Should these Marines be punished?

Question

Marine didn't suspect Haditha wrongdoing Sat Aug 19, 9:15 AM

WASHINGTON - The Marine officer in charge of troops suspected of killing 24 innocent Iraqi men, women and children told investigators he did not initiate an inquiry into the carnage because he did not consider the deaths unusual, The Washington Post reported Saturday.

In a sworn statement given to military investigators in March, Lt. Col. Jeffrey R. Chessani said: "I thought it was very sad, very unfortunate, but at the time, I did not suspect any wrongdoing from my Marines." Chessani was commander of the 3rd Battalion of the 1st Marines.

"I did not have any reason to believe that this was anything other than combat action," he added. "This is the American way" he stated.


Reached by telephone late Friday, Marine Lt. Col. Sean Gibson, a spokesman on the Haditha case, said he had not seen the report and could not comment other than to say it is the American way.

The Marine Corps has been investigating

Answer 1

Maybe they don't find it unusual...
I met a marine on leave who said that they would declare.. what was it called? someone who knows about the military would recognize it... red zone or hot zone... where any living creature is considered a possible enemy and fired upon. He was a sniper, and in one of these zones, had to shoot a group of schoolchildren just trying to run away... no consequences or press coverage for that, because it was one of these zones where they declare it necessary to do this

it is possible that they should be punished, but so should their fearless leader

Answer 2

Once again, when our people are suspected of harming innocent civilians, it becomes news. It gets investigated, and if there is criminal action involved, the persons responsible get punished. Why is this? Because our policy is to avoid causing harm to the innocent whenever possible. No military force in history has ever spend so much effort and so much money to limit collateral damage that the current forces of the United States. Our enemies in Iraq, on the other hand, willfully and wantonly make it their policy to cause as many civilian casualties as they can. Much of the violence in Iraq at this point really has little to do with American forces at all. A great deal of it is between Kurds and Shiites and Sunnis and various factions within those groupings, with bombings of mosques and damage to large numbers of people simply trying to go on with their lives. Where is the public outcry against the Insurgents? Why are they not held accountable for their actions? The Americans are at least making an attempt to hurt only the deserving.

Answer 3

A roadside bomb went off,it cut a Marine in half,all hell broke loose,people were shooting at them,in all the chaos bystanders get in the way tuff s***,it's war not a police arrest,get that thru your dog gone heads.

Answer 4

You do mean after they've been tried and found guilty, right?

Don't forget "innocent until proven guilty", Binky; you never know when you'll find yourself on the other side of the dock!

Answer 5

If found guilty in American courts I think they should have to face Iraqi sentences

Answer 6

I do not believe they should be punished. I think at most they should get dishonorably discharged, but I would even disagree with that.

Answer 7

of course,, despite GWB ignorance of the laws,, we still honor the Geneva Convention in America,, thank God

Answer 8

No, although thats not what you want to see
douchbag

Answer 9

war is hell, innocent people get killed. what part of this don't you understand?

Answer 10

no