John Murtha, the ex-Marine US Representative who would be Majority-leader has spoken out on the incident in Hadita. On May 19th he claimed that Marines “killed innocent civilians in cold blood” This was shortly after a Time Magazine article raised questions about what happened in the Iraqi Town back in November of 2005. But Rep Murtha appeared to have inside knowledge of the incident claiming
“It’s much worse than was reported in Time magazine,” Murtha, a Democrat, former Marine colonel and Vietnam war veteran, told reporters on Capitol Hill.
“There was no firefight. There was no [bomb] that killed those innocent people,” Murtha explained, adding there were “about twice as many” Iraqis killed than Time had reported.
Where did he get his information? Information that would appear to fly in the face of known facts. As Greyhawk points out, a Marine was killed by an IED and another Marine was wounded by gunfire. So what does Murtha know that no one else knows?
A criminal defense attorney for a Marine under investigation in the Haditha killings says he will call a senior Democratic congressman as a trial witness, if his client is charged, to find out who told the lawmaker that U.S. troops are guilty of cold-blooded murder.
Attorney Neal A. Puckett told The Washington Times that Gen. Michael Hagee, the Marine commandant, briefed Rep. John P. Murtha, Pennsylvania Democrat, on the Nov. 19 killings of 24 Iraqis in the town north of Baghdad. Mr. Murtha later told reporters that the Marines were guilty of killing the civilians in "cold blood." Mr. Murtha said he based his statement on Marine commanders, whom he did not identify.
Mr. Puckett said such public comments from a congressman via senior Marines amount to "unlawful command influence."...
"Congressman Murtha will be one of the first witnesses I call to the witness stand," Mr. Puckett said yesterday.
As far as I can tell, know one but the investigators, the lawyers and possibly some top brass know what happened at Haditha. Oh wait, then there's the Marines who were there. Strangely, their stories seems to contradict the My Lai scenario being perpetrated by the Press and Congressman Murtha. And the story coming from their lawyers also seem to indicate that that there is no "atrocity" in evidence. After reading this detailed account by Staff Sgt. Frank D. Wuterich of what happened that day, I'm beginning to doubt that charges will be brought at all.
Two attorneys for other Marines involved in the incident said Wuterich's account is consistent with those they had heard from their clients.
But if charges are brought, it seems Representative Murtha got for himself a seat on stage.
And we'll all be listening very closely to what he has to say.
(hat tip: Cassandra)
