“ROE” Reviews
Jimbo likes it. PBS convinced the Blackfive stalwart the 3/1 Marines were innocent at Haditha. That may be preaching to the choir, but Jimbo’s astonished considering who was in the pulpit. My thoughts on that here. Jawa, similarly astounded, weighs in with a conviction: Murtha, jackass. Awaiting further reports, particularly interested in what the anti-war faction has to say. It’s gotta be tough dealing with the loss of a defining atrocity, and I suppose it can be easily dismissed as old news at this point. But will Frontline be called to task for carrying jarhead water?
Here’s Marjorie Cohn in her weekly Truthout column in May 2006, when the Marines had been determined to be guilty. By her, anyway. She is purported to be a professor at Thomas Jefferson School of Law, President-elect of the National Lawyers Guild, and the US representative to the executive committee of the American Association of Jurists. Also, talks law on CBS, TV, BBC, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, NPR and Pacifica Radio. Obviously a very busy woman, and Google didn’t indicate she’s revisited the issue lately, but Haditha may be ripe for more out-truthing. Especially given the opportunity it presents for highlighting the role of media and politicians in influencing legal matters, the use of spurious and exaggerated allegations for political and propaganda purposes, and concepts like innocent until proven guilty.
Jefferson Morley at Washington Post’s World Opinion Roundup reported that people all over Europe and the Middle East were PO’d about Haditha, it had destroyed what little credibility Bush had left, made a hash of Iranian nuke talks, etc. I’m not sure any of that turned out to be the case in the end. Heat’s still on Iran despite the subsequent NIE, Bush surged all over the place, Iraq’s government is even accomplishing things. Might be time to check the world’s temperature on Haditha and see if the world (a) is paying attention and (b) still wants to talk about it.
I sense that US Person, a lawyer and member of the reality-based commentariat, is unhappy about this dismissal and reduction of charges back in October 2007. US Person’s legal expertise and grasp of reality could be helpful in explaining how Frontline has become a bunch of warmonger saps.
Rahul Mahajan at Counterpunch more recently calls it a circus of lies, so I guess he’s covered. Could always use another perspective on how Frontline got taken, though.
E&P’s Greg Mitchell, who has viewed the Frontline report, is surprised at his blog, atypically at a loss for invective and leaves it is up to viewers to decide whether Haditha “was ‘understandable’ or outright murder.” I’ll take his selective use of quote marks as a weaselly vote for outright murder. I’m a little concerned that Mitchell thinks Frontline reports the villagers and the Marines “mainly agree,” however. In the review copy I watched the other night, Frontline employed little nuance in citing evidence that indicates the Iraqi witnesses were mainly full of it.
Back in June 2006, Mitchell’s big question was, did the press drop the ball in reporting Haditha? Frontline suggests it was more like the press pumped so much air into it, it exploded. Another E&P column re media ball-handling might be in order.
Topics: Iraq, lawyers, media, military
Posted by Jules Crittenden at 11:36 pm on Tuesday, February 19, 2008
7 Responses to ““ROE” Reviews”
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February 20th, 2008 at 3:47 am
I’m stunned. I gave up on Frontline years ago.
February 20th, 2008 at 4:33 am
“Heat’s still on Iran…”
How so? Do you mean the idle threats of increasing sanctions enough so that they would affect anyone at all in Iran? ‘Cause they aren’t feeling any pinch right now…
February 20th, 2008 at 7:47 am
“Here’s Marjorie Cohn in her weekly Truthout column in May 2006, when the Marines had been determined to be guilty. By her, anyway. She is purported to be a professor at Thomas Jefferson School of Law, President-elect of the National Lawyers Guild…”
Big surprise. The National Lawyers Guild is now, and always has been, an arm of the Communist Party.
February 20th, 2008 at 8:30 am
“What are the lessons being drawn from the Nov. 19, 2005 killings of 24 civilians in Haditha - one of the most notorious events of the Iraq war?”
The lesson is is that we need press censorship (in the area where the war is being fought) when we’re fighting a war.
February 20th, 2008 at 8:49 am
Ya mean I have to eat crow? Pooiee. Those damn feathers are nasty. Might have to go back to humble pie. Mmmmmm, deer guts.
February 20th, 2008 at 11:52 am
It’s just another anti-American slam that will be scraped up and forgotten because it turned out not to fit the narrative.
February 20th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
“Rahul Mahajan at Counterpunch more recently calls it a circus of lies…”
The voice of experience.