1115.org

The L.A. Times:

Despite the questions being raised about the Marine Corps’ response to the (Haditha) incident, Bing West, a former assistant Defense secretary in the Reagan administration and author of two books about the Marines in Iraq, said he was confident that the Marines would be “implacable in meting out justice” once the investigations were completed.

“In every war, there have been terrible errors,” West wrote in an e-mail to The Times. “In a century of combat in 37 countries, the Marine Corps has always treated civilians with respect.“

Mr. West, try telling that to Salim Rasif, who was slaughtered that day along with his wife and sister-in-law, his four daughters and his son. Try telling that to his daughters – Zainab (2), A’isha (3), Saba’a (11) and Noora (15) – and his son, Mohammed (8). Tell it to Safa Younis, the only surviving member of the family, who survived by playing dead.

Tell it to Hiba Abdullah, who survived the butchering of seven family members in the house of her father-in-law, Abdul Hamid Hassan Ali, a 77-year-old in a wheelchair who was shot in the chest and abdomen.

You know what, Mr. West? Most of all, go tell it to the marines.