Marine Says Rules Were Followed At Haditha
Posted on June 11, 2006
While many jumped on the bandwagon to condemn our Marines of a bloody rampage of murder in Haditha, others have been staying on the side of caution. Red Hot Cuppa Politics has been following how much of the MSM’s story has been falling apart. Today, the Washington Post gives us one of the Marine’s side of the story.
“It will forever be his position that everything they did that day was following their rules of engagement and to protect the lives of Marines,” said Neal A. Puckett, who represents Wuterich in the ongoing investigations into the incident. “He’s really upset that people believe that he and his Marines are even capable of intentionally killing innocent civilians.”
Wuterich’s detailed version of what happened in the Haditha neighborhood is the first public account from a Marine who was on the ground when the shootings occurred. As the leader of 1st Squad, 3rd Platoon, Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, Wuterich was in the convoy of Humvees that was hit by a roadside bomb. He entered the house from which the Marines believed enemy fire was originating and made the initial radio reports to his company headquarters about what was going on, Puckett said.
The reports that Marines wantonly shot unarmed civilians in Haditha, including women and children, allege one of the most shocking, and potentially damaging, incidents of the Iraq war. A criminal investigation looking into possible charges of murder against half a dozen Marines is underway. A separate probe is examining whether Marines tried to cover up the shootings, and whether commanders were negligent in failing to investigate the deaths.
My position is the same as it always has been. Don’t jump to conclusions. Give our military the benefit of the doubt and presume they are innocent until they are proven guilty.
The defense in five words: What would you have done?
Other reactions:
I personally detest the trend these days to trial by media, but I can well understand the defense lawyers trying to respond to the twisted and distorted reporting going on right now. It is time to do exactly what I have been maintaining all along - wait for the investigation and give these accused men the presumption of innocence.
We still don’t know what happened at Haditha. And it is very clear that the truth of the matter is proving more elusive than the anti-war left will admit. To do so would ruin their campaign to delegitimize our troop’s efforts in Iraq as well as build support for withdrawing our military before the job is done.
If there are any individuals that deserve the benefit of the doubt, it’s our troops fighting an extremely difficult war in Iraq. But the Marines accused of the incident in Haditha have not been given that privelege. Some are determined to declare these Marines guilty without the conclusion of any official investigation. As The Post story establishes, however, this is hardly an open-and-shut case: the differing accounts of what happened in Haditha–from the Marines’ to the Iraqis’ to the various press reports–only further complicate what the public “knows” about this incident. It’s unfortunate that some are not willing consider the details that contradict their agenda.
Some are starting to wonder if the entire MSM account of Haditha is a hoax.
See Sweetness and Light for all the details on this.
As for me, I’m witholding any judgement until all the facts come out. I advise others to do the same. As the truth comes out, it is clear that one side is lying. If the Marines are guilty, they will be punished. What will happen to the other side if they turn out to be the liars? Credibility is on the line for both sides. I give the Marines the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise.
More at: Confederate Yankee
Riehlworld
Sister Toldjah
Atlass Shrugs
Politburo Diktat
All Things Beautiful
AJ Strata has lots on Haditha. Here, here, and here.
Captain’s Quarters
Gateway Pundit says this is all bad news for Murtha.
The Real Ugly American
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I sure hope at the end of this slander and attacks on our troops that Murtha is FORCED to hold a press conference and make a formal apology. And then kick him out of the Marines for good, so he can never call himself a Marine again.