Haditha: Lawyers say Marines were under fire (Update: Murtha’s model for Iraq? Somalia)
posted at 2:21 pm on June 16, 2006 by Allahpundit
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Can’t be true. Would Jack Murtha lie?
Hackett and Puckett say that roughly a dozen Marines from the Humvee convoy witnessed the incoming fire after the roadside bomb killed Terrazas. They further contend that members of another Marine unit, brought in as backup after the Humvee exploded, saw or heard enemy fire. A third attorney involved with the informal Haditha defense, Kevin McDermott, also says the unit took incoming fire after the blast.
In contrast, Pennsylvania Rep. John Murtha, a former Marine and a leading Democratic spokesman on military matters, claimed in a press conference last month that his sources had told him that “there was no firefight” at Haditha. Murtha contended that the Marines “killed innocent civilians in cold blood.”
That’s going to be one hell of a cross-examination.
The military announced a few hours ago that Gen. Bargewell’s investigation is finished and his report has been sent to Lt. Gen. Chiarelli for review. It deals only with the alleged cover-up, not the actual incident, but it should give us at least an inkling of the Marines’ culpability.
As for Gen. Bargewell himself, WaPo has a profile. He’s Rambo without the partial facial paralysis.
Update: Spruiell caught Murtha on the Situation Room this afternoon telling Wolf Blitzer we should have the courage to do in Iraq what Clinton did … in Somalia. The requisite Bin Laden quote is at the link. Just go.
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Quagmire for Haditha fans?
Kokonut on June 16, 2006 at 2:39 PM
Oh my my, Murtha my man, you have just gotten yourself in another mess.
easy87us on June 16, 2006 at 2:53 PM
Doesn’t matter.. the liberal leftists and their leftist media friends have already made up their minds… tried and convicted our military men of murder. When the truth comes out…there will be nary a retraction.. just barely a blip on the radar…no apologies forthcoming… and murtha and his outrageous comments will just disappear… lets hope that the American people will not forget his rush to judgement…
see ya
cathy :)
cathymv on June 16, 2006 at 2:53 PM
Did Murtha lie? Only he knows. But Murtha is certainly a victim of “Kerryism.” You know, that dreaded disease that politicians contract when they’re seeking notoriety, which invariably manifests itself with an affliction called diarrhea of the mouth.
First Murtha called for a “surrender” in Iraq. Then, Murtha, like Kerry, used his position and a yet unproven “incident” to slander Marines in an attempt to further his political stature. Murtha is a despicable person and neither an apology nor recriminations can erase the damage he’s done.
Let us hope the Marines will be exonerated of all (not yet pressed) charges and Murtha relegated to status of John “WHO?”
War hero, BAH! Murtha is a despicable opportunist and like mainstream media’s apologies, if he is wrong, his will appear on page 419C, section 41, the sewing section.
ForYourEdification on June 16, 2006 at 2:57 PM
“…leading Democratic spokesman on military matters”
Aren’t all the Democratic men leading spokesman on military matters? And what about the Democratic women?
By the way, does anyone know, is there even one woman, Dem or GOP, in Congress who served in the military?
Dread Pirate Roberts VI on June 16, 2006 at 3:06 PM
I’m still hoping to hear the transcript of him squirming on the stand explaining himself… Likely won’t happen, but I’m hoping.
High Desert Wanderer on June 16, 2006 at 3:06 PM
If General Michael Hagee has told Murtha the content of the report, and he has no reason to say anything different, Murtha’s comments to the news media differed substantially from what’s in the official reports.
I guess you can figure out what is the “truth”.
easy87us on June 16, 2006 at 3:19 PM
Murtha, Murtha, Murtha!!
dman on June 16, 2006 at 3:58 PM
Murtha,the ABSCAMed ,lying about his purple hearts little troll of a politician? He is garbage,his days as a politico are numbered.
bbz123 on June 16, 2006 at 3:58 PM
Today Murtha was ranting on the floor of the Senate about….(drum roll) the numbers of Iraqi and American Deaths, by day and by month. Numbers, which are HIGHER BECAUSE OF MURTHA’S MOUTH. I wanted to slap the prick. He spoke with such venom, and he being a huge part of the problem. Disgusting.
Murtha is the worst American I know of today, just slightly lower than Lt. Watada. I kid you not.
.
gotta go, jane skinner’s on. simple pleasures at bad times.
shooter on June 16, 2006 at 4:03 PM
Hmmm… Bargwell was in Cambodia and Laos… wonder if he saw Kerry there….
/takes toungue out of cheek..
Romeo13 on June 16, 2006 at 4:35 PM
I’ve lost all respect for Murtha. He may be a war hero, but he forgot his place in history and turned his back on the Marine Corp. that he served and has stepped into the viper den of the anti-war, anti-american left. He’s become a 5th columnist. It’s time for the people of Pennsylvania to rethink their voting decision on this piece of filth.
Asmodeus on June 16, 2006 at 5:48 PM
Somalia? You’re losing it fast, Congressman.
dman on June 16, 2006 at 7:44 PM
Somalia, yeah, great idea bonehead. Even bin laden says Klintoon’s pullout of Somalia is what gave him the silly notion that America was a paper tiger and would not retaliate against al-qaeda.
Who voted for this moron?
Tony737 on June 17, 2006 at 12:17 AM
Like Somalia? Black Hawk Down, corpse dragged though town Somalia???? That deserves its own post. There is no way in blue hell that this terror-appeasing Carterite clown could have ever been a United States Marine.
Kid from Brooklyn on June 17, 2006 at 8:43 AM
http://www.cnsnews.com/news/viewstory.asp?Page=%5CSpecialReports%5Carchive%5C200601%5CSPE20060113a.html
War hero my ass…. check out the above!
Romeo13 on June 17, 2006 at 11:41 AM
Murtha ……. Forever to be remembered as the guy that spurred bin laden on.
bin Laden to executive terrorist …..”Yes abdul, this congressman murtha can be counted on to force Americans to retreat. We shall forever remember him as Mohammed Murtha”.
darwin on June 17, 2006 at 5:21 PM
Check This Out!!!
A Veteran Confronts Murtha
http://thehorsesmouth.blog-city.com/murtha.htm
alyce on June 17, 2006 at 10:18 PM
Murtha’s Marines: Semper Terga! (always retreat!)
Pablo on June 18, 2006 at 8:41 AM
Their only comment? That wasn’t in the form of a question. I thought I was on some sick episode of Jeopardy.
RolandHall on June 18, 2006 at 4:48 PM
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