My Lai Haditha: Oops. Never Mind.
The government’s case against a Marine accused of fatally shooting Iraqi civilians in the town of Haditha lacks sufficient evidence to go to a court-martial and should be dropped, a hearing officer determined. The murder charges were brought against Lance Cpl. Justin L. Sharratt for killing three Iraqi brothers in November 2005.
The hearing officer, Lt. Col. Paul Ware, wrote in a report released by the defense Tuesday that those charges were based on unreliable witness accounts, insupportable forensic evidence and questionable legal theories. He also wrote that the case could have dangerous consequences on the battlefield, where soldiers might hesitate during critical moments when facing an enemy.
“The government version is unsupported by independent evidence,” Ware wrote in the 18-page report. “To believe the government version of facts is to disregard clear and convincing evidence to the contrary.” (Associated Press)
Any minute now we’ll hear from such fossilized leftist nutjobs reliving their ‘glory days’ like John Murtha, who sold his soul and betrayed the uniform he once wore for political gain, along with the MSM folks so eager to stick it to Bush regardless of such things as ohhhh “due process” and “innocent until proven guilty”. Yep, they’ll all be lining up and rushing to humbly apologize for slandering these Marines in just a few. Wait for it. It can’t be long now…
(More on this can be found at Gateway Pundit)
– John (Average Gay Joe)
UPDATE: In yet another example of military hatred by leftist nutjobs, Ace of Spades posts about the cover-up in the MSM on the real motive behind the attempted murder of U.S.A.F. Airman Jonathan Schrieken by an antiwar freak — on the 4th of July no less! Now that’s speaking ‘truth’ to power Tarentino-style.
UPDATE FROM GP: A reminder of John Murtha’s “cold blooded” attack on our US Marines.
UPDATE (from GPW): Bruce Kesler at Democracy Project has been doing a good job following this story, so I highly recommend his latest post on the topic. He suggests the coverage of the issue is of a piece of the media’s coverage of the surge:
Our foes quite openly and explicitly recognize their only hope of winning is in Washington, and they are encouraged by our politicians and media who weaken our efforts and resolve. The premature rush to abandon the “surge,” only fully manned for a few weeks and showing results, is more than irresponsible. It is despicable. Indeed, it’s incredible, so implausible as to elicit disbelief, but it’s happening, and cheers can be heard from our foes in Iraq and elsewhere.
Now just read the whole thing and make sure to follow the links.
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Of course, what Bruce conveniently omits is the fact that two other marines are still charged with murder and that Sharratt may be given immunity to testify against them for the Haditha killings.
Comment by Ian S — July 11, 2007 @ 5:03 pm - July 11, 2007
#1 - Wonder Woman, it would be in your best interest to READ THE ARTICLE first before you start your perpetual hissy-fit.
Bruce did not “omit” anything. John (AverageGayJoe) wrote the piece.
Try again.
Regards,
Peter H.
Comment by Peter Hughes — July 11, 2007 @ 5:17 pm - July 11, 2007
Interesting how the very link you provide, Ian, acknowledges that the clearing of Sharratt (the 2nd Marine cleared thus far), “also appeared to clear Wuterich in the same attack, concluding that the Marines’ version of events was more credible than the claims of local residents who said the deaths were executions”. That leaves De la Cruz and 4 officers. Expect to see the case against De la Cruz crumble shortly and perhaps at worse slaps on the wrist against the 4 officers who are NOT charged with murder but instead “failing to properly investigate the killings”. Face it: this was a bad case that the left seized upon to slander the Marine Corps and military in general. That they did so is quite telling and positively despicable.
Comment by John — July 11, 2007 @ 5:28 pm - July 11, 2007
Oops, my bad Ian: we both made errors. Tatum is the enlisted Marine left after Sharratt who is charged with murder, while De la Cruz (NOT Sharratt) was given immunity to testify.
Comment by John — July 11, 2007 @ 5:30 pm - July 11, 2007
John-
Thanks for posting this… and the item about the Unhinged Liberal who attempted to assassinate a member of the US Armed Forces in New Jersey.
My two cents on Murtha: Sharratt should sue Murtha’s ass off for slander and sue the ass off any news organization for libel. I’d be the first to contribute to his legal fund!
Comment by GayPatriot — July 11, 2007 @ 5:49 pm - July 11, 2007
“Didn’t investigate properly” is most likely the CYA offense. Even if the officers didn’t do anything wrong by not investigating, doing so would have saved a whole lot of pain and grief. This is one of the areas where fairness doesn’t really apply and it’s no use to complain about it.
Sort of like, “Why didn’t you know that months after the event a one-person human rights group/anti-American reporter was going to start fussing about Haditha and that Murtha was going to take the opportunity to try us and convict us, and everyone in the military, in press conferences?”
CYA is a simple doctrine.
Comment by Synova — July 11, 2007 @ 6:00 pm - July 11, 2007
[...] Original post by Average Gay Joe [...]
Pingback by Politics: 2008 HQ » Blog Archive » My Lai Haditha: Oops. Never Mind. — July 11, 2007 @ 6:09 pm - July 11, 2007
#4: Sorry, John for mistaking you for Bruce although I’m sure you took it as a compliment.
The Post article states:
[Emphasis added] so Wuterich is still in trouble even if the Sharratt charges are dropped for Wuterich too. None of us really knows what went down in Haditha so I don’t think it’s productive to deride those who want to learn the truth. Hopefully, the military justice system is capable of determining what happened.
Comment by Ian S — July 11, 2007 @ 7:52 pm - July 11, 2007
Yet the problem still remains that if Wuterich if the charges for the killings are dismissed as they were against Sharratt, the alleged evidence for the others will come under greater scrutiny.
That’s bullshit and you know it. Murtha and the MSM didn’t give a damn about the “truth”, only how this incident could be spun best politically. If the government has a case against these Marines and can prove it, great: nail them to the wall. Yet thus far it is looking like another Nifongesque prosecution.
Any reason to doubt that it is capable of such in this case, other than perhaps an outcome you may find politically undesirable?
Comment by John — July 11, 2007 @ 8:00 pm - July 11, 2007
#9:
Considering how the Marine brass apparently told Murtha the killings were executions - they provided that story to NBC too - I’m concerned that some Marine brass minds are already made up that they’re guilty.
Comment by Ian S — July 11, 2007 @ 9:09 pm - July 11, 2007
Reminder: Conservatives have been the ones wanting to learn the truth. Lefties (Murtha and most anti-war types) have been the ones doing the deriding.
So congratulations, Ian - You just paid conservatives an implicit compliment. (Or finally gave left-liberals a well-deserved slam.)
My, how the worm turns when needed. I mean - This sudden faith in our military!
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — July 11, 2007 @ 10:00 pm - July 11, 2007
#11:
Well, John seemed to have another take. As far as Murtha being a leftie, he’s opposed to the war; not everyone opposed to the war is a leftie. Ron Paul is another good example.
Comment by Ian S — July 12, 2007 @ 12:07 am - July 12, 2007
Since when did Ian give a damn about our soldiers?
Comment by ThatGayConservative — July 12, 2007 @ 2:28 am - July 12, 2007
#13 - TGC - We KNOW the answer already, don’t we?
#10 - Ian - It is MURTHA who says the Marines told him. Since when did you start believing crazy old men who want to live in their Congressional seat for life?
Comment by GayPatriot — July 12, 2007 @ 8:43 am - July 12, 2007
#14:
NBC’s Marine sources independently confirmed what he had said. Not to mention that the fact that these Marines are charged with first degree murder which means it was “cold-blooded” the term used by Murtha.
Comment by Ian S — July 12, 2007 @ 9:53 am - July 12, 2007
[This comment has been deleted as this commenter (keogh) has been repeatedly banned for violating community terms of conduct.]
Comment by gil — July 12, 2007 @ 10:06 am - July 12, 2007
When was I banned? I changed my name because i changed computers.
Comment by gil — July 12, 2007 @ 1:46 pm - July 12, 2007
So are the prosecutors in this military case as out of control as the Duke rape case prosecutor and the Libbey prosecutor? Liberals use to be on the side of the falsely accused. When did that change?
Comment by Gene in Pennsylvania — July 12, 2007 @ 1:48 pm - July 12, 2007
“NBC’s Marine sources independently confirmed what he had said.”
So the media is much more reliable than the actual brass itself? And if it had been Marines who told their version of what had occurred to NBC, doesn’t it cast aspersions on their credibility as well?
Any Marine who would willingly sell out another one is not deserving of that uniform. And that goes for doofuses like Murtha as well.
Regards,
Peter H.
Comment by Peter Hughes — July 12, 2007 @ 2:24 pm - July 12, 2007
“I changed my name because i changed computers.”
Wonder Girl, here’s $1. Go buy a clue.
Regards,
Peter H.
Comment by Peter Hughes — July 12, 2007 @ 2:24 pm - July 12, 2007
#18 - Gene, the Nifong disbarment is now official.
I predict two things:
1. The Duke lacrosse players and their families will now pursue criminal charges.
2. Nifong will run for a House/Senate seat as a (D) and play the victim card.
Stranger things have happened.
Regards,
Peter H.
Comment by Peter Hughes — July 12, 2007 @ 2:31 pm - July 12, 2007
I didn’t know keogh was banned. I must have missed that one.
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — July 12, 2007 @ 2:44 pm - July 12, 2007
I didn’t know I was either.
Its a little strange.
But. Its not my site.
So it goes.
Comment by gil — July 12, 2007 @ 2:57 pm - July 12, 2007
Well, if the Kossacks can boot Cindy Sheehag from their site, then Bruce and Dan can do the same thing.
Regards,
Peter H.
Comment by Peter Hughes — July 12, 2007 @ 3:37 pm - July 12, 2007
My guess is its a mistake by the hosts, or my comment in #16 was so perfect that they just had to delete it to avert any more mass defections from conservativism
Comment by gil — July 12, 2007 @ 4:21 pm - July 12, 2007
Massive Nincompoop in #24:
Malkin’s a liar. Cindy was not booted from the DailyKos site. She like everyone else on that site is not permitted to advocate for non-Democratic candidates. There is only one exception to that rule and that is Bernie Sanders who is unopposed by the Democratic Party. DailyKos is upfront about the purpose of the site and it is not to campaign for non-Democrats. Cindy is welcome to continue posting; she just can’t push her independent candidacy against Pelosi.
Comment by Ian S — July 12, 2007 @ 6:46 pm - July 12, 2007
Malkin’s a liar? Coming from Wonder Woman herself, that’s not saying much. We all know how you’ve been discredited.
Regards,
Peter H.
Comment by Peter Hughes — July 12, 2007 @ 11:21 pm - July 12, 2007
So party comes first, above all else, and through in an insane Socialist (in this case Sanders, not Hillary) for grins, right?
Comment by ThatGayConservative — July 13, 2007 @ 2:07 am - July 13, 2007
Throw in, rather.
Comment by ThatGayConservative — July 13, 2007 @ 2:07 am - July 13, 2007
And TGC, funny how Mama Moonbat was purged from the Kossacks, but Shrillary Clinton is welcome.
And Markos Mousitsas himself stated in his book that he wishes to reform the Dhimmicrat party. So much for the “big tent” theory.
Also - remember how badly the Kossacks wanted Ned Lamont to defeat Lieberman? But ol’ Joe got the last laugh.
The issue is plain to see: Cindy Sheehag failed the litmust test, and she must now pay (according to the Kos Kidz). Those who do not tow the Kossack line must be liquidated.
Shades of the USSR…
Regards,
Peter H.
Comment by Peter Hughes — July 13, 2007 @ 11:23 am - July 13, 2007