IRAQ: Marine set for hearing in Fallouja killings

Marine Sgt. Ryan Weemer, accused of murder in the alleged killing of prisoners during a battle in Fallouja in late 2004, is set for an Article 32 (akin to a preliminary hearing) at Camp Pendleton on Thursday.

It may be the first time that details of the incident are aired publicly. Weemer and Sgt. Jermaine Nelson are accused in the military system; former Sgt. Jose Nazario awaits trial in federal court.

Weemer, 25, was out of the Marine Corps and trying to join the Secret Service when he mentioned the alleged killings during a job interview. That set off an investigation that led to charges against him, Nelson and Nazario. Weemer was recalled to active-duty so that he could be charged.

Weemer spent 21 days in federal jail on a contempt of court citation for refusing to testify to a federal grand jury about the incident. He and Nelson were released last week after a judge concluded that they would never break their silence.

It's been a long fall from the Marine Corps' good graces for Weemer. Wounded three times during the 11-day battle, he received the Purple Heart and also a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal for bravery and leadership.

The commendation, signed by the-Maj. Gen. Richard Natonski, says that Weemer, confronted with heavily-armed and barricaded insurgents, "quickly formulated a plan and personally led an assault on the enemy position, killing two insurgents with his M-9 service pistol. Cpl. Weemer then charged into the enemy kill zone hunting for remaining insurgents when he was wounded."

Although wounded, the commendation continues, Weemer pulled one wounded Marine to safety and organized a rescue team that saved another. His actions, Natonski wrote, were in keeping with "the highest tradition of the Marine Corps."

Tony Perry, in San Diego

Photo: Sgt. Ryan Weemer. Credit: family website, www.defendingahero.org

Comments

[John Winnick, Sr.]

America is fighting against insurgents in an asymmetrical war, a Global War. Quoting Globalization, Asymmetrical War, H enciclopedia:

“In declaring other states 'rogues' or 'criminals', the US and its ally the United Kingdom have unilaterally taken on the policing role. They have made the sovereign state an individual, in many cases a criminal, and tried to convert themselves into the agents of an intangible, or at least non-judicial, order. Even that concept has been overtaken, however. If the US and the UK earlier attempted to turn themselves into the world's police force, through NATO and the bombings of former Yugoslavia, hiding behind an international tribunal, then the war on terror has transformed them into vigilantes who serve no law. The last rupture of the international pact was President Bush's branding terrorist Osama bin Laden a criminal with a price on his head. Any regulatory or legal framework -the true counterweight to asymmetric war- was abandoned. The US superpower certified the end of the international pact: there could be no trial, only an extra-judicial settling of accounts between private parties.”

Hence, given the latter mandate from the White House, how can one judge our own Marines in Iraq fighting a global asymmetrical war with a peace time police legal framework, when insurgents cut innocent people's heads off on video tape, create IED's to bomb the coalition, as well as burn and hang our defense contractors on bridges?

The objective is to wipe out terror and insurgency, as well as protect our Marines. The Battle for Fallujah was a classic example of one of the first major victories against terror in Iraq. There is absolutely every justification for killing all terrorists in Fallujah. The city was forewarned to clear out and leave only the fiercest fighters of the insurgency in place to be taken out by our finest, well trained Marines.

The terrorists do not deserve a trial, nor prison. They deserve to be dead. Our boys in the Marine Corps did a fine job and deserve all the medals and praise for their fine work. The chain of command should be proud, as with our civilians backing our Marines. The hearings and trials of our Marines is an atrocity. One does not take our heroes and their best work and second guess what went on years later.

There are three facts in this case that should be considered:

First and foremost, the family that owned the house in this case left the city and returned to find no evidence of blood or bodies. They left in good faith and were good people, the insurgents that were in the house were not lawful citizens and should be dead.

Second, the insurgents lied about not having arms in the house. They were dangerous and could at anytime kill our Marines if allowed to live. This is asymmetrical war. There is a battle of epic proportions going on and fire fights that rival all Marine engagements at the time of the Battle for Fallujah.

Third, there is no evidence of the bodies, communications with chain of command, as well as testimonials by any witnesses in the hearings or court of law. Only tapes of a confession by a war hero that should be decorated, not desecrated. The rule of engagement here is to protect our Marines in a battle rivaling Iwo Jima, and the execution was justified in fighting against intense asymmetrical warfare.

Remember 9/11. This is a part of global asymmetrical war under extreme circumstances. Since the beginnings of time with the tribe of Ishmael, there have evolved today at least five million terrorists in the world that want to destroy us all. Let freedom ring and let us win the war on terror. Not prosecute our Marine heroes.

For the love of God and country: Dismiss all Marines involved with prejudice.

[Douglas]

It is sad to know that sometimes in the fog of war certain things happen. No one really understand only when you have been over there yourself. I personally believe that the public and all the leaders need to understand that despite having the Geneva Convention and rules of war did any of the combatants follow them so why is that when people who are killed in certain battles are charged for murder when it was only skirmishes. You got to understand what is the reality of having an army of force.Maybe we should give them candy, looly pops , and ice cream too.