http://www.captainsjournal.com/2006/06/11/staff-sgt-wuterich-says-marines-followed-rules-at-haditha/ News & Commentary on Warfare, Policy and Counterterrorism Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:05:58 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 http://www.captainsjournal.com/2006/06/11/staff-sgt-wuterich-says-marines-followed-rules-at-haditha/comment-page-1/#comment-12 Morning Coffee » Blog Archive » Haditha Roundup Wed, 14 Jun 2006 16:54:34 +0000 http://www.captainsjournal.com/2006/06/11/staff-sgt-wuterich-says-marines-followed-rules-at-haditha/#comment-12 [...] Here is an excellent summation of Haditha that I cross posted from The Captains Journal, Hat tip to Mudville Gazette.  I discussed Staff Sgt. Wuterich’s claims that the Marines followed the rules of engagement, as reported in the Washington Post on Sunday, June 11.  I pointed out how absurd it is to believe that the Marines acted in the way they are portrayed as acting (this does not predispose anyone to take any position on the events other than to say that it is highly improbable that the events unfolded as we have heard): Wuterich’s version contradicts that of the Iraqis, who described a massacre of men, women and children after a bomb killed a Marine. Haditha residents have said that innocent civilians were executed, that some begged for their lives before being shot and that children were killed indiscriminately. Wuterich told his attorney in initial interviews over nearly 12 hours last week that the shootings were the unfortunate result of a methodical sweep for enemies in a firefight. Two attorneys for other Marines involved in the incident said Wuterich’s account is consistent with those they had heard from their clients. Kevin B. McDermott, who is representing Capt. Lucas M. McConnell, the Kilo Company commander, said Wuterich and other Marines informed McConnell on the day of the incident that at least 15 civilians were killed by “a mixture of small-arms fire and shrapnel as a result of grenades” after the Marines responded to an attack from a house. [...] [...] Here is an excellent summation of Haditha that I cross posted from The Captains Journal, Hat tip to Mudville Gazette.  I discussed Staff Sgt. Wuterich’s claims that the Marines followed the rules of engagement, as reported in the Washington Post on Sunday, June 11.  I pointed out how absurd it is to believe that the Marines acted in the way they are portrayed as acting (this does not predispose anyone to take any position on the events other than to say that it is highly improbable that the events unfolded as we have heard): Wuterich’s version contradicts that of the Iraqis, who described a massacre of men, women and children after a bomb killed a Marine. Haditha residents have said that innocent civilians were executed, that some begged for their lives before being shot and that children were killed indiscriminately. Wuterich told his attorney in initial interviews over nearly 12 hours last week that the shootings were the unfortunate result of a methodical sweep for enemies in a firefight. Two attorneys for other Marines involved in the incident said Wuterich’s account is consistent with those they had heard from their clients. Kevin B. McDermott, who is representing Capt. Lucas M. McConnell, the Kilo Company commander, said Wuterich and other Marines informed McConnell on the day of the incident that at least 15 civilians were killed by “a mixture of small-arms fire and shrapnel as a result of grenades” after the Marines responded to an attack from a house. [...]

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