Something happened at Haditha...
Something happened at Haditha that did not involve picnics, spiked Koolaid or food poisoning, but nonethless left at least 15 people dead in three houses, including women and little children.
Reports are coming out that three officers from the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, based at Camp Pendleton, Calif.have been relieved of duty during the on-going investigation of the killings that occured late November. There are several versions of the story, but throughout these versions, members of several families were shot in their homes, execution-style.
Time Magazine published this report about the attack on the three houses.
I think we have to ask ourselves how many more Hadithas exist. There have been persistant rumors of looting, stealing from Iraqi families, extortion, rape, beatings and murder committed by US soldiers. All were thought to be bogus because "the US army doesn't act like that." Well, yes it does. And all the allegations, with the exception of rape, have been shown to be true.
Now, one could put it down to the "fog of war," but I think the "fog of war" only holds so much water. Then it comes down to decency and expected behavior. Why is it that the US military cannot be expected to not do these things?
And here is something else to ask yourself...
If they commit these crimes (and in the US, these would be crimes) with impunity in Iraq, what do you think they are going to do once they come back?
Especially in areas with populations that look Arab (like some Mexicans) or that actually are.
This war is hell mentality has got to stop. We are not at war- we are an occupying force that is unable to pacify various regions of a country we currently occupy. And as an occupying force, we have stated responsibilities as laid out in the Geneva Conventions which we signed.
And if we are not an occupying force, but merely "assisting" the "sovereign government of Iraq," then those who commit crimes like Haditha need to be turned over to that "sovereign" government and tried for murder in the first.
(sorry about the links- I can't get them to work. The stories mentioned are with AP and Time Magazine (archive of last week)- try those sites to see the texts)
Reports are coming out that three officers from the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, based at Camp Pendleton, Calif.have been relieved of duty during the on-going investigation of the killings that occured late November. There are several versions of the story, but throughout these versions, members of several families were shot in their homes, execution-style.
Time Magazine published this report about the attack on the three houses.
I think we have to ask ourselves how many more Hadithas exist. There have been persistant rumors of looting, stealing from Iraqi families, extortion, rape, beatings and murder committed by US soldiers. All were thought to be bogus because "the US army doesn't act like that." Well, yes it does. And all the allegations, with the exception of rape, have been shown to be true.
Now, one could put it down to the "fog of war," but I think the "fog of war" only holds so much water. Then it comes down to decency and expected behavior. Why is it that the US military cannot be expected to not do these things?
And here is something else to ask yourself...
If they commit these crimes (and in the US, these would be crimes) with impunity in Iraq, what do you think they are going to do once they come back?
Especially in areas with populations that look Arab (like some Mexicans) or that actually are.
This war is hell mentality has got to stop. We are not at war- we are an occupying force that is unable to pacify various regions of a country we currently occupy. And as an occupying force, we have stated responsibilities as laid out in the Geneva Conventions which we signed.
And if we are not an occupying force, but merely "assisting" the "sovereign government of Iraq," then those who commit crimes like Haditha need to be turned over to that "sovereign" government and tried for murder in the first.
(sorry about the links- I can't get them to work. The stories mentioned are with AP and Time Magazine (archive of last week)- try those sites to see the texts)
