Herschel Smith, working with what little we know about this case, examines the possible tactics used by the Marines who had just lost a fellow soldier to a roadside bomb:
The full story must come out, including the testimony of the Marines involved that day. What we believe we know based on the reports is that room clearing operations were conducted that day directed at rooms from which enemy fire came. The last paragraphs of the CNN story are important, and this will form the crux of the defense.
The one who led the stack into the room that day had previously been engaged in the battle for Fallujah. The protocol was to toss in a fragmentation grenade, and follow with a stack of four Marines (a “fire team”), one whose billet it is to carry the SAW (Squad Automatic Weapon). This day, the SAW gunner happened to be the one experienced from Fallujah, and who led the stack.
As I have pointed out before, this protocol does not distinguish between friend and foe. There is no capability with this tactic to delineate a combatant from a potential noncombatant. There can never be. It happens far too quickly. If our rules of engagement involve Marines and Soldiers hesitating to attempt to ascertain combatants from potential noncombatants, the insurgents will learn this and use it to their advantage. Marines and Soldiers died in Fallujah as a result of room clearing operations, and many more would have died had this been the protocol.
Lance Cpl. Miguel Terraza was the Marine killed that day. His family is lending their full support to the charged soldiers:
“LCLP Miguel Terraza proudly served as a U.S. Marine, and was part of afamily tradition of military service. The Terrazas family believes that the concealment and subsequent detonation of that explosive device in Haditha, were an attack on Miguel, his fellow Marines and the United States. We believe that our Marines are trained for the physical and psychological challenges of combat, which include fighting back when attacked, in an effort to protect their comrades, equipment, supplies and complete their mission. We are also steadfast in our believe that, under these life and death circumstances, the surviviing Marines from Miguel’s unit, who have now been formally charged, acted as would be expected of any solddier under attack. We are very hopeful that defense lawyers will be able to prove that Miguel’s fellow Marines were well within the military rules of engagement and responded properly according to theri military training under the then existing war situation.
“We would again like to restate our support for these Marines and all soldiers of all military branches. All of our troops have volunteered to serve in our Armed Forces, and have unselfishly placed themselves in harm’s way for the purpose of assisting the Iraqi people, and for fighting for our protection so that we may someday live without fear of terrorism and continue to pursue our lives peacefully as citizens of one of the greatest nations in the world. Therefore, we see our troops only as heroes and we rely on their protection and we greatly appreciate their service in the Armed Forces.
“History has taught us that the consequences of war are extremely damaging but with, of course, every intention of achieving peace, resolutions and comity. Our deepest condolences go out to all those who are now without loved ones as a result of the war on Iraq. The Terrazas family thanks the City of El Paso and all the people from around the nation who have offered their most sincere and warm condolences, for all their suppost and for recognizing and honoring all of our troops and our beloved LCLP Miguel Terrazas. Finally, we know that due process will continue so we are hoping for only the best for the Marines in Kilo Company.”
Analysts are saying that this case won’t have much impact on public opinion or troop morale:
John Pike, a leading defense analyst who founded the group Globalsecurity.org, said that despite the alleged crimes in Haditha and other instances of criminal acts by U.S. troops in Iraq, he doesn’t sense that most Americans have negative attitudes toward service members.
“The U.S. military continues to be a very highly esteemed institution, among the highest ranked in America,” Pike said in a telephone interview. “Some people will say American troops are just a bunch of trigger-happy cowboys with no regard for life. But in the U.S., those people would be in the distinct minority.”
Retired U.S. Army Gen. William Nash said he doesn’t think the charges will worsen the already negative public opinion toward the war.
“I think the American public is sophisticated enough to understand the difference between things associated with misdeeds and the overall policy of the war,” said Nash, a senior fellow with Washington-based Council on Foreign Relations.
Actually, the American public is sophisticated enough to know that these men are innocent until proven otherwise.
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