Thoughts on Haditha

Update: A reader, Ziva, pointed out that William Kristol has some very interesting thoughts on Haditha, the President and the war effort. I think everyone should read it. Also, Roberto has a wonderful comment on what separates US from THEM.

I don't post much about the war, don't consider myself and expert and I'm entirely disgusted by the media coverage of it. I feel other sites, do a much better job of getting the truth out there.

We now have Haditha, which honest to God, none of my 18 summer students had a clue of what the word meant or entailed. They were clueless as to the case of the US Marines accused of murdering 12 civilian Iraquis. These are college students - lost in oblivion, not aware of the world that surrounds them or what is going on elsewhere.

It is this state of enajenamiento and of apathy that will cost us dearly as a nation. This lack of interest to inform themselves and to take sides; to be active and involved. It's that lack of involvement that makes us such and easy target for terrorists. We are not capable of even knowing and understanding our own nation, our own politics and our own problems how can we expect the future generation to care or be protected?

Now back to Haditha. Until proven otherwise these Marines are innocent in my view. I do not know the pressures or the enemies they have to fight every minute of any day to consider myself holier than them, or to even pretend to judge their judgment. But everyone, including Americans, are so quick to make them out to be guilty, to use them as scapegoats for the hate that they feel towards this nation - USA, their nation - and its leader, President Bush. What's worse, they ignore the real criminals those who everyday kill innocent civilians and members of the armed forces without thinking twice about it. Yoan Hermida said it best:

In the following weeks and months we will see a media and left-wing crusade under the banner HADITHA, much like we saw with Abu Ghraib. Let us assume - like those two groups are doing now - that the Marines are guilty of murdering 24 Iraqis. This would be morally wrong and inexcusable, and the perpetrators would be punished accordingly. The alleged crime is discovered, investigated, the accused tried, and justice served. The media and the left can have their field day. Protest, march, scream, kick, break windows, and rail against America. But what of our enemies? How many Iraqi civilians have they killed? How many contractors have they beheaded? How many burnt and hung from bridges? Thousands. Where is the moral outrage on the left for that? WHERE? How many more Iraqis will have to be blown to bits by suicide bombers and VBIEDs before a single "pacifist" group demands that violence to stop?

I wonder the same thing....when will all this groups focus on the REAL bad guys instead of the possible mistake of some of our boys?
Tags: Iraq, US Marines, Haditha