The Unraveling of Haditha: Part II
DON’T BELIEVE IT
You will be hearing reports from various sources that the Marines are “paying off” or “bribing” surviving victims of the Haditha "situation". The propaganda will look like this:
Families of Haditha victims may have been offered money
New York Daily NewsWASHINGTON - The investigation of an alleged Marine massacre of 24 civilians in Haditha, Iraq, last year has focused on whether cash payments to the families of victims were part of a cover-up, sources said Wednesday.
OR
HADITHA PROBE FOCUSES ON POSSIBLE BRIBE
The investigation of an alleged Marine massacre of 24 civilians in Haditha, Iraq, has focused on whether cash payments to the families of victims were part of a cover-up, sources said Wednesday. Iraqi charges that the Marines offered hush money have also figured in a separate investigation of the shooting death of a disabled Iraqi man in the Baghdad suburb of Hamdaniyah on April 26. -The State
John Murtha had this to say on ABC’s This Week with George Stephanopoulos, May 28, 2006:
One woman, as I understand it, in talking to the officials in the Marine Corps, was bending over a child pleading for mercy and they shot her in cold blood. That’s the thing that’s so disturbing. And even more disturbing is the fact that, we know the Iraqis knew about it because they made payments to the Iraqis for accidental deaths or for salacious deaths, whatever you want to call it. And then in addition to that, they had - there has to have been a cover-up of this thing.
It’s hard to phathom that John Murtha was actually a Marine or that he has any knowldege whatsoever of military protocol. His misreprsentation of what he calls "payments made" to "cover up" are inexcuseable.
FACT: The military’s SJA, or Staff Judge Advocate, assesses Military Battle Damage Claims as a way of compensating personal or property damage. IT IS NOT A PAY OFF. It is an attempt by the United States military to compensate locals for loss during military operations.
Read this article by the Marine Corps dated April 20, 2005 of this SOP (Standard Operating Proceedure) called "reimbursement for losses":
Military Battle Damage Claims
Iraqi citizens reimbursed for losses
Marine Corps News
Story by Lance Cpl. Evan M. Eagan
CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq (April 20, 2005) — More than 200 Iraqi citizens gathered at the Fallujah Liaison Team site April 20 to file claims for damaged personal property and injuries or deaths to family members as a result of combat operations conducted by coalition forces during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
“Every Wednesday is claims day,” said Staff Sgt. Kent Bird, disburser, II MEF Headquarters Group, 2nd Force Service Support Group (Forward). “We will offer them a token of our sympathy. It is not really paying them back for the damages, it is saying we’re sorry for your loss and here’s what we can do for you.”
Locals file their claims individually with the staff judge advocate. After reviewing the paperwork, the SJA makes a decision of how much money will be awarded.
Although many locals showed up to make their claim, not all of them can be helped in one day.
“We’ll see anywhere from 30 to 35 people in a day,” explained Bird, a Marissa, Ill., native. “From the 30 to 35, we’ll pay about 20 to 25 of those claims. Usually only 20 to 25 claims can be substantiated.”
In order for a claim to be substantiated, the locals must provide the SJA with the correct paperwork.
“If it’s an injury we need a document from a hospital citing the injury,” said Bird. He added, photos must be provided if a person is unable to come in and make the claim, as well as proof of damaged property. Death claims need to have a death certificate from the hospital.
Because each claim is judged individually, different amounts of money are awarded for different situations.
“The most amount of money we can give to any family is $2,500,” said Bird. “Most death claims are $2,500. Whether it’s one family member or four family members it’s still going to be $2,500. Personal injuries that will actually threaten them for the rest of their life we give from $1,000 to $1,500. All property damage is $500 and below, whether it be a vehicle or a house.”
In addition to filing claims for combat-related incidents, citizens may also file claims for damages incurred from non-combat activities.“We have [claims] which the judge pays out called foreign claims,” Bird. “Those are non-battle damage related. If we have a convoy going through town and they accidentally hit a car, we will pay the total value of that vehicle.”
Although civilians are often injured or killed in combat operations, Marines like Capt. Richard Belliss, operational lawyer, staff judge advocate, 2nd Marine Division, want to let the locals know it is not their intent.
“Our hope is when they leave here [FLT site], they have a little better opinion of American forces and they recognize civilians are accidentally injured and that it’s because we are trying to [eliminate] insurgents and terrorists, not because we’re trying to hurt innocent Iraqis,” said Belliss, an Albany, N.Y., native. “This goes toward building good will, winning hearts and minds and letting Iraqis know we care about the everyday individual Iraqi family. We can’t pay them for all their injuries, but at least we can give them something to say we’re sorry.”
These are NOT payoffs nor bribes. This is a reimbursement program to civilians, but what public doesn’t know can’t hurt the anti-war movement, right?
This concerted effort between the Main Stream Media, disingenious politicians and our enemy has prolonged the war and damaged progress in both Iraq and Afghanistan.
Read this e-mail from a soldier in Iraq noting that the press is a puppet for the insurgents:
I am currently stationed here in Iraq and have been here for the past 11 months; I am an adviser to the Iraqis and meet them on a daily basis. I have been in many locations in the country and am involved on a daily basis together with the Iraqis fighting the insurgency.
The media manipulation by the insurgents is brilliant and extremely effective. The press has become a puppet for the insurgents; the insurgents know exactly what they are doing with these "massacres" (quoted here because the investigation has not been completed, nor have any charges been filed) and the political nightmare they will cause the current administration. Bodies are produced for film, and there is zero fact-checking by the media–the media eat up this "news" like there is no tomorrow. A couple of hundred bucks paid by the insurgents to a few guys/ladies in the town where this "massacre" occurred to make up some bad news and pine for the BBC’s or CBS’s or whoever’s cameras is a nice month’s salary for many and money well spent by the insurgency.
Al Jazeera continues to be on top of it and is using media tactics on their website. Late last night I stumbled across this photo (which I screen captured with the understanding Al Jazeera would take it down on its English website):
The last paragraph of their article read:
Haditha has struck terror in the hearts of the surviving civilians, who wonder who is next to be killed by the American “liberators”? The message sent by recent American atrocities is clear: Be afraid. Be very afraid.
Where did Al Jazeera come up with the this photo/caption? From the UK Times. They posted this image of civilians in Haditha having been lined up against a wall and executed by US troops. THE TRUTH is that this is an AP photo of "Insurgents in Haditha executed 19 Shiite fishermen and National Guardsmen in a sports stadium"
Photo to the left is the original in Newsweek dated May 2, 2006. Michelle Malkin was all over it and broke the story. Fox News’ Hannity & Colmes interviewed ex-Marine Ilario Pantano. In April 2005 on a raid in the Sunni Triangle, Marine Lieutenant Ilario Pantano shot and killed two Iraqi insurgents. Months later, another Marine disputed his claim that he had acted in self-defense and Pantano was relieved of his command and charged with premeditated murder. It took until May of 2005 for his name to be cleared. Watch the Video and see the similarities between LT. Pantano and the Marines of Haditha today.
Don’t believe everything you hear. Question the media. Be suspicious. Trusting in the reputation of our troops is far safer than trusting the media, liberal politicians or the enemies they support through their careless propaganda.
RELATED:
The Unraveling of Haditha: Pt. 1
Cross-posted at Amy’s Blog
technorati tags: Haditha, Marines, Murtha, Liberal Media
June 14th, 2006 at 12:13 pm
The Blogosphere vs. The MSM
Sweetness & Light is actually showing what the blogosphere has the power to do: challenge the MSM’s stranglehold on information.
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