US Marines to be punished for massacre

international | anti-war / imperialism | news report Sunday May 28, 2006 14:47 by righteous pragmatist

Three commanders have been sacked and up to 12 soldiers could face the death penalty

The US military justice system is actively investigating a series of massacres in the wake of bombing on American patrol

Members of the patrol were killed by the bombing after which survivors proceeded to murder indiscriminately killing at least a dozen innocent men women and children.
The occupants of taxi were ordered out and shot to death.
A number of houses were raided during which a AK-47 was recovered (most Iraqi households have these weapons for personal protection). Grenades there thrown inside and occupants were shot in one case at least after being forced into a wardrobe. An elderly man in a wheel chair was one of the victims.
The patrol alleged that the dead were insurgents killed in a firefight or else victims of the bombing of the patrol - both have been utter discredited though initially military authorities refused to pay compensation to the taxi passengers who were labelled as insurgents.
Subsequent investigations have found otherwise and indeed the killing spree continued over the space of at least five hours.

In all armies and all police forces unfortunately certain individuals are attracted by the potential to abuse their powers - obviously there was a complete moral breakdown among these men and for that the must be severely punished.
The commanders who were relieved attempted to cover up the incident to save their own repretations and the repretation of their units - but in the process have brought disgrace on themselves and the Marine Corps.

The US military operates to the highest professional standards - murder and looting will be severely punished.
Operation Iraqi freedom has given millions of Iraqis there democratic rights and established a functioning democracy where formerly their was murderous dictatorship.
In the past when Iraqi soldiers murdered hundreds of thousands of Shias and Kurds they were given medals.
The US Army does not tolerate such activities by its own units.