Fred Stone and GOP. Traitor and Treason
http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-05-31T194155Z_01_N31195013_RTRUKOC_0_UK-IRAQ-USA-HADITHA.xml
U.S. probe finds unprovoked killings in Haditha
Wed May 31, 2006 8:42 PM BST
By Will Dunham
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A preliminary military inquiry found evidence
that U.S. Marines killed two dozen Iraqi civilians in an unprovoked
attack in November, contradicting the troops' account, U.S. officials
said on Wednesday.
President George W. Bush said he was troubled by news stories on the
November 19 killings of men, women and children in the town of
Haditha, and a general at the Pentagon said the incident could
complicate the job for the 130,000 U.S. troops in Iraq.
"Allegations such as this, regardless of how they are borne out by the
facts, can have an effect on the ability of U.S. forces to continue to
operate," Army Brig. Gen. Carter Ham, deputy director for regional
operations for the military's Joint Staff, told a Pentagon briefing.
Forensic data from corpses showed victims with bullet wounds, despite
earlier statements by Marines that civilians were killed by a roadside
bomb that also claimed the life of a Marine from El Paso, Texas, Lance
Cpl. Miguel Terrazas, a defence official said.
"The forensics painted a different story than what the Marines had
said," said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity due to
the sensitivity of the matter.
The official said there were wounds that would not have been caused by
an improvised explosive device. "Did someone shoot somebody just for
the sake of taking him out?" the official said. "Bad things happened
that day, and it appears Marines lied about it."
"I am troubled by the initial news stories," Bush said at the White
House. "I am mindful there is a thorough investigation going on. If in
fact laws were broken there will be punishment."
Residents of Haditha, 125 miles (200 km) northwest of Baghdad in an
area that has seen much activity by Sunni Arab insurgents, have told
Reuters that Marines rampaged through houses and shot civilians after
their patrol was hit by the roadside bomb.
The incident could represent the worst-known case of misconduct by
U.S. troops in Iraq, and comes at a time when opinion polls show
falling U.S. public support for the 3-year-old war. Ham emphasized the
importance of U.S. troops having the support of the Iraqi people and
government.
TWO INVESTIGATIONS
There are two ongoing military investigations.
A probe by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, responsible for
cases involving Marines, might lead to charges including murder,
officials said. A separate fact-finding inquiry involves whether
Marines tried to cover up the true nature of the incident, officials
said.
The defence official said the investigations should be completed in
mid-June.
A preliminary inquiry was ordered in February only after Time magazine
presented the U.S. military with information casting doubt on the
official military version of the incident -- that civilians had been
killed along with the one Marine by a roadside bomb.
Larry Cox, executive director of Amnesty International USA, said he
was "deeply disturbed" by the allegations, adding, "These accusations,
if proven true, may rise to the level of war crimes."
The New York Times reported on Wednesday that the initial
investigation in February and March led by Army Col. Gregory Watt
uncovered death certificates showing the civilians were shot mostly in
the head and chest. The Times said Watt reviewed military payments
totalling $38,000 to families of victims.
In an interview with CNN, the new Iraqi ambassador to the United
States, Samir al-Sumaidaie, said there appeared to have been other
unnecessary killings of civilians by Marines in Haditha, where some of
his family lives.
-----
Yang
a.a. #28
AthD (h.c.) conferred by the regents of the LCL
a.a. pastor #-273.15, the most frigid church of Celcius nee Kelvin
EAC Econometric Forecast and Sorcery Division
The Bush 'balanced' budget: 2 trillion and worsening
The Bush 'economic' policy: 12.5 million FEWER jobs than Clinton and counting
The Bush Iraq lie: -2470 GIs, one friend's co-worker's son and mounting
Having Bush ***** up my country: Worthless
-----
"Ahhhhhh, yessssssss, ummmmmmm - Alito, Alito, Alito"
-duke (duckgumbo@cox.net), aka PedophilEarl J Weber, 59
year old mateless, heirless biological failure
of Afton Oaks Apartment, Baton Rouge,who pussied
out of the Vietnam draft, showing his gay side
despite his avowed anti-gay bigotry
Contact duke's priest and ask
him why duke is such a racist:
http://www.stpatrickbr.org/
Father Gerard "Jerry" Martin
stpatrickbr<AT>bellsouth<DOT>net
Saint Patrick Catholic Church
12424 Brogdon Lane
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70816
.
|
