Update on "Incident at Haditha" July 23, 2009 (see *Footnote)
UPDATE JULY 19, 2009:
1. HOW THE VIETNAM WAR WAS LOST THANKS TO THE MEDIA BACKED BY VIOLENT "PEACE-LOVING" AMERICANS WHO SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES FOR THE LIVES THEY COST AND WHO ARE STILL MOLDING OUR DEFEATIST, SUICIDAL ATTITUDE TOWARDS THOSE WHO SEEK TO DESTROY THE UNITED STATES, NOW LED BY THE MOST PROBABLY ILLEGITIMATELY ENTHRONED FOREIGN-BORN BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA--KENYAN, MOSLEM AND ALL-AROUND ENEMY OF THE UNITED STATES AS THEY WERE ESTABLISHED UNDER OUR CONSTITUTION.
Buh-Bye, Walter Cronkite: He Lost the Vietnam War for U.S. on TV, Had American Blood on His Hands - By Debbie Schlussel
2. DEFEATING THE UNITED STATES FROM WITHIN
Hizb ut-Tahrir America's (HTA) Khilafah conference, held at the Hilton in Oak Lawn, IL, USA
THE ISLAMIC ENEMIES OF THE UNITED STATES--AGAIN FINDING A RECEPTIVE ENVIRONMENT INSIDE THE UNITED STATES:
from The Investigative Project on Terrorism:
Hizb Ut-Tahrir In America: Preaching Hate, Building A Caliphate
Hizb ut-Tahrir, (HT) the pro-jihadist organization meeting this weekend in suburban Chicago, has been waging a below-the-radar campaign to recruit Americans for decades. Hizb ut-Tahrir activists in the United States have generally taken a low public profile following the 9/11 attacks, avoiding the vitriolic, hate-America rhetoric coming from HT activists abroad.The open nature of this weekend's Khalifa (Caliphate) Conference in Chicago under the Hizb ut-Tahrir banner indicates that the group has decided to enhance its recruiting efforts among U.S. Muslims.
Read the full story
Select Quotes from Historic 1994 Hizb Ut-Tahrir Rally in London's Wembley Arena
In 1994, tens of thousands of supporters of Hizb ut-Tharir rallied in London to demand Islamic control over the West, issued calls for world wide jihad and violent attacks, attacked democracy as incompatible with Islam, and demanded that an Islamic caliphate rule the entire world. The rally was one of the most radical mass Islamist gatherings ever held in a Western country.
Read the full story
PREVIOUS UPDATE:
Treading on Eggs in Afghanistan!
SEE http://howtostoptheislamicjihad.blogspot.com/?zx=fb084b2409625927
and
Obama’s new battle plan will get more Americans killed!
New US battle rule: No fighting near Afghan homes. Of course, once Taliban fighters learn of the directive, civilian homes will be the perfect place to seek cover.
http://barenakedislam.wordpress.com/2009/06/22/obamas-new-battle-plan-will-get-more-americans-killed/
Also
(Contains NewMaterial) Added on June 21, 2009
The Answer: The welfare of the enemy has become more important . . .
. . . than that of the troops fighting for us.
Under such a condition, who but the bravest would willingly enlist in our armed forces?
Our present President never did . . . or had to. His predecessor served . . ah . . . barely. He was a cutup at that age: air national guard, spotty attendance . . etc.
Enlisting--or accepting a commission--means that you have to trust in military justice and in that your country will back you up before being more concerned about the safety and welfare of the enemy than yours.
Nigh impossible Rules of Engagement (ROEs) and an overly solicitous attitude towards those we are fighting--at the expense of our own fighters--would soon disabuse one of these illusions.
See such events as Action at Haditha* . . .
. . . and the tragic events leading to the loss of a SEAL team to safeguard the lives of three enemy individuals who betrayed the Americans' trust--or whose leader acted in fear of a courts-martial and American pro-enemy lawyers looming in his imagination . . .
This made our troops into split-personality fighting forces: worry about completing the mission while staying alive, in one piece, and making certain that you kill enemies only out of necessity while preserving the precious lives of enemy civilians--at the expense of the lives of American warriors.
Now you must learn about Something Terrible:
Joan Swirsky: Something Terrible Has Happened To Michael
posted by Lance
at TMQ2 (The Moslem Question 2 -- its predecessor TMQ1 was shut down by fair-to-all-but-fairer-to-Moslems-blogspot blogger authorities)
TRAVESTY OF JUSTICE
. . . there are rare instances in which a member of our military is punished for doing what he was trained to do – subdue or, if necessary, kill the enemy. This is what happened.
In May 2008, a known member of an al Qaeda cell, Ali Mansur, was suspected of having organized an attack on the young Army Ranger’s platoon, which killed two U.S. soldiers and injured two more under Lt. Behenna’s command. For some unfathomable reason, Army intelligence ordered that Mansur be released and ordered Lt. Behenna, who was then 24, to escort the terrorist to his home.
On the way, Behenna questioned Mansur in an effort to learn additional information about other members of the terrorist cell, as well as who was financing it. During the interrogation, Mansur attacked Lt. Behenna, who killed the terrorist in self-defense.
But instead of expressing relief that one of their own had survived the attack, the government cast Mansur as the “victim” and prosecuted Lt. Behenna for premeditated murder!
The following timeline was taken, in part, from the website that has been established in support of Lt. Behenna – Defendmichael.com – and confirmed by his mother, Vicki.
On February 23, 2009, Behenna went on trial. During the trial:
* The government argued that Behenna executed Mansur while he was sitting on a rock, while Behenna said that he shot in self defense after Mansur stood up and tried to reach for the Lieutenant’s gun during the interrogation.
* A government expert, an Iraqi doctor who performed the autopsy, said that the bullets had a horizontal trajectory, suggesting a direct confrontation and not a scenario in which a defenseless Mansur sat helplessly on a rock while a standing Behenna shot him at a downward angle. In fact, both government and defense experts agreed on the trajectory of the bullets that killed Mansur.
* In short order, the prosecution decided not to call to the stand another government expert, Dr. Herbert MacDonnell, but instead sent him home. But not before Dr. MacDonell told Behenna’s defense attorney that he would have been a good witness for the defense.
* While Dr. MacDonnell was picking up his coat in the prosecution room on his way out of the courthouse, he told the three prosecutors: “The explanation that Lt Behenna just testified to was the exact same scenario I told you yesterday. Lt Behenna is telling the truth.”
* Referring to Dr. MacDonnell’s statement that he would have been a good witness, the defense counsel, Jack Zimmermann, asked the prosecutors if they had any exculpatory evidence that should be provided to the defense. (This is evidence favorable to the defendant in a criminal trial, which clears or tends to clear the defendant of guilt.) But the prosecutors denied having any such evidence despite having been told by their own expert witness that Lt Behenna’s explanation was the only logical explanation of the events that had transpired.
* Because this evidence was withheld, the prosecutors were able to argue that Lt. Behenna executed Ali Mansur while the “victim” was seated on a rock – in spite of the testimony of forensic experts, including Dr. MacDonnell, who agreed that Mansur was standing with his arms outstretched when he was shot.
* On February 27, 2009, Lt. Behenna was convicted of unpremeditated murder and assault by a military panel of seven officers – none of whom were combat arms.
* Following the trial, Dr. MacDonnell contacted the prosecutors again, asking that the information he provided them be given to the defense.
* After Dr. MacDonnell’s e-mail was provided to the defense counsel, Mr. Zimmermann moved for a mistrial.
* Judge Theodore E. Dixon promptly ordered both sides in the case to file briefs relating to a possible mistrial, and, after reading the briefs, set a date for an additional hearing and ordered additional briefs, including one from the defense requesting a new trial.
* But on March 20, Judge Dixon denied the defense motions to declare a mistrial and to order a new trial and sentenced Lt. Behenna to serve 25 years in Leavenworth penitentiary.
Lt. Behenna’s attorneys are appealing the verdict. It is Vicki Behenna’s understanding that the General of the 101st Airborne will review Michael’s case in the next several weeks, in which case he can set aside the findings of guilt, order a new trial, or reduce Michael’s sentence. After the General’s decision, Michael’s case will be docketed in the appellate court, a process that can take from one-to-three years for the appeal to be heard.
HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?
There are those who believe that Michael was “sacrificed” for political reasons. Is it possible that the motive for failing to provide the exculpatory information had anything to do with our military’s desire to be able to tell the Iraqi government that they had convicted an officer, the better to actualize some kind of quid pro quo arrangement or smooth over some ruffled feathers?
In my opinion, it’s a miscarriage of justice for a soldier who is fighting for the Constitutional rights we hold dear – the right to due process and a fair trial – to be denied those rights in his own trial! And what about the demoralization this causes other U.S. troops, who continue to fight on behalf of the freedom and security of our nation? Whether they are U.S. border patrol agents, members of the armed forces, or FBI agents, no individual who is serving on the frontlines in the War on Terror should be afforded anything less than a fair trial.
The Behennas and their many supporters have mobilized to help Michael and they urge everyone to contact his or her elected official to make sure that justice is done. And because the government has limitless resources but they don’t, they’ve established a Legal Defense Fund to help their efforts.
1LT Michael Behenna Legal Defense Fund
c/o Jack Dawson, co-trustee
100 Park Avenue, Second Floor
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73102-8099
Rachel Lawrence Mor, co-trustee
3037 N.W. 63rd Street, Suite 251
Oklahoma City Oklahoma 73116
Please read Legal Disclosure before donating.
They’ve also promised to send a Defend Michael Wristband for any donation of $20 or more.
"If we fail to support those fighting for us, one day there will be no one to fight for us."
"Sacrificing our warriors to garner favorable world opinion, especially that of our enemies, is perceived as weakness not fairness."
GOVERNMENT WITHHOLDS EVIDENCE; ARMY RANGER GOES TO PRISON FOR 25 YEARS FOR SHOOTING AL QAEDA OPERATIVE
The Story
http://defendmichael.wordpress.com/
http://www.theodoresworld.net/archives/2009/04/army_ranger_1st_lt_michael_beh.html
An American Hero deserves a new trial Petition
Critical evidence was withheld by prosecutors during the trial of 1LT Michael Behenna. If you believe that soldiers who fight for our constitutional rights,
http://www.petitiononline.com/MBehenna/petition.html
To read more about perversions of American warrior values go to
http://tmqblog.com/2009/05/27/joan-swirsky-something-terrible-has-happened-to-michael/#more-10709
______________________________
*FROM THE HALLS OF MONTEZUMA . . .
. . . to Betrayal at Haditha
Semper Fi? (Always Faithful?)
The Marines to the country, YES!
The nation to its Marines? NOT ALWAYS
and apparently not at Haditha, Iraq.
THE COURTS-MARTIAL OF MARINES
http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2007/4/24/164012.shtml
See the following links for "Action at Haditha" details:
http://islamicdanger4u.blogspot.com/2008/04/from-halls-of-montezuma.html
http://islamicdanger4u.blogspot.com/2008/03/judge-asked-to-dismiss-haditha-charges.html
http://islamicdanger4u.blogspot.com/2008/03/incident-at-haditha-part-3.html
http://islamicdanger4u.blogspot.com/2008/03/incident-at-haditha-part-2-haditha.html
http://islamicdanger4u.blogspot.com/2008/03/incident-at-haditha-part-1-from.html
http://islamicdanger4u.blogspot.com/2008/03/marine-officer-faces-april-court.html
http://islamicdanger4u.blogspot.com/2008/03/haditha-little-massacre-that-could.html
http://islamicdanger4u.blogspot.com/2008/03/if-you-think-only-israelis-are-idiots.html
http://islamicdanger4u.blogspot.com/2008/03/murtha-wrong-video-at-haditha-hearing.html
http://islamicdanger4u.blogspot.com/2008/03/haditha-world-net-daily.html
http://islamicdanger4u.blogspot.com/2008/03/what-haditha-portends-by-patrick-j.html
http://islamicdanger4u.blogspot.com/2008/03/case-against-marine-blamed-on-murtha_08.html
http://islamicdanger4u.blogspot.com/2008/03/chessani-and-tatum-ordered-to-trial-in.html
http://islamicdanger4u.blogspot.com/2008/03/us-troops-in-shackles.html
http://islamicdanger4u.blogspot.com/2008/03/marine-said-deaths-didnt-merit-inquiry.html
More Recent Haditha Events:
http://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/Marine_Andrew_Grayson_/2008/06/06/102397.html
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=080605084225.pp252kqf&show_article=1
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,363407,00.html
Haditha, Four Years Later - 2009
Staff Sergeant Frank Wuterich, the leader of the Platoon charged with counts of murder occurring in November 2005, in Haditha, Iraq, still has not had his day in a military court-martial. The loss of Iraqi civilian life occurred in November 2005, when members of his squad were clearing houses looking for the trigger man, who moments earlier had set off an IED that killed one Marine and severely wounded two others. There were two official military investigations of the incident, and an in-depth NCIS investigation, taking another year and a half to complete. However, 2007, the Hamdania murder cases were in the news, and the Marine Corps chose to take them to trial first, further delaying the Haditha cases.
Article 32 Hearings for Wuterich
In 2007, nearly two years later, the Article 32 hearings, similar to preliminary hearings, were underway with eight Haditha Marines facing charges. As rarely happens in the military justice system, the results of various Article 32 hearings led to 6 of 8 cases being dismissed. By the end of 2007, there remained only two Marines charged with manslaughter and failure to investigate, Staff Sergeant Wuterich and his Battalion Commander, LtCol Chessani, respectively.
Military Defense Lawyers
Staff Sergeant Wuterich’s civilian and military lawyers, Neal A. Puckett and Haytham Faraj, were ready for a court-martial in the spring of 2008, two and half years after the IED attack in Haditha. During the military court pre-trial hearings, the government subpoenaed the outtakes from the CBS 60 Minutes Interview. The judge quashed the subpoena. Another subpoena was also quashed on First Amendment grounds. The prosecutors appealed the military judges ruling twice, delaying swift justice for a Staff Sergeant Wuterich. The first appeal has now been appealed to the Supreme Court of the United States. The second appeal has just reached the first military appellate court. In the meantime, the Battalion commander’s case has been dismissed due to unlawful command influence, and Staff Sergeant Wuterich, who is not allowed to attend professional military education or be promoted, is still waiting to go into a military court, having waited three and half years. Most of the military lawyers involved with the case, including the military judge, have retired or transferred.
http://www.puckettfaraj.com/2009/06/haditha-iraq-military-justice-or-injustice/
Silberberg / AP
Another event at Haditha:
A U.S. Marine inspects the remains of a vehicle destroyed by a roadside bomb. . . . Fourteen Marines and a civilian interpreter were killed in the blast near Haditha.
updated 6:06 a.m. PT, Thurs., Aug 4, 2005
