US marines 'devalued Iraqi lives'

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

US marines 'devalued Iraqi lives'

The US Marine Corps fostered a climate that devalued Iraqi lives, a US general investigating the 2005 killing of Iraqi civilians in Haditha has said.

The report, submitted in 2006 but now declassified, said the US military had ignored signs of "serious misconduct", according to the Washington Post.

A total of 24 men, women and children were killed at Haditha by marines who said they were attacked by insurgents.

A criminal investigation into the incident is continuing.

The Haditha inquiry is just one of a number the US military has been conducting into incidents of alleged unlawful killings by US forces in Iraq.

Video footage

Maj Gen Eldon Bargewell's report is an indictment of actions throughout the whole chain of command, from the general in charge to the men who carried out the killings on 19 November, 2005.

"All levels of command tended to view civilian casualties, even in significant numbers, as routine and as the natural and intended result of insurgent tactics," the US newspaper quotes him as saying.

Gen Bargewell said statements taken from those involved suggested the marines thought "Iraqi civilian lives are not as important as US lives, their deaths are just the cost of doing business, and that the marines need to get 'the job done' no matter what it takes".

The US military's initial statement on Haditha said that a marine and 15 civilians had been killed in a roadside bomb. A subsequent firefight had left eight insurgents dead, it said.

However, a local journalist took video footage showing men, women and children shot in their homes. Locals said the marines had gone on a rampage.

The US military instigated investigations and confirmed that 24 Iraqi civilians had died, none of them killed by a roadside bomb.

Three marines have since been charged with unpremeditated murder and four with attempting to cover up the incident.

Gen Bargewell is quoted as saying officers had tried to protect themselves and their troops by wilfully ignoring reports of civilian deaths.

There was no interest in investigating reports of a massacre, although there was also no specific cover-up, he is reported to have said.

The general's report, filed in June last year, does not address the specifics of the killings, which are the subject of the criminal case, rather it tackles the command structure and investigation procedure.

Gen Bargewell found that the marines had not identified targets properly, the Washington Post says.

The report also says the marines' story was passed up the chain of command and at all levels signs that the incident was significant were ignored.

A military judge has yet to decide if there is enough evidence against the seven accused marines to convene a court martial.

I wonder what people think of this - hard to say given that this pertains to an ongoing criminal investigation, but it says some fairly worrying things about institutional culture.

[Otto 83]

US marines 'devalued Iraqi lives'

However, a local journalist took video footage showing men, women and children shot in their homes. Locals said the marines had gone on a rampage.

I wonder what people think of this - hard to say given that this pertains to an ongoing criminal investigation, but it says some fairly worrying things about institutional culture.

[homesick_american 1]

SSDD

[kaydee457 13]

Oh, I dunno what people would think....What would people think about this? Why aren't these stories ever reported by AP?

"Many American troops have taken it upon themselves to reconstruct schools and gather learning tools for the children of Iraq.

Their efforts have been met with immense gratitude from the local Iraqis and their children.

Operation Iraqi Children is a grassroots program that aims to provide concerned Americans with the means to reach out to the Iraqi people and help support our troops' attempts to assist them. "

source

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I don't doubt "good things" are happening, but given the (at best) mixed public opinion over this war I honestly wonder why so many people are surprised that media coverage focuses on the darker aspects.

Regardless, the investigation into events like Haditha - which have all the look of atrocity is clearly an important one and is deserving of coverage - again given the mixed public opinion regarding the the wider context.

[Hornet 2]

War devalues human life. But charging our Marines or Soldiers for over-reacting to being attacked is just stabbing our guys in the back.

Maybe they deserve to be charged, but they also deserve the benefit of the doubt and the understanding of being in combat and attacked at anytime. The stress that causes and that every damn decision made in the heat of battle doesn't always turn out to be correct but that doesn't warrant charges against the men who are putting their lives on the line for us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One of the biggest worries our guys in Iraq have is being charged with the UCMJ becoz they fire on the wrong house or use to much force. Those actions should never be charged, bad things happen in war.

The politicains and Brass don't give a shiit about our troops. It's all about them staying in power!

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

In my reading of that article I thought the guy was indicting the whole chain of command over their response to that incident - the rank and file troops are only mentioned indirectly with a paraphrased comment about "not identifying targets correctly".