Official: Evidence points to unjustified killings by Marines

[blackheart]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/05/26/marines.probe.ap/index.html

Official: Evidence points to unjustified killings by Marines
About 2 dozen Iraqi civilians killed in November

Friday, May 26, 2006; Posted: 2:24 p.m. EDT (18:24 GMT)

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Investigators believe that their criminal investigation into the deaths of about two dozen Iraqi civilians points toward a conclusion that Marines committed unprovoked murders, a senior defense official said Friday.

The Marine Corps initially reported that the deaths were caused by a roadside bomb and ensuing firefight with insurgents.

The official, who discussed the matter on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the yet-to-be-completed investigation, said the evidence strongly indicates the killings last November were unjustified.

According to a congressional aide, lawmakers were told in a briefing Thursday that it appears as many as two dozen civilians were killed. And they were told that the investigation will find that "it will be clear that this was not the result of an accident or a normal combat situation."

Another congressional official said lawmakers were told it would be about 30 days before a report would be issued by the investigating agency, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.

Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

So, really shocking given that this has happened in almost all wars anyone has ever fought?

 

[GenMarshall]

Put this man up in a military court for commiting atrocities! Realy, our troops should know better than to kill innocent Iraqis.

 

[Padma]

FWIW, the Commandant of the USMC has gone to Iraq to personally brief/remind "his Marines" about the Geneva Convention, the Laws Of Armed Conflict, etc.

Hagee flew to Iraq yesterday "to reinforce the ideals, values and standards" of the Corps, the Marines said. "There is a risk of becoming indifferent to the loss of a human life, as well as bringing dishonor on ourselves," Hagee said in a statement announcing his trip. "We do not employ force just for the sake of employing force."

 

[.Shane.]

Its unfortunate and sad, but it happens in any war. The longer the US is in Iraq, the more of these types of incidents will happen.

 

[Fox Mccloud]

Terrible. It happens in every war, but is still terrible whenever this happens.

Really nothing else to say.

 

[MobBoss]

As I have said before, if this was not accidental then those involved should be tried in a military court and sent to prison.

 

[The Yankee]

Agree with CG, Fox, and MobBoss on all counts. I suppose we shall see where this ends up.

 

[Padma]

The evidence I'm seeing is looking more and more clear-cut. We should be seeing a group of Marines up on murder charges, soon. And well-deserved. We (military members) get repeated briefings/training on what is allwed in war, and what is not. Heck, this year, they decided that I, a professional computer geek, working on a contract in a HQ, needed to retake the LOAC training. (Not a problem - after over 20 years active duty, I could probably still give the training with no mistakes. ) There is simply no excuse for this kind of atrocity.

 

[Hitro]

unjustified killings

Ah, they invented a new term for murder.

 

[ComradeDavo]

As I have said before, if this was not accidental then those involved should be tried in a military court and sent to prison.

So you admit it happened now?

 

[Xenocrates]

There's something odd going on here. There are many comments about the inevitability of such atrocities.

When these type of events happened in Iraq before the invasion there were termed human rights abuses and used as evidence against Saddam.

When the Americans do this, everyone makes excuses.

Let me head the counter argument off at the pass. Saddam is accused of ordering these type of events personally. Bush probably won't be. But the analogy is that Bush has unleashed a violent and hungry dog into a nursery without giving it orders to eat the bables, but knowing that it will. Is there a moral difference?

You all said this was an inevitable result of war, so he who made the war must be held responsible surely?

 

[CaptainF]

There's something odd going on here. There are many comments about the inevitability of such atrocities.

When these type of events happened in Iraq before the invasion there were termed human rights abuses and used as evidence against Saddam.

When the Americans do this, everyone makes excuses.

Let me head the counter argument off at the pass. Saddam is accused of ordering these type of events personally. Bush probably won't be. But the analogy is that Bush has unleashed a violent and hungry dog into a nursery without giving it orders to eat the bables, but knowing that it will. Is there a moral difference?

You all said this was an inevitable result of war, so he who made the war must be held responsible surely?

It happens in war. We really aren't sacrosanct. Everyone talks about the righteousness of the American Soldier, when we are just as low down and below the belt as those that we fight.

This war is a BIG mistake.

 

[nonconformist]

So, really shocking given that this has happened in almost all wars anyone has ever fought?

Unjustified killings?
Two dozen is a massacre, and plays right into the hands of the insurgency.

 

[MobBoss]

So you admit it happened now?

Like Padma I say the current evidence we see in the press leans that way. However, they should still have their day in court, regardless of how guilty you think they are to begin with.

ComradeDavo, from the beginning, I only said we should be patient and wait for the truth to come out. I am unwilling to convict someone until they have their day in court. You seem to have a problem with that.

Are you willing to now admit that the Military doesnt cover this sort of stuff up and is indeed doing the right thing?

 

[MobBoss]

It happens in war. We really aren't sacrosanct. Everyone talks about the righteousness of the American Soldier, when we are just as low down and below the belt as those that we fight.

This war is a BIG mistake.

I disagree 100%. We investigate and prosecute this type of behavior, WE DONT ENDORSE IT. When you see us sending propaganda tapes of us cutting off heads and killing innocents purposefully with our leaders giving it the ok, THEN you might have a leg to stand on with that allegation, but that is very, very, VERY far from the truth of the matter.

While our troops may engage in criminal activity - we dont endorse it and do our best to punish it when it happens. Big difference.

 

[Xanikk999]

This is probably the worst thing thats happened to the U.S's reputation since abu ghraib.

I hope that these soldiers will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and we run a tighter military from now on.

At least these soldiers were acting on there own actions because there is no way the United States military would ever endorse such terrible behavior.

But there is no reason to defend what these soldiers did. It was despicable and they should be punished severely.

 

[ComradeDavo]

Like Padma I say the current evidence we see in the press leans that way. However, they should still have their day in court, regardless of how guilty you think they are to begin with.

ComradeDavo, from the beginning, I only said we should be patient and wait for the truth to come out. I am unwilling to convict someone until they have their day in court. You seem to have a problem with that.

Are you willing to now admit that the Military doesnt cover this sort of stuff up and is indeed doing the right thing?

Hmm...

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/article620209.ece

Marines accused of cover-up after Haditha killings
By Andrew Buncombe in Washington
Published: 27 May 2006

A military investigation has reportedly concluded that US Marines embarked on the "methodical" killing of two dozen Iraqi civilians - including women and children - in what may be the worst incident of its kind since the 2003 invasion.

The Pentagon had said initially that the Iraqis were killed by an insurgent bomb and a separate inquiry is investigating whether there was a cover-up.

 

[Panzeh]

Well, I suppose you line these guys up and shoot them.

 

[CaptainF]

I disagree 100%. We investigate and prosecute this type of behavior, WE DONT ENDORSE IT. When you see us sending propaganda tapes of us cutting off heads and killing innocents purposefully with our leaders giving it the ok, THEN you might have a leg to stand on with that allegation, but that is very, very, VERY far from the truth of the matter.

While our troops may engage in criminal activity - we dont endorse it and do our best to punish it when it happens. Big difference.

I wasn't saying we endorse it. A soldier is a soldier is a soldier. Just because we do prosecute it doesn't mean that it won't happen.

In crappy wars like this, crap is bound to happen, regardless of who partakes in it.

 

[Lambert Simnel]

While our troops may engage in criminal activity - we dont endorse it and do our best to punish it when it happens. Big difference.

Unfortunately, that difference isn't likely to be particularly apparent or important to Iraqi citizens.