posted May 31, 2006 01:42 PM            

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By NEDRA PICKLER, Associated Press Writer
35 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - President Bush said Wednesday he was troubled by allegations that U.S. Marines had killed unarmed Iraqi civilians and that, "If in fact laws were broken, there will be punishment."

It was Bush's first public comment on allegations that Marines killed about two dozen unarmed Iraqis in the western city of Haditha last November.

Bush said he had discussed Haditha with Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. "He's a proud Marine. And nobody is more concerned about these allegations than the Marine Corps. The Marine Corps is full of honorable people who understand the rules of war."

"If in fact these allegations are true," Bush said, "the Marine Corps will work hard to make sure that that culture — that proud culture — will be reinforced. And that those who violated the law, if they did, will be punished."

The president was asked about the Iraq allegations during an Oval Office photo opportunity with the president of Rwanda, Paul Kagame.

"I am troubled by the initial news stories," Bush said. "I'm mindful that there's a thorough investigation going on. If in fact, laws were broken, there will be punishment."

The killings at Haditha, a city that has been plagued by insurgents, came after a bomb rocked a military convoy on Nov. 19, killing a Marine. Rep. John Murtha (news, bio, voting record), a Pennsylvania Democrat and decorated war veteran who has been briefed by military officials, has said Marines shot and killed unarmed civilians in a taxi at the scene and went into two homes and shot others.

Military investigators have evidence that points toward unprovoked murders by Marines, a senior defense official said last week.

If confirmed as unjustified killings, the episode could be the most serious case of criminal misconduct by U.S. troops during three years of combat in Iraq. Until now the most infamous occurrence was the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse involving Army soldiers, which came to light in April 2004 and which Bush said he considered to be the worst U.S. mistake of the entire war.

Once the military investigation is completed, perhaps in June, it will be up to a senior Marine commander in Iraq to decide whether to press charges of murder or other violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

posted May 31, 2006 02:00 PM            

Here's this traitor Murtha declaring a guilty verdict before the investigation is complete, before any charges are filed, before a trial and before any verdict.

Typical of the traitorous press, typical of traitors, including John Murtha, who have Iraq down in the loss column for America and are determined to bring it about by every device.

Tuesday, May 30, 2006 11:38 p.m. EDT
Lawyer: Haditha Marines Were Fired On

Contrary to claims from Rep. John Murtha, Marines accused of executing 24 innocent Iraqis in the village of Haditha last November were indeed fired upon after their convoy was hit by a roadside bomb - according to a lawyer involved in the case.

"There's a ton of information that isn't out there yet," the lawyer said Monday, speaking on condition of anonymity to the Washington Post.

He said contemporaneous radio messages reviewed by military investigators will show that Marines accused of unprovoked retaliation after the blast had, in fact, come under small-arms fire.

Rep. Murtha has insisted that initial reports that the Marines were fired on were part of the military's attempts to cover up the wanton execution of 24 innocent Iraqis.

"The reports that I have, from the highest level [show] no firing at all," he told ABC News on Sunday. "No interaction. No military action at all in this particular incident."
Media reports have also claimed that no one fired at the Marines.

The Los Angeles Times, for instance, reported on Saturday:

posted June 01, 2006 12:29 AM              

The military has already come out and said the soldiers acted in "self-defense." Gee, that was a fast investigation. Didn't even take them until June 1st. I'm sure it was a very thorough "investigation" by the military and the Bush administration.