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January 02, 2008
No Massacre In Haditha But 3 Marines Still Stand Trial
No massacre in Haditha: new charges refute Murtha, media allegations
Defend Our Marines .....for entire article ( it is long so I am just putting some of it on here)
The Marine Corps has now acknowledged that none of the Marines charged with criminal offenses for their actions at Haditha, Iraq committed murder.
Lieutenant General Samuel Helland’s decision to dismiss charges of unpremeditated murder against Staff Sergeant Frank Wuterich lay to rest specious allegations by Time Magazine reporter Tim McGirk and Congressman John Murtha that a My Lai-style massacre occurred in Haditha on November 19, 2005.
A Marine Corps spokesman said Monday that Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich will face trial on charges of voluntary manslaughter, aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, dereliction of duty and obstruction of justice for his role in the debacle that followed an Al Qaeda led attack on a squad of 12 Marines.
Lt Gen Helland, the final arbiter in the matter, dismissed twelve charges of unpremeditated murder, and separate charges of soliciting another to commit an offense and making a false official statement. His decision removes the onus that war crimes were committed by any of the American Marines who fought in the day-long battle for the strategic city.
Attorneys Neil Puckett and Mark Zaid, in Washington, D.C., co-counsels for SSgt Wuterich, responded:
"The good news is that SSgt Wuterich (and all of the Marines, for that matter), have been forever cleared of murder charges. That means that there is (and never was) any evidence to support Congressman Murtha's and Time magazine's allegations of these Marines killing Iraqis 'in cold blood.'"The bad news is that the extensive pretrial investigation and legal analysis conducted by an experienced military judge was essentially ignored. It is always disappointing when professional military prosecutors profess to want to do the right thing by setting up the system to work, and then ignore its results because they refuse to give Marines under attack in combat the benefit of the doubt that they were responding according to their training. We are confident that a military jury will acquit SSgt Wuterich of all remaining charges, because he is, in fact, not guilty."
UPDATE: As of January 1st
Marine to stand trial for voluntary manslaughter in Haditha killings
CAMP PENDLETON
San Diego.com ...for complete article
One Marine will stand trial forvoluntary manslaughter and another for obstruction of justice in connection with an alleged war crime that left 24 civilians dead more than two years ago in Haditha, Iraq, Camp Pendleton officials announced Monday. Lt. Gen. Samuel Helland has ordered Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich to be tried on charges of voluntary manslaughter, aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, dereliction of duty and obstruction of justice.
Helland dismissed the charges of unpremeditated murder, soliciting another person to commit an offense and making a false official statement. As commander of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Central Command and the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton, Helland is the convening authority for the Haditha case.If convicted, Wuterich could be sentenced to 160.5 years in the brig, a bad-conduct discharge and forfeiture of all pay and allowances.
Wuterich led some members of a Marine platoon in using rifles and grenades to kill men, women and children Nov. 19, 2005. The unit took such actions shortly after a roadside bomb struck their convoy, killing a Marine and wounding two others.
Helland also ordered a court-martial for 1st Lt. Andrew Grayson, who is charged with making false official statements, obstruction of justice and attempting to fraudulently leave the Marine Corps.
Grayson was a commander overseeing Wuterich's platoon at the time. He is accused of trying to cover up the Haditha killings.
A conviction could force him to spend more than 10 years in prison and be dismissed from the service.
Wuterich and Grayson were among eight Marines from the Camp Pendleton-based 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment to face charges in the Haditha case.
The government has dropped all charges against five of the defendants, either outright or in exchange for future testimony. Besides Wuterich and Grayson and Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani will undergo court-martial, while the last defendant is awaiting word on whether he'll face trial.
Wild Thing's comment........
Pray that these Marine's will be exhonerated like the others.
..."CAMP PENDLETON – One Marine will stand trial for voluntary manslaughter and another for obstruction of justice in connection with an alleged war crime that left 24 civilians dead more than two years ago in Haditha, Iraq, Camp Pendleton officials announced Monday".....
Insurgents can be male, female, old, young and every spread in between.
From what I’ve read on this incident, the dead folk were insurgents. They might not have been armed at that exact moment, but too bad.
There’s nothing that happened to the folk at Haditha that wasn’t earned.
That whole *&*ing “innocent civilian” thing just chaps my arse when applied to the persons in the house(s) of concern. By definition, ALL terrorists are civilians, as they are not members of an organized, uniformed force under the auspices of a duly-constituted government.
All I can say for these particular “civilians” is that - you lie down with dogs, you wake up with fleas.
The people in Murtha's district need to come to their senses and give him the boot. The slut Murtha took the word of Time Magazine over his fellow Marines. Murtha the EX Marine! He does not deserve to be called a Marine!
specious allegations by Time Magazine reporter Tim McGirk
This is the lying traitorous bastard that started the ball of crap rolling on this farce.
.... Thank you Jack, Conservative Insurgent Blog, for the information.
Posted by Wild Thing at January 2, 2008 12:45 AM
Comments
I agree with you Chrissie..........Murtha is a disgrace to the Marine Corps, the entire military and to the United States!!!!! Both he and Tim McGirk sould be tried as the traitors that they are!!!!! See how they like it when the shoe is on the other foot and they have to hire attorneys to defend themselves!!!!! I wish the Marine Corps would suspend and revoke all of his benefits and send him a revised discharge that reads "DISHONORABLE"!!!!! What a sleezebag!!!!!!
Posted by: John at January 2, 2008 09:43 AM
The prosecutors in this case obviously gave in to political correctness and the power of Time Magazine and Congressman Murtha. They ignored the pretrial investigation and analysis of the military judge. This affair should have been nipped in the bud at that point. Sadly, only these eight Marines will pay any price.
Time magazine, like most MSM, is dying anyway and it's role in this kangaroo court is already forgotten.
Congressman Murtha is only momentarily embarrassed by his misstatements and accusations against the Marines. He will most likely be reelected by his hapy constituents and he will continue to swill the pork to his district.
Posted by: TomR at January 2, 2008 10:15 AM
If ever there was a CYA this is it.al-Qaeda has
a public relations arm that was second to none
and all we have is the AP.If this wasn't a set
up I will kiss my own ass in a hail storm...After
reading House to House by SSG David Bellavia on
the battle for Falluja and the amount of American
weapons and ammo the bad guys had plus American
armour and uniforms.That being the case the set up of the Marines was a cake walk...If all NCIS
finds IS American shell casings laying around
what can they say,we have been had again.Check out
the book it will blow your mind and the last 3
chapters will make your hair stand and your skin
crawl....
Posted by: Tincan Sailor at January 2, 2008 12:35 PM
My blood boils at the trumpted up unadulterated bullshit that these Marines have faced, I do hope two things come of this. 1. That saner heads prevail at the court-martial and acquit both men of all charges. 2. That these eight Marines then retire from the Marine Corp and never look back at their non supportive leaders, that ratbastard Murtha or the dying nation that doesn't deserve to have men like that protecting them.
I'm ashamed to call myself an American when we treat our fellow countrymen as common criminals for doing the very distasteful job we sent them there to do on our behalf. Shame on us all, shame on those disgraceful ones who set on their asses and do nothing to help these men in their plight.
Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigues of supporting it.
--Thomas Paine
Thank you Chrissie, you are our champion.
Posted by: Jack at January 2, 2008 01:21 PM
The malicious, hateful, and untruthful assault of our own Marines by Jack Murtha, Tim McGirk, the MSM, radical left-wing Democrats, and non-supportive military is a national disgrace. Their avoidance of recognizing and attacking the real Islamofascist terrorist enemy puts the country at an increased national security risk.
Posted by: Les at January 2, 2008 05:05 PM
John, I agree so much, the Marine Corps should do just that. It is such a high honor to be a Marine and when person does what Murtha, they don't deserve the connection imo no matter what he did when he was active duty.
Posted by: Wild Thing at January 2, 2008 06:01 PM
Tom, that is exactly what concerns me. That at the end of this nightmare they are going to make sure one of the Marines will due time just so the court system and those involved don't look like the jerks they are. To try and sve face so to speak at the expense of an innocent Marine.
Posted by: Wild Thing at January 2, 2008 06:05 PM
Tincan Sailor, thank you for the informtion about the book. I will get the book for sure.
Posted by: Wild Thing at January 2, 2008 06:07 PM
Jack that would be great if that would happen.This whole thing has been so upsetting and has had me furious from day one.
Posted by: Wild Thing at January 2, 2008 06:11 PM
http://www.marineband.usmc.mil/downloads
/audio/Marines_Hymn_2_cm.mp3
Posted by: BobF at January 2, 2008 06:12 PM
Les yes, I will never understand how people can lie like what has been done and get away with it. Men's lives destroyed because of lies. That should be a felony when it comes to Murtha,nd McGirk.
Posted by: Wild Thing at January 2, 2008 06:14 PM
Bob I love it thank you.
Posted by: Wild Thing at January 2, 2008 06:16 PM
So glad Commie Murtha wasn't on Iwo Jima nor Okinawa! Lee Harvey Oswald and Murtha deserve one another. I admire the other 99.99% Leathernecks USMC... OOH RAH 2008!
Posted by: darthcrUSAderworldtour07 at January 3, 2008 12:32 AM
Darth yes they do deserve each other.
Posted by: Wild Thing at January 3, 2008 12:52 AM
