S&MPenguin

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - Eight Marines were charged Thursday in the killings of 24 Iraqi civilians in the town of Haditha last year.

Four Marines were charged with murder in the biggest U.S. criminal case involving civilian deaths to arise from the war in Iraq.

The other four charged were officers who were not there but were accused of failures in investigating and reporting the deaths, the Marine Corps said.

A squad leader was charged with murdering 12 people and ordering other Marines to murder six people in the hours after a roadside bomb killed one Marine and injured two others.

The squad leader, Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich, 26, was charged with unpremeditated murder of 18 Iraqi civilians, including six people inside a house members of his squad cleared with deadly force. Wuterich also was charged with one count each of making a false official statement and soliciting another sergeant to make false official statements.

Sgt. Sanick P. Dela Cruz was accused of the unpremeditated murders of five people and making a false official statement with intent to deceive.

Lance Cpl. Justin Sharratt was accused of the unpremeditated murder of three Iraqis.

Lance Cpl. Stephen Tatum charged with the unpremeditated murders of two Iraqis, negligent homicide of four Iraqi civilians and a charge of assault upon two Iraqis.

The highest ranking defendant, Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani, was accused of failing to obey an order or regulation, encompassing dereliction of duty.

The other officers charged were 1st Lt. Andrew Grayson, Capt. Lucas McConnell and Capt. Randy Stone.

The Marines all belonged to Kilo Company of the Camp Pendleton-based 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines Regiment, and have been under investigation since March for the deaths



My own opinion may be unpopular around these parts but what they're doing to these Marines is so wrong. What happened that day maybe shouldn't have happened but place me in their shoes and I can't tell you I would have acted any differently. We're going to put are boys into a warzone then charge them with murder for killing people , that is real fucked up.

dedbr

I hate to think of innocents being killed, and bad things happen to the wrong people in a war. Being a former marine, I know that these things happen sometimes. Of course, it isn't any easier to swallow if it's American Marines.

Sad story all around......


Some Where In Ded Land..........

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1tokeovertheline

That's right dedbr. Shit happens in war time and unfortunately most of the shit isn't good for anybody.

Explicit

It's most unfortunate that we put young people in the situation we have in Iraq. It's most unfortunate that it is impossible stress that leads to losing your sense of reality and right and wrong. It's most unfortunate that either way you have to pay for your crime because killing innocent people is not forgiveable even if it's a war that should have never happened that they are stuck in. It's most unfortunate that Bush still does not have to answer for the travesty he has caused.

We cannot let our troops kill innocents without reprimand. It sends the message to other countries that we have no respect for civil rights and will kill anyone we please for no reason at all. They must be punished even though they should never have been sent there to get in to this situation in the first place. I am sorry for all involved.

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goodgirl

I would need a lot more information than what is provided here to determine one way or another.

Is there more info about it somewhere? I'm asking because there must be more to the story that others have read and I have missed to be able to feel swayed in any sort of direction.

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"No one is free when others are oppressed."

goodgirl

"My own opinion may be unpopular around these parts but what they're doing to these Marines is so wrong."

As wrong as killing children? There were babies in the "civilian" death count.

"What happened that day maybe shouldn't have happened but place me in their shoes and I can't tell you I would have acted any differently."

Of course none of us would know how we would react in their situation. But I certainly know that if I allowed my anger, or fear to overwhelm me to the point that I took innocent lives then I would certainly expect to be held accountable for it.

"We're going to put are boys into a warzone then charge them with murder for killing people , that is real fucked up."

So you condone the shooting of innocent men, women, and children?

They claim that they were following standard procedure but filed false reports to cover up what actually happened. That says right there that they are not only guilty, but they knew they were guilty as well.

Would you suggest that we give "our boys" carte blanche to shoot innocent people whenever they need to let off a little steam?

If they did this because of some sort of psycological condition due to living in a war zone then I would have no problem with them pleading some sort of insanity defense and see if a jury (or whatever they are called in military court) buys it. I can't see, however, just acting as if it is acceptable and no big deal because they were in a crappy situation.

Explicit

The unfortunate truth. Well said point overall.

It's akin to Bush doing his darndest to make sure we can legally torture people. In a way ... if you know what I'm saying. I don't feel much like explaining so I hope you do.

S&MPenguin

First off I would like to say that the fact that incidents like what happened in Haditha have largely been the exception and not the rule in Iraq I feel speaks extremely well of our troops. Incidents like what happened in Haditha are sad, but sorry it's kind of the cost of doing buisness. We (emphasize the we) sent those boys there, and we didn't send them there to bake a cake, we sent them to war. And guess what, fucked up things tend to happen when your angry and scared and running around with automatic weapons.

Should our boys have an automatic get out of jail free card to do whatever the fuck they want to do in Iraq? No, but some account should be taken on just where the fuck we sent them and what the fuck they have to deal with on a daily basis before you dare presume to judge them. And in this paticular case our boys deserve a pass. Leave them alone.

Hungover and tired of seeing our troops get it in the neck, Peace


Joker: You ever shoot woman and children?
Door Gunner: Sometimes.
Joker: How can you shoot woman and children?
Door Gunner: Easy, you just don't lead them as much.

dedbr

There have been infrared pictures of helicopter's taking out civilians in the course of killing soldiers in the war. Shrapnel is indescriminate.

I can't excuse the Marines if they did something wrong, but I wonder about a few more civilian casualty's in a war. Civilians die by the thousands, just ask the Red Cross.

Like General Sherman said, 'War is hell'. It really is, too.


Some Where In Ded Land.........

goodgirl

"First off I would like to say that the fact that incidents like what happened in Haditha have largely been the exception and not the rule in Iraq I feel speaks extremely well of our troops."

Yes it does. The fact that we don't expect them to take out their anger and fear on innocent people also speaks well of them. You belittle those of our troops that have somehow managed to get through this horrible war without killing innocent people in their homes by making excuses for those that have.

Do you take into account the fact that our troops are in hostile territory where often their presence is deeply resented? Do you take into account the fact that allowing these marines to get away with their actions would likely result in more resentment of our troops and therefore greater casualties?

What about the innocent marines that didn't shoot any babies but will be in turn feared and resented even more after this incident? To allow them a pass puts even more of our troops in danger than to make it clear that we don't condone or accept their tactics and we will try to see that we see justice done.

"No, but some account should be taken on just where the fuck we sent them and what the fuck they have to deal with on a daily basis before you dare presume to judge them."

Whether the stresses of their circumstances caused them to have some sort of mental break resulting in a serious lack of judement isn't for you or me to "judge". I leave that to their lawyers to argue and a court to decide.

If they committed the crime it is certainly reasonable to charge them with that crime. It is also reasonable to leave the reasons behind their crime up to the shrinks and lawyers to argue in court.

"And in this paticular case our boys deserve a pass."

Why in this particular case?


dedbr:

I do understand that civilian casualties are unavoidable in a case where they get caught in the crossfire (yet another reason I hate war.) This wasn't a case of getting caught in a cross fire however these people were shot in their homes, and it sounds like they were shot on purpose.

If the facts end up showing that their deaths were accidental then I see no problem with allowing them their freedom. So far however it sounds as if it was no crossfire that they were caught in, but murder.