Sick bastard, DIAF

Having civilians live in a war zone only invites this sort of thing. The Viet Cong were masters at hiding among the general population. The Iraqis must have learned a thing or two.

It in no way excuses what was done--whatever that was--but if you're going to send the Marines into fight and kill then tell the general populace to get the fark out of the way.

Disgusting. Three months confinement? Life seems more appropriate.

I thought submitter was joking.

Unauthorized Bratwurst: I'll admit that I haven't been following this story as closely as I probably should have.

Are there any Farkers that have been, and can explain what happened? I don't mean in terms of the massacre itself, but in terms of the legal proceedings; did the prosecution botch the case? Was there just not enough evidence to sustain more serious charges?

Just from what I read in the article, it sounds like the lawyers were able to argue that it was a fast paced combat action with civilians mixed in.

I wasn't there, I can't claim to know what happened. As a soldier I believe in being professional but combat effective. Sometimes if you're getting an immense amount of fire directed at you, it's hard to tell where it's coming from. BUT, retaliating on a village because your buddy was killed is never excusable.

The sad thing is that a lot of you folks on here are judging from your couches and desk chairs. You have probably never got off your ass and walked any distance in the boots that these folks wear. Until you have been there and experienced what these young Marines, and soldiers and sailors and airmen are experiencing, STFU. You have absolutely NO RIGHT to condem this young man because you don't know the situation regarding the events of this tradgey, or how it unfolded. You are basing you opinion on skewed new sources and hearsay. I have been there, and walked many miles in those boots.

ZzeusS: SSGT!? Are you kidding me? I was SSGT when I chose not to re-enlist, and I think I was 23 or 24. I wouldn't give an SSGT the ability to command one farking thing. Wow.

What's his reduced rank? Airman? A1C? SRA?

I believe he is in the Core there trooper

Jake Havechek: Th' sad thin' is thet a lot of yo' folks on hyar is judgin' fum yer couches an' desk chairs. Yo' haf probably nevah got off yer ass an' walked enny distance in th' boots thet these folks war. Until yo' haf been thar an' experienced whut these yo'ng Marines, an' soldiers an' sailo's an' airmen is experiencin', STFU. Yo' haf absolutely NO RIGHT t'condem this hyar yo'ng man on account o' yo' doesn't knows th' situashun regardin' th' events of this hyar tradgey, o' how it unfolded, cuss it all t' tarnation. Yer basin' yo' opinion on skewed noo sources an' hearsay. ah have been thar, an' walked menny miles in them boots.

Sorry chief, never had a southern accent. That was plain english, but whatever you have to do to understand it better! The fact that you had to reinterpit it shows your ignorance.

So long as he was just not following orders... got it? His superiors up the chain had no knowledge of his actions, right? Good. Move along, there's nothing more to see here.

phalamir: TheShavingofOccam123: Having civilians live in a war zone only invites this sort of thing. The Viet Cong were masters at hiding among the general population. The Iraqis must have learned a thing or two.

It in no way excuses what was done--whatever that was--but if you're going to send the Marines into fight and kill then tell the general populace to get the fark out of the way.

So, upon being invaded, it was incumbent upon the Iraqis to leave Iraq? By what? Invading a different country - which because it is being invaded, will all have to run somewhere else, therefore invading another country, therefore having that population have to leave, etc, etc. War is not one of those little slidey puzzles.

Alternately, you are saying Marines are too stupid to use basic common sense and not kill civilians; in which case they need to be disbanded, because there is no reason to give modern weapons to a bunch of people, that by you logical admission, are mental deficients. Personally, I consider Marines to be reasonably intelligent people, but if you insist they are morons, we do not need to be giving them anything more deadly than bunny-fluff

You might want to educate yourself. Try reading up on Fallujah II where 70 to 90% of the civilian population fled the city before the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines helped lead the attack. Those Marines were the same outfit that moved into Haditha after Fallujah II.

As I said in my Boobies, nothing excuses what this group of Marines did. The Marines who made the decision to kill those people did wrong and suffered for their decisions. The civilian and top-echelon leadership of the Defense Department that refused to put the proper number of military--several hundred thousand troops, according to the Army Chief of Staff--into Iraq received full retirement benefits. And their decisions were just as faulty and resulted in far more damage and death than the actions of a Marine sergeant and his men. Certainly the lack of resources and men held back by the Pentagon contributed to creating the environment which these Marines made terrible mistakes.

Here are some documentaries:

My Lai

Rules of Engagement

No True Glory