An email from Iraq……

Well, now we know, if you are taking small arms fire and get attacked by an IED, better not defend yourself. Perhaps they used excessive force, but the only witnesses are the residents. Here the Marines take the word of them over the word of the soldiers and what does that tell soldiers in Iraq? That they better watch their butts, maintain, go home, get out.

They had people from the city call in, can’t believe that, that is really strange. No facts in there on how many times US forces have come under attack in that area. They ought to release more, explain some more because this article makes it look pretty clearly like insurgents just have to get someone to fire at soldiers, they return fire, then the insurgents report that they are murderers and the soldiers end up in prison. Worse part is what the families have to deal with back home. Weird stuff.

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CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. (AP) - Eight Marines were charged Thursday in the killings of 24 Iraqi civilians last year during a bloody, door-to-door sweep in the town of Haditha that came after one of their comrades was killed by a roadside bomb.

In the biggest U.S. criminal case involving civilian deaths to come out of the Iraq war, four of the Marines - all enlisted men - were charged with unpremeditated murder.

The other four were officers who were not there during the killings but were accused of failures in investigating and reporting the deaths.

The most serious charges were brought against Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich, a 26-year-old squad leader accused of murdering 12 civilians and ordering the murders of six more inside a house cleared by his squad. He was accused of telling his men to “shoot first and ask questions later,” according to court papers released by his attorney.

Read on….

Hot Air has more….

Here’s a Marine’s view of the killings in Iraq. Hat tip: Instapundit

Michelle Malkin’s take…… (scroll down)