Semper Fi John
John Murtha used to be a Marine. At one time in his life he understood the term "Semper Fidelis", but no longer. In his rush to judgment, he has branded fellow Marines as murderers without due process. Aren't these Marines deserving of the same rights that they have risked their lives bringing to Iraq? Maybe everything he says is true, but regardless, don't we owe it to them to be sure?
Rush to Judgment
A year ago I was charged with two counts of premeditated murder and with other war crimes related to my service in Iraq. My wife and mother sat in a Camp Lejeune courtroom for five days while prosecutors painted me as a monster; then autopsy evidence blew their case out of the water, and the Marine Corps dropped all charges against me ["Marine Officer Cleared in Killing of Two Iraqis," news story, May 27, 2005].
So I know something about rushing to judgment, which is why I am so disturbed by the remarks of Rep. John P. Murtha (D-Pa.) regarding the Haditha incident ["Death Toll Rises in Haditha Attack, GOP Leader Says," news story, May 20]. Mr. Murtha said, "Our troops overreacted because of the pressure on them, and they killed innocent civilians in cold blood."
In the United States, we have a civil and military court system that relies on an investigatory and judicial process to make determinations based on evidence. The system is not served by such grand pronouncements of horror and guilt without the accuser even having read the investigative report.
Mr. Murtha's position is particularly suspect when he is quoted by news services as saying that the strain of deployment "has caused them [the Marines] to crack in situations like this." Not only is he certain of the Marines' guilt but he claims to know the cause, which he conveniently attributes to a policy he opposes.
Members of the U.S. military serving in Iraq need more than Mr. Murtha's pseudo-sympathy. They need leaders to stand with them even in the hardest of times. Let the courts decide if these Marines are guilty. They haven't even been charged with a crime yet, so it is premature to presume their guilt -- unless that presumption is tied to a political motive.
ILARIO PANTANO
Jacksonville, N.C.
The writer served as a Marine enlisted man in the Persian Gulf War and most recently as a platoon commander in Iraq.
posted by American Crusader @ 10:06 AM
13 comments
13 Comments:
Murtha will twist any data to prove that we need to pull out. He has past the point of no return and is committed to sabotaging our efforts in that country.
I hope he gets a pension from Al Qaeda when he retires. He has earned it (no hard feelings).
Murtha is either gone insane or is flat out evil.
Perhaps someone should re-aquaint him with the Constitution!
eyes already said what i was going to say...
Murtha disgusts me. Maybe he really does have dementia (something like Alzheimer's).
This latest with Haditha (the plural form of Hadith, accompaniment to the Koran--check the irony) is going to do a lot of damage and feeds the leftists; broadcasting the information is giving psychological aid to the enemy. And even if the whole mess is true, there is a better forum than Murtha's running off at the mouth.
The battlefield is a different reality. All civilians would do well to remember that.
God bless our Marines--and all others wearing the United States uniform!
You made some good points kev..with these charges of a coverup, no matter what happens, there will be those will always think these Marines are guilty.
From what I've read, these Marines may have committed these crimes but not only has John "Semper Fi" Murtha convicted the Marines, but I think the press has also.
I don't know if I have even read a nonbiased report on the incident.
Sorry I haven't made the rounds recently.
This will be my objective today.
at least if this did happen someone is going to be held accountable. Do you hear anyone in the MSM or congress holding the terrorists accountable?
chirp....chirp...chirp
If they're guilty, they're guilty, but Murtha is a politcal opportunist and borderline traitor.
Excellent points.
I think John Murtha is only interested in scoring brownie points with the media.
unless that presumption is tied to a political motive....which it invariably is!..what an evil thing to judge without a morsel of truth or fact.
Crusader,
Sorry I haven't made the rounds recently.
We understand. I'm off rounds right now--too worn out with end-of-term obligations. I'm bleary-eyed, but I stop by my must-do sites first. Yours is one.
Anyway, we're just glad to have you here in the blogosphere.
wow, good to see youre still out there. thought something happened.
I hope he gets a pension from Al Qaeda when he retires. He has earned it...good one!!
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