Marine 'congratulated' men for murder of Iraqi civilian: witness

[rawstory]

CAMP PENDLETON (AFP) - A US Marine squad leader congratulated soldiers "for getting away with murder" after an Iraqi civilian was bound and shot dead at point-blank range, a military court has heard.

Sergeant Lawrence Hutchins, who will stand trial for murder next month, made the comments after the abduction and killing of 52-year-old Hashim Ibrahim Award in Hamdania outside Baghdad last April, a witness testified.

Navy medic Melson Bacos, who was jailed for one year last September for his role in Awad's killing, recounted Hutchins' comments while giving evidence at a sentencing hearing for another Marine, Trent Thomas.

Bacos said that after Awad had been shot in a roadside hole, squad members had to work quickly to remove "zip ties" used to bind his hands and feet.

READ MORE: http://www.rawstory.com/news/2007/Marine_congratulated_men_for_murder_of_0208.html

[whistle]

1. Shades of the My Lai massacre

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Lai_Massacre

[Judi Lynn]

2. Very ugly actions. What the story left out was the fact the man was disabled.

That point is made in this article:

HAMDANIYA


US marine Cpl Trent Thomas has pleaded guilty to unpremeditated murder and other charges in connection with the death of a disabled Iraqi man on 26 April 2006 in the central town of Hamdaniya.

Fellow marine Pte John Jodka received an 18-month prison sentence for his part in the killing.

Marine Lance Cpl Tyler Jackson was jailed for 21 months after pleading guilty to reduced charges.

Four other marines have been charged over the man's death.

Sergeant Lawrence Hutchins, who is alleged to have been the ringleader of a plot to kidnap and kill Hashim Ibrahim, will go on trial in April 2007, the US military has said.

One other marine is to face a court martial on murder charges. The death penalty will not be sought if convicted.

Jodka, who apologised to the victim's family, is expected to give evidence against the other defendants, as is Jackson.

An eighth serviceman, US Navy medic Petty Officer Melson J Bacos, has admitted kidnapping in a plea bargain and will also testify about the death.

It is alleged that the 52-year-old victim was taken from his house and shot, with a rifle and shovel left by his body to make it appear as if he were an insurgent planting a roadside bomb.
(snip/...)

http://72.14.209.104/search?q=cache:NPToUm5k7awJ:news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/world/americas/5105284.stm+%22Sergeant+Lawrence+Hutchins%22&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=32&gl=us

Very sad. Very, very sad. No possible excuse.

[saigon68]

3. Support the troops

Not amazing that the troop enablers are avoiding this thread

[tabasco]

7. There are civilian murderers too.

Are you arguing that all the troops are murderers?

The military has the same rate of criminals as the civilian sector. So, yes, murders are committed and the criminals must be punished.

Your statement calling out all "troop enablers" is very juvenile. It is just as stupid to condemn all troops for the action of the criminals as it would be for the civilian sector.

[The Stranger]

12. Oh please -- those leading the "support the troops" rallies never both to exclude the murderers.

They pretend that just because every single member of the armed forces isn't a murderer, then none of them are.

It is stupid to excuse murder in cold blood just because only some of them (at least some that we KNOW about) are the murderers and criminals.

That some do not murder does not excuse those who do.

[acmavm]

4. Jeez, if we're ever attacked again (which we will be) does anyone

think that maybe behavior like this has a lot to do with it?

We are in for some big-time cosmic paybacks if you ask me.

[EFerrari]

8. George Bush has done just about everything in his power to elicit

terrorist attacks on us. It's sort of breathtaking, really.

[proud2BlibKansan]

9. His attitude also promotes this kind of insanity n/t

[EFerrari]

13. I agree. The Republicans couldn't have appointed a more

irresponsible POS.

[Judi Lynn]

5. Marine asks to withdraw guilty plea in Iraq killing

Marine asks to withdraw guilty plea in Iraq killing
POSTED: 12:34 p.m. EST, February 8, 2007



Hashim Ibrahim Awad

CAMP PENDLETON, California (AP) -- A Marine facing life in prison after pleading guilty to kidnapping and murdering an Iraqi man asked to withdraw his pleas Thursday, saying he no longer believes he's guilty.

"He believes he acted with lawful authority, and for that reason he is withdrawing his plea," attorney Victor Kelley said at Cpl. Trent Thomas' sentencing hearing.

The military judge ordered a 30-minute recess and asked Thomas' defense team to present their case as to why they no longer believe his is guilty.

Thomas, 25, pleaded guilty January 18 to eight felonies including kidnapping, murder and assault. He was one of a squad of seven Marines and a sailor accused last year of hatching a plot to kill an Iraqi in the town of Hamdaniya.
(snip/...)

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/02/08/marines.hamdaniya.ap/index.html

[tabasco]

6. Enjoy the rest of your life in Leavenworth a**hole.

You have disgraced the military and your Nation.

[The Stranger]

10. Where are all of the "bad apples" apologists? Do the bumper sticker patriots support THESE troops?

[genie_weenie]

11. Now we just need to capture and detain

EVERY SINGLE Military member who has served in Iraq since they are a priori murderers.

[Tyler Durden]

14. Don't say that too loudly...

According to the Nurmeburg Protocals, the Iraq conflict is the textbook definition of an Illegal War of Agression, so if you want to get real picky about it, any order obeyed in Iraq that resulted in a death of an Iraqi national was an Illegal Order, which makes the person OBEYING the order as culpable as the person ISSUING the order.

I'm a USN/USNR/USMC vet, by the way.

[brentspeak]

15. Does that make you a "murderer" yourself?

Your profile: "I've been in Afghanistan & Iraq not that it matters..."

[Tyler Durden]

16. "I was only obeying orders."

If that is one's excuse, one has no business being in the Armed Forces.

[genie_weenie]

17. Yes. Send the UN to get me.

Sometimes only over the top cynicism seems to reach people here at DU.

Support the Troops is a gross False Dichotomy. Supporting the troops means standing up to government with the willingness to shed one’s blood and suffer wounds at the hands of an evil regime.

But who’s got the courage to do that?

When it comes down to it, most Americans will not want to get involved and will not fight the government over this illegal war. It’s that simple.

It's not that people don't care but it's a combination of many things. Fear of the government’s power plays a big part for the average American and a rightful concern over their own families by keeping a roof over one’s head and food on the table or, worse, concern over trivia (The Super Bowl, Paris Hilton, American Idol). And that's what the troops KNOW. Fear, apathy, and other priorities will consume America’s attention. Any soldier who stands up against the system knows he will stand alone. America does not care.

And that’s how the government wins. The soldiers march off again and again and again knowing that his representative cares more about the 2008 elections, that his neighbor didn’t know he was overseas until they see his mother breakdown on the front step when the DoD rep delivers the folded flag, and that more people are concerned about a Snickers ad than him laying in a pool of his own intestines on MSR Mobile just north of Falluja.

It takes very little courage to jump on the bandwagon condemning soldiers accused of crimes. What takes courage is to step away from the computer, ignore American Idol and not watch the Super Bowl and fight the government.

But this is much easier and more productive: " Wah wah wah the tyrannical government doesn’t force my beliefs on others, but forces others’ beliefs on me. I will not do anything more than type truculent satirical messages on a semi-anonymous message board about how evil BushCo is... So I will not stop paying taxes or do anything that may cause myself any kind of trouble, I have to get my soy no-fat cinnamon topped Latte from Starbucks…”

[Judi Lynn]

18. Breaking news: A military judge has granted a Marine corporal's request to withdraw...

Posted on Thu, Feb. 08, 2007
A military judge has granted a Marine corporal's request to withdraw...
Associated Press
CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - A military judge has granted a Marine corporal's request to withdraw his guilty plea to kidnapping and killing an Iraqi man.
(snip/)

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/breaking_news/16654575.htm

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hope this tactic won't work for him.

[MasonJar]

19. What about the 45 civilians we killed today?

[saigon68]

20. Their relatives are busy making IEDs as we speak

Even the old crones are getting ready to help dig the holes for the booby traps

been there seen that