Rep. John Murtha Speaks Out on Iraq War, US Slaughter of Innocents at Haditha

An unreleased report of a US military investigation is said to find that 24 unarmed Iraqis, including 11 women and children, were murdered in Haditha, Iraq by 12 members of the US Marines, in November 2005, apparently in retaliation for the death of US Marine Lance Corporal Miguel Terrazas. As a result, the US Marines released two captains and a lieutenant colonel of duty in March 2006.

. Kathy Gill. About.com's Guide to US Politics explains in Haditha: Iraq's My Lai? , "On 19 November 2005, a Marine....was killed when the convoy he was travelling with was allegedly hit by a roadside bomb in Haditha, about 150 miles northwest of Baghdad. The first report was that the civilians were killed in the blast. A subsequent investigation...concluded that 15 civilians were killed as a result of cross-fire between the Marines and Iraqi 'insurgents.'

However, Time magazine published a March report which claimed that 'the Marines barged into houses near the bomb strike in retaliation, throwing grenades and shooting civilians who were cowering in fear.' .... Last month, the Marine Corp relieved three officers of command: Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani, and two unnamed company commanders."
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On November 17, 2005, two days before the Haditha incident, Congressman John P. Murtha (D-PA), a moderate Democrat, long-time war hawk and retired 37-year member of the US Marines, created an uproar when he called for the immediate withdrawal of US troops from Iraq.

And with that uproar, Congressman Murtha, a close confidant of US military leadership, brought substantial credibility to the collective American call to leave Iraq, as well as pressure on the Bush Administration for accountability in Iraq War progress.

When horrific photos and details of the alleged slaughter of innocents at Haditha surfaced publicly last week, Congressman Murtha held a news conference, at which he lamented the continuing US occupation in Iraq.

Declared Murtha at the May 18, 2006 press conference, " ....we have alienated every country in the region. They used to say, 'We're with you in fighting terrorism, but we're not with you in fighting in Iraq.' In fact, the war in Iraq has been more harmful. I believe it's been more harmful to us than beneficial in fighting counterterrorism. We've diverted ourselves away from terrorism to the war in Iraq.....So who really wants us in Iraq? The Iraqis do not.....The American public certainly does not support this war."

And Congressman Murtha released the following statement regarding the incident at Haditha:

"I am a Vietnam combat veteran. I understand full well the type of situation those Marines were in. These are allegations. I believe that the case should and will be fully investigated and that the Marines involved will be treated fairly by the military justice system.

I talk to commanders and soldiers all the time about the circumstances they face in Iraq. I talk to not only the brass at the Pentagon, but to the officers in the field and the soldiers I see every week at Bethesda and Walter Reed medical centers with their arms and legs blown off by IEDs. I am acutely aware of the type of situation those Marines were in.

Our soldiers are incredibly brave and are fighting in an extremely difficult combat environment with extremely difficult rules of engagement. They perform heroically and have been for going on four years now, with very few exceptions. As a nation, we can be extremely proud of the conduct of our US military.

As I've said, I understand the fog of war and the confusion of battle. But we are a nation of laws, including the UCMJ (Uniform Code of Military Justice). The United States of America has never condoned, nor should it ever condone, indiscriminate, deliberate killing of civilians. When we do that, we become no better than the enemy we are trying to eradicate.

Further, to ignore this incident, which happened six months ago and has now been publicized around the world, is to invite criticism that the United States does not practice what it preaches. That will severely undermine our goals of promoting democracy, as did the Abu Ghraib scandal. Again, the United States of America does not condone the deliberate killing of innocent civilians."
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Recommended Reading
-- Haditha: Iraq's My Lai? by Kathy Gill, About.com's Guide to US Politics
-- Transcript of Rep. John Murtha's May 18, 2006 Press Conference on Iraq War and Haditha