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Air Force Officer.
Air Force Officer.
Ex- Navy Seal John Sullivan,
served with glory and honor.
served with glory and honor.
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Fearless American PATRIOT
raising a beautiful daughter.
raising a beautiful daughter.
CAMP PENDLETON -- Three officers relieved of command from a
Marine battalion are not the targets of military investigations
examining whether their troops killed up to two dozen Iraqi civilians
and then tried to cover it up, the attorney for one of the officers said
Tuesday.
Attorney Paul Hackett said his client, Capt. James Kimber, only
learned about the deaths after the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment
returned from Iraq in March. The killings in the western Iraqi city of
Haditha occurred Nov. 19.
Separate investigations are trying to determine whether the killings
were criminal acts and whether the Marines involved and their
commanding officers tried to hide the truth.
The Pentagon has said little publicly about what happened in
Haditha. What is known is that a bomb rocked a military convoy,
killing one Marine. The Marine Corps had initially attributed 15 civilian
deaths to the car bombing and a firefight with insurgents, eight of
whom the Marines reported had been killed.
But Rep. John Murtha, a Pennsylvania Democrat and decorated war
veteran who has been briefed by military officials, has said Marines
shot and killed unarmed civilians in a taxi at the scene and went into
two homes and shot others.
Last week, a senior defense official said the evidence so far strongly
indicated the killings were unprovoked murders. The official spoke
only on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk
publicly about the investigation.
On Tuesday, White House press secretary Tony Snow said President
Bush only learned of the killings after a reporter from Time magazine
began asking questions. Time published an article in March that said
the Pentagon was investigating the incident.
The investigations come at a tenuous time. Iraqi insurgents continue
to mount deadly attacks as the new Iraqi government attempts to
establish itself and take over more security duties from U.S. and
coalition forces. Meantime, the American public's support for the war
has been sinking as casualties mount.
Coupled with the mistreatment of prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison, the
Haditha killings "could undermine our entire mission in Iraq," said
Rep. Loretta Sanchez, D-Calif. and member of the Armed Services
Committee.
House Armed Services Chairman Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., said that
because of the seriousness of the allegations and how they could
harm the U.S. mission in Iraq, "There has to be accountability."
Murtha said the Haditha incident is a recruiting tool for terrorists.
"We're fighting for the ideals of America," Murtha said "And when
something like this happens and then you try to cover it up, it makes it
look like America doesn't stand for those ideals."
He called it a "failure of leadership" if officers didn't know about the
killings until later or if they knew sooner and tried to cover it up.
The targets of the investigations are about a dozen enlisted Marines,
according to Hackett, the Marine reservist and Iraqi war veteran who
represents Kimber. Hackett, who last year narrowly lost a special
election for a U.S. House seat in Ohio, said the highest ranking
among those under investigation is a staff sergeant who led a
four-vehicle convoy that was hit by a blast from a roadside bomb.
Kimber, who was nominated for a Bronze Star for valor in Haditha,
was relieved of command last month not because of Haditha but
because his subordinates in the battalion's Lima Company used
profanity, removed sunglasses and criticized the performance of Iraqi
security services during an interview with Britain's Sky News TV,
according to Hackett.
"My purpose is to separate his name from the alleged war crimes
that took place," Hackett told The Associated Press by telephone.
"He's not under investigation for anything related to what has played
out in the press."
The Pentagon has named two others who were relieved of
command: Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani, the commander of the 3rd
Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, and Capt. Lucas McConnell, who
commanded Kilo Company, the company implicated in the killings.
Hackett does not represent either man but said neither was present
for the shootings and he believes neither man is a target of the
investigations.
Like all Marines, Chessani and McConnell were taught that
commanders accept responsibility for the failure of their
subordinates, said Hackett, who served with a Marine Civil Affairs unit
in Iraq.
"That's different than being criminally negligible or criminally
responsible for the criminal actions of your subordinates," he said.
McConnell refused to speak with an AP reporter who visited his
home near Camp Pendleton on Monday night. Attempts to reach
Chessani have been unsuccessful.
In his first statement on the case, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki
on Tuesday expressed remorse over the deaths of about two dozen
unarmed Iraqi civilians whom the Marines are suspected of killing.
"We emphasize that our forces, that multinational forces will respect
human rights, the rights of the Iraqi citizen," al-Maliki said through an
interpreter in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corp. "It is not
justifiable that a family is killed because someone is fighting
terrorists, we have to be more specific and more careful."
Associated Press writers Seth Hettena in San Diego and Erica
Werner in Washington contributed to this report.
Ellie
__________________
IN LOVING MEMORY OF MY LATE HUSBAND, SSgt Roger A. Alfano,
USMC
ONE PROUD MARINE
1961-1977
Vietnam 1968/69
Once a Marine...Always a Marine
www.geocities.com/thedrifter001/
http://www.thefontman.com/
http://p089.ezboard.com/bthefontmanscommunity
Marine battalion are not the targets of military investigations
examining whether their troops killed up to two dozen Iraqi civilians
and then tried to cover it up, the attorney for one of the officers said
Tuesday.
Attorney Paul Hackett said his client, Capt. James Kimber, only
learned about the deaths after the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment
returned from Iraq in March. The killings in the western Iraqi city of
Haditha occurred Nov. 19.
Separate investigations are trying to determine whether the killings
were criminal acts and whether the Marines involved and their
commanding officers tried to hide the truth.
The Pentagon has said little publicly about what happened in
Haditha. What is known is that a bomb rocked a military convoy,
killing one Marine. The Marine Corps had initially attributed 15 civilian
deaths to the car bombing and a firefight with insurgents, eight of
whom the Marines reported had been killed.
But Rep. John Murtha, a Pennsylvania Democrat and decorated war
veteran who has been briefed by military officials, has said Marines
shot and killed unarmed civilians in a taxi at the scene and went into
two homes and shot others.
Last week, a senior defense official said the evidence so far strongly
indicated the killings were unprovoked murders. The official spoke
only on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk
publicly about the investigation.
On Tuesday, White House press secretary Tony Snow said President
Bush only learned of the killings after a reporter from Time magazine
began asking questions. Time published an article in March that said
the Pentagon was investigating the incident.
The investigations come at a tenuous time. Iraqi insurgents continue
to mount deadly attacks as the new Iraqi government attempts to
establish itself and take over more security duties from U.S. and
coalition forces. Meantime, the American public's support for the war
has been sinking as casualties mount.
Coupled with the mistreatment of prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison, the
Haditha killings "could undermine our entire mission in Iraq," said
Rep. Loretta Sanchez, D-Calif. and member of the Armed Services
Committee.
House Armed Services Chairman Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., said that
because of the seriousness of the allegations and how they could
harm the U.S. mission in Iraq, "There has to be accountability."
Murtha said the Haditha incident is a recruiting tool for terrorists.
"We're fighting for the ideals of America," Murtha said "And when
something like this happens and then you try to cover it up, it makes it
look like America doesn't stand for those ideals."
He called it a "failure of leadership" if officers didn't know about the
killings until later or if they knew sooner and tried to cover it up.
The targets of the investigations are about a dozen enlisted Marines,
according to Hackett, the Marine reservist and Iraqi war veteran who
represents Kimber. Hackett, who last year narrowly lost a special
election for a U.S. House seat in Ohio, said the highest ranking
among those under investigation is a staff sergeant who led a
four-vehicle convoy that was hit by a blast from a roadside bomb.
Kimber, who was nominated for a Bronze Star for valor in Haditha,
was relieved of command last month not because of Haditha but
because his subordinates in the battalion's Lima Company used
profanity, removed sunglasses and criticized the performance of Iraqi
security services during an interview with Britain's Sky News TV,
according to Hackett.
"My purpose is to separate his name from the alleged war crimes
that took place," Hackett told The Associated Press by telephone.
"He's not under investigation for anything related to what has played
out in the press."
The Pentagon has named two others who were relieved of
command: Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani, the commander of the 3rd
Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, and Capt. Lucas McConnell, who
commanded Kilo Company, the company implicated in the killings.
Hackett does not represent either man but said neither was present
for the shootings and he believes neither man is a target of the
investigations.
Like all Marines, Chessani and McConnell were taught that
commanders accept responsibility for the failure of their
subordinates, said Hackett, who served with a Marine Civil Affairs unit
in Iraq.
"That's different than being criminally negligible or criminally
responsible for the criminal actions of your subordinates," he said.
McConnell refused to speak with an AP reporter who visited his
home near Camp Pendleton on Monday night. Attempts to reach
Chessani have been unsuccessful.
In his first statement on the case, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki
on Tuesday expressed remorse over the deaths of about two dozen
unarmed Iraqi civilians whom the Marines are suspected of killing.
"We emphasize that our forces, that multinational forces will respect
human rights, the rights of the Iraqi citizen," al-Maliki said through an
interpreter in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corp. "It is not
justifiable that a family is killed because someone is fighting
terrorists, we have to be more specific and more careful."
Associated Press writers Seth Hettena in San Diego and Erica
Werner in Washington contributed to this report.
Ellie
__________________
IN LOVING MEMORY OF MY LATE HUSBAND, SSgt Roger A. Alfano,
USMC
ONE PROUD MARINE
1961-1977
Vietnam 1968/69
Once a Marine...Always a Marine
www.geocities.com/thedrifter001/
http://www.thefontman.com/
http://p089.ezboard.com/bthefontmanscommunity
| WARNING - These reports may be hazardous to your health. |
- Capt. James
Kimber - Lt. Col. Jeffrey
Chessani - Capt. Lucas
McConnell
If these heroes require
assistance, and only if
they ask us, we would
like to offer our
support. These men
were rising stars and
they were crucified!
Die-Hard Faithfuls, right
Doris?
Doris?
Lieutenant Larry P.
United States Navy (ret.)
speaks to Rick Amato from
New York City.
United States Navy (ret.)
speaks to Rick Amato from
New York City.
Hamdania (spelled as Hamdaniya and Hamdaniah); and Haditha are two separate engagements. Both groups are being held at
Camp Pendleton. Only the Pendleton 8 were shackled and put into solitary confinement. Who can explain why the Pendleton 8 has
been treated so poorly?
Camp Pendleton. Only the Pendleton 8 were shackled and put into solitary confinement. Who can explain why the Pendleton 8 has
been treated so poorly?
I don't Exist - One Man's Opinion (continued from home page)
Corpsman Bacos just beat the other Marines to a plea deal. Soon, it is going to be the Pendleton 7, 6, 5, then what?
Do we call them sissies too? HELL NO! We stick together. WE REMAIN THE PENDLETON 8.
Corpsman Bacos was subjected to the best AMERICAN terrorist interrogators, adding fuel to the fire already burning
around him from all directions. They broke him down!
However, let us cut straight to the point. It has been said on many occasions that Navy Corpsman, attached to the
Marines, are not Marines. I beg to differ. They earn the privilege to be honorary Marines. There are Navy Corpsman,
including myself, who fully understand our primary mission - to protect the Marines at all costs. There are Navy
Corpsman who understand this concept much greater than me. Read Doc Sullivan's story. They are the legends and
stories to be told.
When my Marines took breaks, I stayed on my feet to patch them back up. We followed them around as if they were
Hollywood celebrities! We will always look up to them as heroes; and they will aways take care of us.
I refuse to stand down. I cannot allow my Marines to be paraded as criminals. They are not criminals. They are being
held to a standard that should only apply to civilian law enforcement.
A few years ago, Marine Reservists were called upon to bring calm to Los Angeles. It was a political decision that
could have resulted in severe consequences. Marines are not trained to calm people's nerves or hold hands.
Wherever they go, they are trained to raise hell! They kill, mutilate, destroy and obliterate the enemy to win. If the
community, where the enemy thrives, does not SUPPORT OR HELP the Marines, then they must suck it up and die
too!
The Pendleton 8 were given the green light to be actively engaged in a war zone. The enemy was evasive in a
community that wanted our Marines DEAD! Once deployed, the Pendleton 8 were actively engaged, ready for
anything. Telling them to slow down defeats their purpose and jeopardizes their mission.
Once again, politicians and lawyers are now sticking their 'yellow-necks' out where they do not belong. Where is
proof that the Geneva Convention is respected by participants in a war? Who follows Rules of Engagement in a war!
Why should our Marines be held to an impossible standard? The results have been disasterous. They are shot and
killed, second guessing their next move. Yes! They were doing their job and, almost immediately, the Pendleton 8
were shackled and placed into solitary confinement, and MENTALLY ABUSED by our own 'yellow-neck' judicial
system. THAT'S NOT RIGHT!
We have too many politicians and lawyers doing their best to replace our nasty Gunnies and intelligence units.
Thank God we still got plenty of them who do not give up! Unfortunately, they are being held on a leash from a safe
distance by those earning a good living on wireless remotes. This lackadaisical tactic has gotten our best killed, and
brought the enemy to us. Our families have already been harmed with deadly consequences.
Marines do not need wannabees telling them how to conduct a war. If this trend keeps up, we will lose our will to fight
for ourselves and lose our extremely comfortable way of life.
Former U.S. Navy Corpsman, PROUDLY attached to USMC-Reserves
Do we call them sissies too? HELL NO! We stick together. WE REMAIN THE PENDLETON 8.
Corpsman Bacos was subjected to the best AMERICAN terrorist interrogators, adding fuel to the fire already burning
around him from all directions. They broke him down!
However, let us cut straight to the point. It has been said on many occasions that Navy Corpsman, attached to the
Marines, are not Marines. I beg to differ. They earn the privilege to be honorary Marines. There are Navy Corpsman,
including myself, who fully understand our primary mission - to protect the Marines at all costs. There are Navy
Corpsman who understand this concept much greater than me. Read Doc Sullivan's story. They are the legends and
stories to be told.
When my Marines took breaks, I stayed on my feet to patch them back up. We followed them around as if they were
Hollywood celebrities! We will always look up to them as heroes; and they will aways take care of us.
I refuse to stand down. I cannot allow my Marines to be paraded as criminals. They are not criminals. They are being
held to a standard that should only apply to civilian law enforcement.
A few years ago, Marine Reservists were called upon to bring calm to Los Angeles. It was a political decision that
could have resulted in severe consequences. Marines are not trained to calm people's nerves or hold hands.
Wherever they go, they are trained to raise hell! They kill, mutilate, destroy and obliterate the enemy to win. If the
community, where the enemy thrives, does not SUPPORT OR HELP the Marines, then they must suck it up and die
too!
The Pendleton 8 were given the green light to be actively engaged in a war zone. The enemy was evasive in a
community that wanted our Marines DEAD! Once deployed, the Pendleton 8 were actively engaged, ready for
anything. Telling them to slow down defeats their purpose and jeopardizes their mission.
Once again, politicians and lawyers are now sticking their 'yellow-necks' out where they do not belong. Where is
proof that the Geneva Convention is respected by participants in a war? Who follows Rules of Engagement in a war!
Why should our Marines be held to an impossible standard? The results have been disasterous. They are shot and
killed, second guessing their next move. Yes! They were doing their job and, almost immediately, the Pendleton 8
were shackled and placed into solitary confinement, and MENTALLY ABUSED by our own 'yellow-neck' judicial
system. THAT'S NOT RIGHT!
We have too many politicians and lawyers doing their best to replace our nasty Gunnies and intelligence units.
Thank God we still got plenty of them who do not give up! Unfortunately, they are being held on a leash from a safe
distance by those earning a good living on wireless remotes. This lackadaisical tactic has gotten our best killed, and
brought the enemy to us. Our families have already been harmed with deadly consequences.
Marines do not need wannabees telling them how to conduct a war. If this trend keeps up, we will lose our will to fight
for ourselves and lose our extremely comfortable way of life.
Former U.S. Navy Corpsman, PROUDLY attached to USMC-Reserves
| SCROLL ALL THE WAY DOWN - WHY WE REMAIN THE PENDLETON 8 |
Neil T.
Captain, US Army Aviation
(1957 - 1964)
Captain, US Army Aviation
(1957 - 1964)
Pendleton 8
| & MILITARY DEFENSE FUND |
Hamdania
From Terry Pennington
I have finally come to realize why our guys are in
the brig. Here's how it goes:
In late April or early May, 2006, our enemies in
Iraq accused seven Marines and a Navy
corpsman of war crimes. By now everyone who
has been conscious since then has heard the
charges of murder, larceny, and cover-up. I find it
tragically humorous that the government has
chosen to include conspiracy in the list. It is our
government who is guilty of conspiracy, not our
American Heroes.
When the enemy came forward with their lies, the
Marine Corps was very quick to act. They called in
NCIS to investigate almost immediately. Just as
quickly, NCIS investigators wrote statements for
the men, coerced most of them into signing the
statements and then shipped them back to Camp
Pendleton for disposal.
Initially the men were not incarcerated when they
arrived at Camp Pendleton. Approximately two
days after their return, they were rounded up,
shackled hand and foot and transported to the
base brig where they were placed in maximum
security. A short time later then Major General
Natonski, commander of the 1st Marine Division
was quoted as saying they were jailed due to
"information I'm privy to" - information that has
never been made public nor revealed to defense
counsel.
Here is what I believe caused these men to be
placed in their current pretrial confinement
situation. Within two days upon their return to
Camp Pendleton, a decision was made at a very
high level in our government, possibly above the
commandant of the corps, that there must be
convictions in this case in order for the Marines to
save face and for the US to save face with the
new Iraqi government. Therefore, truth be
damned, accuser's affiliations be damned, and
convictions are a must.
How can convictions be achieved with such flimsy
evidence, if any, and with no corroboration of what
evidence there may or may not be?
Only one way. Get the men to turn on each other.
Threaten them with 30 years to life if they don't rat
out their brothers. What would make the threat of
long prison sentences more effective? Simple,
subject them to harsh prison-like conditions for as
long as possible before working them over for a
plea deal. Once they've experienced what it would
be like to suffer in jail for months making it far
easier to effectively threaten them and extract a
guilty plea in exchange for a shorter sentence.
In addition to the larger conspiracy to achieve
convictions by any means possible, there are
other significant advantages to having these men
behind bars. The are able to monitor all of their
telephone communications - both inside and
outside the brig. When inside the brig it's very
easy for conversations to be recorded. When
outside the brig the "chasers" the guards who
transport the prisoners to and from the legal
services offices are instructed to ensure the men
make no phone calls.
The "chasers" are also able to listen in and report
on supposedly private meetings between the men
and their attorneys. Even though such meeting are
held behind closed doors, the walls surrounding
those doors are constructed of 2 x 4 frames
covered with 1/8" hardboard. It's easy to listen to
a conversation conducted in a normal voice inside
one of these so-called offices from the other end
of the hallway. The "chasers" sit in chairs outside
the office doors and may easily overhear and
report on what transpires between attorneys and
their clients.
Waking up every morning, about 4 a.m., I am
sweating profusely, repeatedly thinking about all
the events that are happening against my son, an
American Hero. I am devastated that my son
volunteered to go to Iraq, defend the United
States and get handled like a captured terrorist,
who apparently, enjoy more legal rights than my
family.
Best,
Terry Pennington
From Terry Pennington
I have finally come to realize why our guys are in
the brig. Here's how it goes:
In late April or early May, 2006, our enemies in
Iraq accused seven Marines and a Navy
corpsman of war crimes. By now everyone who
has been conscious since then has heard the
charges of murder, larceny, and cover-up. I find it
tragically humorous that the government has
chosen to include conspiracy in the list. It is our
government who is guilty of conspiracy, not our
American Heroes.
When the enemy came forward with their lies, the
Marine Corps was very quick to act. They called in
NCIS to investigate almost immediately. Just as
quickly, NCIS investigators wrote statements for
the men, coerced most of them into signing the
statements and then shipped them back to Camp
Pendleton for disposal.
Initially the men were not incarcerated when they
arrived at Camp Pendleton. Approximately two
days after their return, they were rounded up,
shackled hand and foot and transported to the
base brig where they were placed in maximum
security. A short time later then Major General
Natonski, commander of the 1st Marine Division
was quoted as saying they were jailed due to
"information I'm privy to" - information that has
never been made public nor revealed to defense
counsel.
Here is what I believe caused these men to be
placed in their current pretrial confinement
situation. Within two days upon their return to
Camp Pendleton, a decision was made at a very
high level in our government, possibly above the
commandant of the corps, that there must be
convictions in this case in order for the Marines to
save face and for the US to save face with the
new Iraqi government. Therefore, truth be
damned, accuser's affiliations be damned, and
convictions are a must.
How can convictions be achieved with such flimsy
evidence, if any, and with no corroboration of what
evidence there may or may not be?
Only one way. Get the men to turn on each other.
Threaten them with 30 years to life if they don't rat
out their brothers. What would make the threat of
long prison sentences more effective? Simple,
subject them to harsh prison-like conditions for as
long as possible before working them over for a
plea deal. Once they've experienced what it would
be like to suffer in jail for months making it far
easier to effectively threaten them and extract a
guilty plea in exchange for a shorter sentence.
In addition to the larger conspiracy to achieve
convictions by any means possible, there are
other significant advantages to having these men
behind bars. The are able to monitor all of their
telephone communications - both inside and
outside the brig. When inside the brig it's very
easy for conversations to be recorded. When
outside the brig the "chasers" the guards who
transport the prisoners to and from the legal
services offices are instructed to ensure the men
make no phone calls.
The "chasers" are also able to listen in and report
on supposedly private meetings between the men
and their attorneys. Even though such meeting are
held behind closed doors, the walls surrounding
those doors are constructed of 2 x 4 frames
covered with 1/8" hardboard. It's easy to listen to
a conversation conducted in a normal voice inside
one of these so-called offices from the other end
of the hallway. The "chasers" sit in chairs outside
the office doors and may easily overhear and
report on what transpires between attorneys and
their clients.
Waking up every morning, about 4 a.m., I am
sweating profusely, repeatedly thinking about all
the events that are happening against my son, an
American Hero. I am devastated that my son
volunteered to go to Iraq, defend the United
States and get handled like a captured terrorist,
who apparently, enjoy more legal rights than my
family.
Best,
Terry Pennington
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Haditha
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