked the largest turnout of police recruits in recent months. More than 100 Iraqis were accepted for enlistment. The drive was held just days after police here were paid months of back-pay by Iraq’s Ministry of Interior. A lack of consistent pay has been the primary cause for the high attrition rate within fledgling Iraqi police...

WASHINGTON, July 4, 2006 – Allegations of wrongdoing by some U.S. servicemembers serving in Iraq reinforce the values of those who serve with honor, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said today. In Independence Day appearances on morning news programs, Marine Gen. Peter Pace was asked for his reaction to a former soldier being arrested in North Carolina yesterday and charged with rape and murder, as well as other recent allegations being investigated. "It is unfortunate when some folks are accused of doing those kinds of things, but it just reinforces to the 99.9 percent of the American...

SAN FRANCISCO – Two dozen bills designed to bolster California's Megan's Law are struggling in the Legislature as politicians haggle over details and accuse each other of going soft on sex offenders. "Who loses are the parents and kids. Megan's Law has gotten caught between Republicans and Democrats. It's really a game of who can outdo the other, who's got the toughest law or whose does the most," said Sen. Dean Florez, D-Shafter. Florez thinks the most important piece of legislation is his proposal requiring law enforcement to check in with sex offenders instead of the other way around. He...