Word: wuterich
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...Whatever is decided, Haditha will likely remain a powerful touchstone as the unpopular war grinds on, more U.S. troops and Iraqis die and Congressional elections loom. Nowhere was that more clear than in a Washington, D.C., courthouse this week. That's where lawyers for Marine Staff Sergeant Frank Wuterich, the 26-year-old who was the unit leader that day in Haditha, called U.S. Congressman John Murtha a liar. Murtha, a Pennsylvania Democrat who served as a Marine in Vietnam and who in recent months has become increasingly outspoken in his opposition to the Iraq war, said...
...Wuterich, in a 23-page complaint, says Murtha "spread false and malicious lies about SSgt Wuterich and his squad..." and "sought to destroy the reputations of young Marines." The complaint, which asks for a public apology and at least $75,000, also says, "any accusation that the Marines 'executed' civilians or deliberately targeted noncombatants is either a horrendous misunderstanding or intentional lie." The lawyers point out that several members of Congress, from both parties, received briefings on Haditha and in stark contrast to Murtha, all of them refused to speak about the investigation or any of their own conclusions...
...Staff Sergeant Frank Wuterich, the Marine who was the unit leader on the ground that day in Haditha, was put on the Marine Corps list for promotion from sergeant to staff sergeant in October 2005. Being put on the list, however, does not ensure promotion; the Marine's commander must okay it first, and the Marine Corps routinely holds up nominations or promotions if there is any reason to question the actions of a Marine. Even a charge of "driving while intoxicated," for example, can delay or derail a step...
...Still, Wuterich, who has over seven years in the Corps but was on his first combat duty in Haditha, was officially promoted to the higher rank on January 1, 2006, six weeks after the incident took place. That has led some Marine sources to suspect there was at least a failure to report relevant details up the chain of command. Others, including Wuterich's attorney, Neal Puckett, argue that Wuterich acted appropriately under the rules of engagement in Haiditha and that if his superior officers had suspected otherwise, Wuterich's promotion would have been stopped...
...Marine Corps has been more careful with regard to two other promotions since Wuterich's. The Corps has kept two senior officers - a major general and a colonel - who were in command at the time of the incident, from moving into new positions until the report from Army Major General is complete...