[antimedia] antimedia: The "Haditha massacre" case....

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Posted by antimedia:
The "Haditha massacre" case....
http://www.antimedia.us/posts/1184206342.shtml


   ....is [1]collapsing under the weight of its own lies. The government
   has tried hard to hang some good Marines for simply following the
   rules of engagement ([2]as I have insisted all along was the case),
   but there are still a few good men in the military justice system.

     Due to the disparate accounts, it is tempting to simply conclude
     that this case should be tried to either exonerate LCp1 Sharratt or
     convict him of a crime. However, to adopt the government's position
     that because there are two differing accounts, a general
     court-martial is warranted is an abdication of the necessary
     process of determining whether reasonable grounds exist to warrant
     a court-martial. It is not as simple as stating there are two
     accounts so a trial is necessary. Analysis of these two versions
     must provide reasonable grounds that the Government version of
     events may be true. In analyzing the evidence, I read several
     hundred pages of interviews, documents, articles and statements (IE
     33-105).
     Ultimately, there is only one statement by an eye witness to the
     events, LCp1 Sharratt, and his version of events is strongly
     corroborated by independent forensic analysis of the death scene.
     The government version is unsupported by independent evidence and
     while each statement has within it corroboration, several factors
     together reduces the credibility of such statements to incredible.
     In addition, the statements of the Iraqis are unclear,
     contradictory in part, and simply state self-interested conclusions
     as to what occurred within house 4.
     Finally, to believe the government version of facts is to disregard
     clear and convincing evidence to the contrary and sets a dangerous
     precedent that, in my opinion, may encourage others to bear false
     witness against Marines as a tactic to erode public support of the
     Marine Corps and mission in Iraq. Even more dangerous is the
     potential that a Marine may hesitate at the critical moment when
     facing the enemy. (Emphasis and formatting mine.)

   Gee, ya think? I don't know how our warriors continue to function
   under the current ludicrous situation. Officers can get away with
   murder (figuratively), but the grunts, who are the ones who take the
   brunt of war, can't even fight except with their hands tied behind
   their backs. It's beyond ludicrous. It's criminal.
   It's time this nation faced the truth. War is an ugly business. If
   we're going to wage it, we should be completely ruthless and
   devastatingly violent, because doing so will end the wars quickly and
   limit the casualties on both sides. Or as William Tecumseh Sherman
   [3]once said, "War is cruelty. There is no use trying to reform it.
   The crueler it is the sooner it's over."
   We've been fighting stupid for decades now.
   Tags: [4]war [5]Iraq [6]Haditha [7]Marines [8]justice

References

   1. http://www.democracy-project.com/archives/003393.html
   2. http://www.antimedia.us/posts/1172640380.shtml
   3. http://news.galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=e14dc32410ed9013
   4. http://technorati.com/tag/war
   5. http://technorati.com/tag/Iraq
   6. http://technorati.com/tag/Haditha
   7. http://technorati.com/tag/Marines
   8. http://technorati.com/tag/justice