The much-touted story of the massacre at Haditha continues to unravel. Charges have now been dropped against two accused Marines because those charges were:

"...based on unreliable witness accounts, poor forensic evidence and questionable legal theories."

In his recommendation, Lt. Colonel Paul Ware said that

"To believe the government version of facts is to disregard clear and convincing evidence to the contrary."

Information about the conflicting witness accounts, and other issues, has been available from the beginning, but these Marines have been sitting in limbo nonetheless. And you don't see the story of the dropped charges getting nearly the mileage that the accusations did, do you?

Where is John Murtha to champion these Marines - or at least to issue an apology?

Where is the Time Magazine article on these innocent Marines?

And where are the announcements on the other six?

Labels: Haditha, Troops on Trial, USMC

BREAK TIME — U.S. Army Spc. Shaun Martin and Spc. Erik Gonzales from 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, rest from searching houses with soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 1st Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army Division, in Baqubah, Iraq, Aug. 5. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Jason Edwards

Labels: 1-23 Infantry, 2ID, 3SBCT, 5th Iraqi Army Division, Baqubah, Iraq, photos, US Army

News of Note
Operation Iraqi Freedom
U.S. Helicopter Forced Down in Baghdad
U.N. to have expanded political role in Iraq (Be afraid; be very afraid)
Bush says Iran is destabilizing force in Iraq - Video

Operation Enduring Freedom
Taliban: Korean Hostages Safe, for Now

Homeland Security / War on Terror / Hamas-Hezbollah Happenings
One Killed, Several Hurt in Jerusalem Old City Attack
American Oil Worker Kidnapped in Nigeria
Officials: Clash With Militants in Phillippines Kills 57
Israel's Barak dismisses peace push "fantasies"
NY mayor: Deal reached with Sept 11 kin
Giuliani talks about ground zero risks

Troops on Trial
Convicted Marine details ill-fated plan
Pope AFB: Inconsistencies in rape story

Other Military News
Army Recruiters May Soon Offer Bigger Incentives
General's descendent to mark anniversary
Military.com Def Tech: The $265 Million Mix-Up

Worldwide Wackos
North Korea military tells U.S. to halt joint exercise

Politics / Government
Dems Seek Rainbow Connection - UPDATE 2008
U.S. election politicking puts Pakistan in spin
U.S. Gay voters scrutinize Democrats in TV forum
Americans may cast first votes for 2008 this year

Illegal Immigration / Border Control
Feds to Toughen Immigration Laws
Border Patrol Agent Shoots Suspected Human Smuggler

In the Courts / Crime and Punishment / Law and Order
Duane 'Dog' Chapman: I Won't Stop Bounty Hunting
Man Surrenders in N.J. Students' Execution-Style Murder
Wyo. team tracks child porn predators
2nd South Fla. deputy shot in 1 week
9 charged in sex slavery case in LA
Nowak Wants Ankle Tracker Removed

Science / Medicine / Technology
Foam Insulation May Have Hit Endeavour During Liftoff
Smooth sailing for space station-bound shuttle - Video
MRI scans might prevent breast cancer, study shows
New vaccine may beat bird flu before it starts
China to map "every inch" of moon surface: report
Global warming will step up after 2009: scientists
Research reports good environmental news
UK suspects new foot and mouth case

Mother Nature
California Town Owns America's Smoggiest Air
Extreme floods hit 500 million people a year - Video

Oddities
Poachers accidentally flag their presence
It's safe to go back into water, doorman says
Petitioner: Fix California Budget Woes With Pot
Texas Man Rigs Car With Household Air Conditioner
Beheaded snake sends man to hospital

Other News of Note
Drill Reaches Level of Trapped Utah Miners - Air in mine reportedly good, but no sound heard - PHOTOS
8th Body Believed Pulled From Bridge Collapse - PHOTOS
Metal plates examined in bridge collapse
Parents Upset After Kids Complain About Strip-Search at Indiana Day Camp
Fears of global liquidity crisis grip markets

Fox News
Monster Truck Plows Into Crowd
Plane Carrying 20 Crashes in French Pacific Territory
Young Girls Going Wild, But at What Consequences?
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's Son Maddox Can Be Yours for Only $1.99
Condom Billboard Placement Leaves Parents Steamed

Reuters: Top News
Deadline for Pakistan commission to enlist voters
Universal to sell songs without copy protection
Social networks for dogs, bikes & sneakers
Scavengers jobless as Costa Rica cleans up trash
Glaciers wasting away on Mexico's legendary peaks
Italian tenor Pavarotti is doing better, wife says - Video
Bollywood's Ash to star in Pink Panther - report
Oil drops as credit fears persist
Stock futures signal no let-up in Wall Street fall
Yen up, high-yielders down as carry unwind accelerates
ABN shares fall on Fortis financing worries: analysts
European stocks extend losses as U.S. futures sag
Today on Money: Linda Stern
A double take at annuities
Reuters Analysis: Jim Saft
What's a risky loan?
European stock futures drop in early trade

AP World News
Parking-lot fender bender for Britney
Indians extend lead in AL Central
Fan favorite Daly in contention at PGA
Consumer confidence rebounds in August
Rules on scattering remains draw protest

Military.com
Daily Shock: IED Shrapnel Buzz
Historic Newsreel: Nagasaki Bombed
Got the Gear? Kit Up!
Want to Buy A Soviet Transport?
Blog: Sky Soldiers Air Assault Mission
Skyhawk Units of the Vietnam War

CENTCOM: News Releases
IRAQI SCOUTS, U.S. SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES DETAIN SUSPECTED EXTORTIONIST IN RAWAH
COALITION FORCES KILL 30 SPECIAL GROUPS CELL TERRORISTS, DETAIN 12
ANSF, COALITION FORCES FEND-OFF ENEMY ATTACK NEAR KESHAY

USJFCOM
Newsmaker Profile: Col. L. Ross Roberts - podcast
Commander announces retirement

Multi-National Force-Iraq
Shiite pilgrims observe holy day in safety
Army logistics begins new chapter in Iraq
Date processing plant to boost economy
Bringing care to Quarghulli
Operation William Wallace clears Abu Tina
U.S. Helicopter executes forced landing, two injured
Soldiers apprehend bicycle bomber
One terrorist killed, 22 suspects detained in ops targeting al-Qaeda senior leaders
Cache seized, suspect detained
MND-B Soldier dies from non-combat related cause

DefenseLink
TOP NEWS: Gates Visits Transition Training Site
Bush: Success in Iraq Critical to Security
IRAQ: Report to Reflect Progress, Hurdles
Odierno: Iran Should Stand by its Word on Iraq
MILITARY NEWS: Gainey Visits Retirement Home

More Headline News
Pace Urges Interagency Cooperation
Cheney Calls Iraq Central Front in Terror War
Vice President Praises Troops, Those Who Support Them

War on Terror
Iraq's Security Forces Making Great Strides, General Says
Afghans Provide Aid to Villagers
U.S., Iraqi Partnership Yields Results Around Mahmudiyah
Reconstruction Teams Guide Progress
Soldiers Help Iraqis Open Date Plant
Citizens Oust Terrorists from Mosque

Face of Defense
Marine Follows Dream of Flying
Working Dog Finds Explosives
Infantryman Builds for Soldiers

America Supports You
Firefighters Fund Helps Troops
Freedom Walks Total 157
NASCAR Welcomes Chairman
Group Ensures Troops Get Support

DefendAmerica
ON THE GROUND
Afghan Villagers Benefit from Humanitarian Visit - Story
Army Logistics Begins New Chapter in Iraq - Story
Sailors Provide Protection in North Persian Gulf - Story
U.S. Soldiers Help Iraqis Open New Date Plant - Story

IN IRAQ
Security Forces Airmen Step Outside the Wire
U.S. Marines Clean Up Historic Cemetery
Iraqis Sign Up to be Police Officers
Iraqi Soldiers Host Luncheon for Troops
Iraqi Citizens Oust Terrorists from Mosque
Iraqi Tribes Unite to Eliminate Terrorists

IN AFGHANISTAN
Local Afghan 'Cop' Show a Big Success
Program Connects Volunteers with Mission

BACKGROUND
IRAQ
Renewal In Iraq
Iraq: Security, Stability
Fact Sheet: Progress and Work Ahead
Report: Strategy for Victory in Iraq
Iraq Daily Update
This Week in Iraq
Multinational Force Iraq
State Dept. Weekly Iraq Report
'Boots on the Ground' Audio Archive
War on Terror Reconstruction Report
Iraq Reconstruction
Maps

AFGHANISTAN
Afghanistan Update
Maps

WAR ON TERRORISM
Fact Sheet: Budget Request
Fact Sheet: Terror Plots Disrupted
Waging and Winning the War on Terror
Terrorism Timeline
Terrorism Knowledge Base

Weather
Afghanistan
Bost/Laskar Ghurian Herat Kabul Qandahar

Germany
Ansbach Aschaffenburg Berlin Berlin-Tempelhof Berlin/Schonefeld Bremerhaven
Darmstadt Frankfurt Frankfurt/Main Freiburg/Breisgau Garmisch
Garmisch-Partenkirchen Geilenkirchen Gelnhausen Giessen Kitzingen
Hanau Am Main Heidelberg Mainz Mannheim Nurnberg Stuttgart Trier
Wiesbaden Wurzburg

Gitmo

Guam
Agana Agana Heights Agat Andersen AFB Asan Barrigada

Iraq
Al Azamiyah Al Basrah Al Hillah Al Karkh Al Kazimiyah Al Kut
An Nasiriyah Baghdad Baqubah Mosul Najaf Nineveh Tall Kayf

Japan
Kadena Air Base Okinawa Tokyo Yokohama

Today in History
1519 - Magellan's 5 ships set sail to circumnavigate the Earth.
1792 -Parisian mobs in Paris attack the palace of Louis XVI.
1809 - Ecuador declares independence from Spain (National Day).
1821 - Missouri is admitted as 24th U.S. state.
1846 - Congress charters the "nation's attic," the Smithsonian Institution
1885 - In Baltimore, Leo Daft opens America's first commerically operated electric streetcar.
1893 - Chinese are deported from San Francisco under the Exclusion Act.
1911 - The Parliament Act reduces the power of the House of Lords.
1913 - The Second Balkan War ends with the Treaty of Bucharest - Bulgaria loses.
1919 - The Ukranian National Army massacres 25 Jews in Podolia, Ukraine.
1921 - FDR is stricken with polio.
1945 - Japan announces its willingness to surrender to the Allies, provided Emperor Hirohito's status remains unchanged.
1948 - ABC enters the world of network TV at 7 pm; Allen Funt's "Candid Camera" debuts on that same network.
1949 - The National Military Establishment is renamed the Department of Defense.
1960 - Discoverer-13 is launched into orbit; it returns the first object from space.
1961 - England applies for membership in the European Common Market.
1965 - Joe Engle takes the X-15 to 82 km.
1966 - The first lunar orbiter is launched by the U.S.; a daylight meteor, seen from Utah to Canada, is the first known case of a meteor entering the Earth's atmosphere, and leaving again.
1977 - Postal employee David Berkowitz is arrested in Yonkers, NY for the "Son of Sam" murders.
1981 - In San Clemente, the Richard Nixon Museum closes.
1988 - The U.N. estimates that Asia's population has hit one billion.
1990 - The U.S's Magellan spacecraft lands on Venus.

Birthdays
1874 - Herbert Clark Hoover, 31st President (1929-1933)

Passings
1945 - Robert Goddard, father of American rocketry
1963 - Estes Kefauver (Sen-TN)
1988 - Arias Arnulfo, three-time president of Panama

Reported Missing in Action
1965
Mailhes, Lawrence Scott, USN (AR); A1H crashed, Killed, body not recovered

1969
Mickelsen, William E., Jr., USN (MN); A4E crashed during carrier landing attempt, Killed, body not recovered

1970
Crowley, John E., US Army (NY); passenger on UH1H that crashed, remains ID'd April, 2000

1971
Bates, Paul J., Jr., US Army (AZ); O1G crashed, Killed, body not recovered

Dolan, Thomas A., US Army (MD); O1G crashed, Killed, body not recovered

1972
Sansone, James J., USN (MA); fell overboard, Killed, body not recovered

Labels: Headlines, History