Seven Marines and one Navy corpsman were tried last year in the court of public opinion for the Haditha “massacre.” The New York Times famously lamented the unraveling of this generation’s “defining atrocity“. The cases against four of those charged were dropped, two are pending and two will go to an actual court martial, with rules of evidence and the right to challenge testimony.
Where, as Diana West relays, they would like to speak with one of their accusers:
On May 17, 2006, Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., piled on to say what happened at Haditha was actually “much worse” than the Time story. Official investigations were still underway, but the ranking member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee repeatedly condemned the Marines for having “killed innocent civilians in cold blood.”
Murtha refuses to comment on the matter publicly or otherwise; as a defendant in a civil libel suit filed by Staff Sgt. Wuterich, he’s appealing a federal court order to be interviewed by Staff Sgt. Wuterich’s attorneys.
Hagee, whom Murtha has ID’ed as his source (Hagee denies this), has retired.
End of story? Not necessarily. The week before Christmas, the North County Times of San Diego reported that lawyers for Tatum have asked the military court to order Murtha to submit to interviews about his comments. They also “want to force an interview with retired Marine Corps Commandant Michael Hagee about what Hagee may have said to Murtha or others about the Haditha killings.”
The judge has yet to rule on this matter, but I, for one, hope he orders up the interviews. What is said may reveal that the Iraq war has indeed produced its “defining atrocity” — against our own Marines.
If Mr. Murtha truly got his information from General Hagee, I shouldn’t think it would be hard for a defense attorney to allege both explicit and implicit undue command influence in the prosecution. The Corps is small and the words of the Commandant shake it to its foundations. And then there is the matter of what was said afterwards by the ranking member on the House Defense Appropriations Committee, at whose foot corporate DoD must kneel if they want to get anything done.
Of course, the possibility exists that the General’s conversation with Mr. Murtha came well after the Congressman’s incendiary remarks on massacre and cold blooded shootings.
Men’s lives are at stake, men who traveled a hard road to a far place to do things we cannot dream of in nightmarish conditions at the risk of their own lives. For us. So if there’s to be a trial let us weigh all the evidence, put everyone under oath and watch to see who looks more creditable in the eyes of the court: the ABSCAM-tainted king of Congressional pork, or the retired commandant of the US Marine Corps.
Courts martial are not generally fun places to be, but even I might bestir myself to hear that day’s testimony.
Meanwhile, it may yet turn out that the Times will have to go on searching for the war’s defining atrocity, just as I’m sure their search for the war’s defining acts of courage, sacrifice, humility, charity and humanitarianism continues behind the scenes. Probably.
“just as I’m sure their search for the war’s defining acts of courage, sacrifice, humility, charity and humanitarianism continues behind the scenes.”
Sir. Are you sure that your oxygen mask is fastened securely?
I mean that this is the “New York Times” we are talking about here. In the last few years they have made the “Weekly World News” look accurate.
As far as Murtha goes, he almost makes me ashamed to say that I come from the same State. I’m hoping that he gets what is coming to him in the next election, but seeing as how Philadelphia has a say in it, I don’t think it will happen.
Re Your last couple of sentences. Lets not hold our breath waiting for this…
“just as I’m sure their search for the war’s defining acts of courage, sacrifice, humility, charity and humanitarianism continues behind the scenes.”
Yeah, sure, when they get the time after helping OJ to find the real killers.
I, too, hope that the court does what it should and opts for the full hearing of relevant information, to include Gen. Hagee and the disgraceful Congresscritter. The seeming readiness of the services to throw combat troops under the bus to keep relations with the Islamic world “good” has been troubling. Now it’s time for OUR system to do what it is supposed to do so that all can know the whole and complete story to the best of our ability.
Shipmates,
I’ll say this much: As someone who has testified at a Courts Martial, I would ALWAYS prefer to be tried by one rather than a civilian court.
Can I ask why Tim?
Cap’n and Shipmates,
Tim, I heartily concur with your sentiment.
Staff Sergeant Wutterich files suit against the ‘Honorable’ John Murtha as some of Murtha’s comments were made in his re-election office and not in Congress. The statute protecting Congress from utterences that may otherwise be considered treasonout apply only when said Congresscritter is acting on Congressional business. Holding forth in a campaign office is not conducting Congressional business. That is why the Federal judge ordered the “Honorable’ Murtha to submit to Discovery.
The Marine’s investigation of the entire incident was thorough, detailed and above reproach. SSGT Wutterich, as the senior Marine involved in the action should expect the Court Martial. I can’t even begin to predict hoe the Court will rule. I can only hope the ‘Honorable’ John Murtha is called to testify under oath.
Having met the former Commandant twice – once when he was the out-going CG of I MEF , the other at a MARFOREUR Christmas party in Germany – I believe with my whole heart that Gen. Hagee is an honorable man who would in no way sacrifice one of his beloved Marines upon the altar of expediency. If he spoke to Murtha at all, I’m sure it was merely to appraise him of the current situation, not to render any judgment against the Marines involved.
It really sickens me to see Sen. Murtha – himself a retired Marine colonel – abase himself to such a degree. Much as I imagine you, Lex, were chagrined at the shenanigans of Duke Cunningham while he was in office. Because he was one of yours.
How could either one of them so forgotten their roots and the statutes they swore to uphold so long ago?
*sigh*