In the mother of all plea bargains, Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich, who was charged with leading the US Marines’ massacre of 24 civilians in the Iraqi city of Haditha, plead guilty to a single count of “dereliction of duty.”
His “sentence,” such as it is, will amount to a demotion to the rank of private and a pay cut related to his loss of rank. He will serve no jail time.
The announcement has angered a number of Iraqis, particularly the relatives of the slain, who say the verdict is an insult. Khalid Salman, a lawyer for the relatives of the victims, and a cousin of one of the slain, condemned the decision. “This is not a traffic felony,” he said.
Even skeptical Iraqis weren’t prepared for this total dismissal. Saleem al-Jubouri, the head of the Iraqi parliament’s human rights committee, had already issued a condemnation on the assumption that Wuterich would face a three-month jail sentence, the maximum for the soldier’s plea bargain.
next order of business, the execution of Bradly manning and Julian assage…
we dont execute white people. only jail them. Muslims on the other hand dont even get the most basic of legal rights
I sincerely hope you're being sarcastic
Just watch … Bradley Manning has already served more time in solitary than this killer will get for his crimes. And the kangerooo court that Pvt. Manning will face is already getting its orders to give him a much, much longer sentence than murdering 24 innocent people has gotten any of these Marines.
The next time you see some politician talking about how we are doing all this for 'Freedom' and 'Justice', try not to laugh openly. There's probably a camera watching you. Welcome to a place that is very far, far, far away from Thomas Jefferson's and George Washington's America.
As I mentioned earlier, this gallant member of "The Few, The Proud" gets basically a slap on the wrist for his war crime, just like the Marines in the urination video will. And after they leave the military, they will probably become cops or TSA agents and put their skills to use on us here in the "Homeland".
No separation from the service? No dishonorable discharge? What are they thinking? "In your face, Iraqis" I suppose. "We've got more where he came from."
I remember my criminal law professor trying to blame the My Lai massacre on "higher ups". It seemed a cop out, in order to coddle "Rusty" Calley – but at least he received some house arrest and though Nixon thought he should get off, the public was outraged. Three men of Charlie Company who refused to participate in the slaughter of civilians, and rape of some, were visited with death threats and had dead animals put on their doorsteps by the "patriots" in our sick country then.
The reason that this is worse than My Lai in its effect is that the public is indifferent. Nobody will get dead animals on their doorstep as a gesture of "patriotism" because nobody cares one way or the other.
What are a few dead Moslems against the gunslinger attitudes of a populace whose blood lust is still unslaked? You see, the difference now is that we have 9/11 and carte blanche to kill anywhere at any time without consequences.
It still is the "higher ups." He was right.
Pretty much the same happened over the My Lai massacre in VietNam.
And by this we can see precisely how much the Americans regard the lives of the citizens in the countries they invade "to help".
This doesn't just rile Iraqis – and they are not alone in seeing as an insult- in fact that implies that it may not be an insult which is not correct .
This outcome is nothing but a disgusting , hypocritical, BS ,INSULT!!!
That this man is a parent – primary caregiver to young children should be of great concern ….that a military judge thinks it would cause them undue hardship if his pay were cut is ignorant and repulsive.
There will be many who argue that this 'incident' is not representative of US soldiers/actions – you are wrong- the US response to this mans actions absolutely accurately reflects US interests around the globe .
When you wonder why there is hostility to the US wonder how you would feel if in this case you were Iraqi.
And you watch what the Gingrich, Santorum, or any Republican Presidential Wannabbe (except Ron Paul) would say if a Pick what ever country in the world soldier killed 24 US Citizens Civilian OR Military. Every one of them would demanding WAR, and bomb the Terrorists (even if it was real soldiers), and they sure as hell wouldnt be happy if a killer of 24 people was JUST convicted of “dereliction of duty.”
The facts are this is a manifestly inadequate plea bargain the crime at the least is Manslaughter and requires a substantial prison sentence.
Ahhh…there's just nothing quite like that 'Amerikan Exceptionalism' now, is there?
"JUSTICE" yankee style.Not only did they not invade murdered,raped,sodomise,destroyed Iraq and in the eyes of the world they are still the convicts brought over from britain in the 1700.
Whats new?
The axis of evil (US/NATO/Israel) and their current allies – often radical fundamental islamic terrorists, walk away virtually unscathed from any appalling war crimes.
You only have to remember Yugoslavia where Serbs are serving real life imprisonment for defending their country whilst NATO and friends of NATO committed atrocity after atrocity against them and remain unpunished or nearly so.
They have still not properly investigated the kidnapping of Serb civilains and the gross practice of murdering them for body parts.
In fact the chief suspect rules in Kosovo.
This link shows how biassed the judgements were and the true nature of the enemy the christian Serbs were fighting. http://sheikyermami.com/2008/09/16/the-hague-musl…
So.. a guy commits a crime in Bosnia, he has no connection with Iraq or Iraqis.. but because he share's the same religion it somehow makes it ok for American sodliers to massacre Iraqis…???
Is that your logic..?
Go on Emilyrose (tho I suspect you're one of those paid trolls sent out by you know which country to demonise the muslim world).. tell us how those Iraqis civilians massacred in Iraq are responsible for the actions of someone they never knew or met in Bosnia… let us also know which crimes you know were committed by those Iraqi civilians that they deserved their fate as you imply.
The point I was making is that the NATO allies and the KLA and theBosnian fundamentalist Izetbegovic imported fighters could commit the most horrendous crimes against the Serbs with little or no punishment. I used the Bosnian story as an example – deliberately not using Serbian sources which can be denounced as propaganda.
A similar story to the NATO attrocities in Iraq.
A similar story to US or NATO atrocities anywhere.
One law and standard for NATO another for anyone who stands against them
We have just seen it in Libya. Protecting civilians by slaughtering them by the thousand.
I very much resent being described as a paid troll.
I think I have been on these boards long enough for many posters to know how sincere I am.
In fact your almost bizarre interpretation of the point I tried to make and your disgraceful personal attack on me, quite unnecessary, makes me wonder wbout your credentials quite frankly.
You forgot to mention the 250.000 Bosnian Muslims massacred by the Christian Serbs under the obesrvation of NATO troops. NATO only intervened in Bosnia against the Serbs when the Bosnian Muslims started wining the civil war. Afterall. Europe would never allow Muslim government to exist in the heart of Europe.
Where did this happen?
Details please.
No American 'hero' ever gets convicted of war crimes – no matter how horrifying his actions were. 'Conditioned to hate and trained to kill' is in the training itself. The crime would reflect on the system, so they are all quietly absolved when the press is looking the other way, which it is eager to do. It needs American heroes too, not villains. The villains will always be the other guy.
I'm afraid you are wrong there. At least the perps of My Lai got a slap on the wrist and the acknowledgement of wrongdoing. That was then (under Dick Nixon, who must be cheering this attitude from his box seat in hell), and even Nixon could not remove all the guilt, although he did reduce Rusty Calley's life sentence. Imagine getting a life sentence today for killing Iraqis! Unthinkable.
Now we understand clearly why Iraq could not give US immunity.
This should be a lesson to foreign countries wherever US troops are stationed.
In my opinion, Sgt. Wuterich should have been given the death penalty for the murders he committed. All too soon, this killer – an utter coward – will be free to roam America's streets.
Don't forget – he offended a revenge culture, not a bunch of Buddhists like the Vietnamese. He should be aware that some people make it their business never to forget. They'll have this in their records forever, and if they don't get Wuterich, they'll get his sons and grandsons, when they least expect it. "Never forget" is not an exclusively Jewish phrase. It comes from the root of both cultures. If I were Wuterich, I'd do some serious reparations before it is too late. But a person like that doesn't even care about his own descendants. He was a narcissist in Iraq, and he'll be poison at home.
“This is not a traffic felony,” he said.
I have little doubt that his sentence would have been more severe if Wuterich had been charged with a traffic felony.
Well, unless he happened to be a drunken Marine who runs over and kills some girl after leaving the bars on Okinawa. Then the US military just puts the Marine on a plane to the states so they can avoid the local authorities.
Definitely. A traffic felony resulting in the death of 24 persons would send him to jail for a long, long time.
This is a great example of justice à la Américaine. When these cowards and criminals start with their "heroic" deeds in American soil, that society will have it well deserved.
What I want to know is where the F-ck is that Italian Mafiosi the head of ICC to go after these butchers of democracy and by the democracy. That is to say if there is such thing even exist in USA judicial system.
I bet michelle malkin thinks this is cruel and unusual punishment.
Kinda sickening that the same nation that bombed the living hell out of Libya to "protect innocent civilians'" and is threatening to bomb Syria to protect civilians……..thinks its no big deal when its soldiers commit murder of civilians….including shooting women and children. Mai Lai, No Gun Ri, Faluja, Haditha etc etc etc…….most hypocritical government in the history of the world.