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Feherty still needs to apologize to our troops for comparing them to terrorists by claiming they would gladly murder US citizens.
Despite the fact that we only have one Marine on trial for this and all the others had charges dropped, many gave testimony for immunity and some admitted to pretty horrible things.
Sometime around the incident
Eman Waleed, a nine-year-old child who witnessed the incident, described the US marines entering their house. She said:
"I couldn't see their faces very well - only their guns sticking in to the doorway. I watched them shoot my grandfather, first in the chest and then in the head. Then they killed my granny."[2]
The director of the local hospital in Haditha, Dr Wahid, said that the 24 bodies were brought in two American humvees [2] to the hospital around midnight on November 19. While the Marines claim that the victims had been killed by shrapnel from the roadside bomb and that the men "were saboteurs", Dr Wahid said that there were "no organs slashed by shrapnel in any of the bodies". He further claimed that it appeared that "the victims were shot in the head and chest from close range."[2]
Soon after the killings, the mayor of Haditha, Emad Jawad Hamza, led an angry delegation of elders up to the Haditha Dam Marine base allegedly complaining to the base captain.[2]
The Marine Corps paid $38,000 to the families of 15 of the dead civilians.[23]
The Evidence
Video shot by the co-founder of the Hammurabi Human Rights Group, Taher Thabet, which instigated Tim McGirk's original Time magazine article [3], and cellphone photos reportedly taken by one of the Marines[24] the day after the killings have been put forth as evidence that the killings were methodical and without resistance.[2][25] In particular, the video shot by Thabet shows the bodies of the children and women with gunshot wounds, bullet holes in the interior walls of the house, and bloodstains on the floor. Insufficient evidence has come to light to account for insurgents hiding in the houses that first came under attack.
the only AK-47 that was discovered that day—apparently a household defensive weapon, of the type that is legal and common in Iraq. No one has claimed that the rifle had been fired.--William Langewiesche in Rules of Engagement, Vanity Fair, November 2006
McGirk's first article online stated that the Hammurabi Human Rights Group had "coordinated with Human Rights Watch". A correction was issued when no official links could be confirmed.[2] . Thabet shot video of AQ IED attacks which later were posted on YouTube.
Pre-trial hearings
Testimony in an Article 32 investigation for Capt. Randy W. Stone, equivalent to a civilian grand jury proceeding, began on May 8, 2007. At the hearing, Marine Lt. William Kallop, the platoon commander who ordered Marines to "clear" four houses, testified that the rules of engagement were followed and that no mistakes had been made. He stated that a Marine on the scene had reported seeing a suspected insurgent in the vicinity. Kallop also believed that small arms fire was being directed from the first house attacked by the Marines.[37]
On May 9, Sergeant Sanick De la Cruz, who received immunity in return for testimony, testified that he watched Staff Sergeant Frank Wuterich shoot five Iraqis who were attempting to surrender. Cruz further testified that both he and Wuterich fired into the bodies of the five after they were dead, and that he had urinated on one of the dead Iraqis.[38][39]
No weapons were found in the white taxi.[40]
The US military has attempted to subpoena material from a 60 Minutes interview with Staff Sergeant Wuterich, specifically material where Wuterich admits to ordering his men to "shoot first and ask questions later."[41] The interview includes Wuterich insisting he perceived a threat from house 1 but saw no gun fire from that house and that he saw no insurgent enter that house. He suggests he saw the dead family in house 1 and proceeded to assault house 2 based on a guess that the gunman may have entered that house. The Marines knocked on the door of house 2 and when someone came to answer they fired through the door killing what they saw to be an unarmed man. They then assaulted the house and killed the family inside. Wuterich believes now that there was probably no threat to begin with.[42]
The Article 32 investigation recommended Capt. Randy W. Stone's criminal charge be dismissed, but that he face a new lesser charge that would be handled administratively for failing to investigate the incident properly.[43] The charges against Stone were dropped on August 9.[8]
Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani was recommended to face court-martial for having "failed to thoroughly and accurately report and investigate a combat action that clearly needed scrutiny."[44] On June 17, 2008 Military Judge Colonel Steven Folsom dismissed all charges against Lt Colonel Jeffrey Chessani on the grounds that General James Mattis, who approved the filing of charges against Chessani, was improperly influenced by an investigator probing the incident. The ruling was without prejudice, which allows the prosecution to refile.[45]
Lt. Col. Paul Ware, the Inspecting Officer for several of the enlisted Marines, recommended on July 11, 2007 that LCpl. Justin Sharratt be cleared of these charges. Ware stated, "[t]he government version is unsupported by independent evidence... To believe the government version of facts is to disregard clear and convincing evidence to the contrary."[46] The charges against Sharratt were dropped on August 9.[8]
Article 32 hearings for LCpl. Stephen Tatum began July 16, and for SSgt. Frank Wuterich begins in August.[47] The investigating officer recommended charges be dropped against Tatum.[9]
Who Got Off
On April 17, 2007, the Marine Corps dropped all charges against Sgt. Sanick P. De la Cruz in exchange for his testimony. Seven other Marines involved in the incident have also been granted immunity.[48]
On August 9, 2007, all charges against Lance Cpl. Justin Sharratt and Capt. Randy Stone were dropped.[35] On October 19th, Lance Cpl. Justin Sharratt's commanding officer decided the charges should be lowered to involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment and aggravated assault.[10]
On September 18, 2007, all charges against Captain Lucas McConnell were dropped in exchange for immunity and his cooperation with the investigation.[49]
On March 28, 2008, all charges against LCpl. Stephen Tatum were dropped.[50]
On June 17, 2008, all charges against Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani were dismissed by the military judge citing unlawful command influence.[12] The Marine Corps has appealed that ruling.[51]
Back to work. I'm suprised the Colonel of the Sanders Clan didn't want credit.
So I'm not really sure of what your particular gripe is. Perhaps you could expound.
Suppose youv'e got the parent of a young soldier who's fallen in the line of duty,Bush and Cheney and then somehow add Bin Laden in there and give the gun to the parent with 2 bullets and you would find this to happen;
Osama shot twice,Bush pistol whipped and Cheney trying to cut a deal.