General Briefed Murtha After Murder Comment, Marine Corps Says

[DeepModem Mom]

NYT/Reuters: General Briefed Murtha After Murder Comment, Corps Says
By REUTERS
Published: August 3, 2006

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The head of the U.S. Marine Corps briefed Rep. John Murtha on the Haditha case after the vocal war critic publicly said Marines had killed innocent civilians in that Iraqi city, the Corps said on Thursday.

A group of Marines, while suspected in the killing of 24 Iraqi civilians, has not been charged, and official results from the military's investigation remain outstanding. A U.S. defense official said on Wednesday, however that evidence indicates Marines deliberately shot to death unarmed civilians.

Murtha, a Pennsylvania Democrat, is being sued by one of the accused Marines for libel. He had told The Philadelphia Inquirer that Gen. Michael Hagee had given him the information on which he based his charge that Marines killed innocent civilians.

But a spokesman for the Marine Corps said Hagee briefed Murtha on May 24 about Haditha. Murtha had made comments on the case as early as May 17.

On May 17, for example, he said at a news conference, "Our troops overreacted because of the pressure on them and they killed innocent civilians in cold blood.''...

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/washington/politics-iraq-usa-haditha.html

[L0oniX]

1. Kill the messenger ...again

:spank:

[Erika]

3. Murtha knew of what he spoke n/t

[Supersedeas]

8. Yea, to hell w/actual investigation results-the Media should attack Murtha

instead....more Mel Gibson coverage, anyone?

[Erika]

2. Murtha would not have spoken with such conviction

if he wasn't sure of his sources. As a lifelong marine, and a constant visitor to Walter Reed, he has proven himself.

How sad some show such vitriol to him. The ignorant.

[Captain Hilts]

4. Murtha was more critical of the situation the marines are in than...

the marines themselves. Some of these guys are on their 3rd and 4th tour and they are beginning to snap.

Send the Bush Twins.

[Oversea Visitor]

5. How can it be libel if it is true?

:(

[MiniMe]

7. He also didn't name anybody. Perhaps the marine had a guilty...

conscience.

[NVMojo]

6. this will backfire on the GOP idiots ...