• If you are having problems logging in please use the Contact Us in the lower right hand corner of the forum page for assistance.

Republican apologizes to marines

Liberty Belle

Well-known member
I haven't heard Murtha's apology yet, have you?

Congressman makes apology to Haditha marines
Tue Aug 15, 2006
By Will Dunham


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. lawmaker apologized on Tuesday to U.S. Marines under investigation in the deaths of two dozen Iraqi civilians in Haditha in a statement his office said spared him from a libel lawsuit.

Minnesota Republican Rep. John Kline, a retired Marine Corps colonel, issued a three-paragraph statement under a deal with lawyers for Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich, one of the Marines under investigation.

Wuterich's lawyers filed a libel lawsuit against another congressman, Democratic Rep. John Murtha of Pennsylvania, on August 2 following his comments on the case.

"Some news outlets have promoted incomplete statements attributed to me that gave the false impression that I have concluded those involved committed unlawful acts," Kline said in the statement provided by his office.

"I am, of course, very concerned regarding any allegations surrounding misconduct by U.S. troops in Iraq. Such allegations must be taken seriously, but we should never rush to judgment before all the facts are known and the military criminal justice process is completed," Kline said. Kline added, "I want to express my sincere apology" to the Marines in the unit that was in Haditha last November 19.

Wuterich and several other Marines are suspected, but have not been charged, in the killing of two dozen unarmed civilians in Haditha, one of a series of incidents in which U.S. troops are suspected of killing Iraqi civilians.

Troy Young, Kline's spokesman, said the statement stemmed from an agreement avoiding a libel suit by Wuterich. Mark Zaid, a lawyer for Wuterich, said "we are completely satisfied" with Kline's statement.

Kline has been quoted as saying the allegations indicated the killings were "not an accident. This was direct fire by Marines at civilians." But Young said Kline "never accused these Marines of being guilty in this incident."

Murtha, a decorated Vietnam War veteran and leading Iraq war critic, said in May of the Haditha incident: "Our troops overreacted because of the pressure on them and they killed innocent civilians in cold blood."
Lt. Gen. James Mattis, the new top Marine general in U.S. Central Command, is expected to decide whether to bring criminal charges against any of the Marines under investigation.

http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=politicsNews&storyid=2006-08-15T181343Z_01_N15466727_RTRUKOC_0_US-IRAQ-USA-APOLOGY.xml&src=rss&rpc=22
 
Top