Chessani Haditha trial set for April 2008

Reuters:

The highest-ranking U.S. Marine charged in connection with the 2005 shooting deaths of two dozen unarmed men, women and children in the Iraqi town of Haditha was ordered on Friday to face court martial in April.

Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani, 43, is accused of dereliction of duty for failing to properly report and investigate the November 19, 2005 incident at Haditha, which sparked international condemnation of U.S. forces in Iraq.

The former battalion commander was ordered to stand trial beginning April 28 by a military judge sitting at Camp Pendleton base in California. If convicted, he could face more than two years behind bars.

"He's been steadfast all the way through," Chessani's attorney, Robert Muise, told reporters. "He's unflappable and very focused. Its been a long process, very trying, but he's a tough man."

Eight Marines were originally charged in the highly publicized case, in which U.S. Marines killed 24 men, women and children after their convoy was hit by a roadside bomb that destroyed a Humvee and killed a popular comrade, Lance Cpl. Miguel Terrazas.

Since then, charges against two officers and two enlisted men have been dismissed. Two others are awaiting a decision on whether they will face court martial.

...

The case points out how unfair the military can be in making officers responsible for the acts of their subordinates that the officer had no knowledge of. Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani apparently believed from initial reports of Marines in a combat situation that no extraordinary additional investigation was required. He was charged after Time Magazine wrote a story about the incident that had several factual errors but alleged an atrocity.

The military reacted as if the allegations were true and went on a witch hunt against several officers and enlisted Marines. Several of the initial charges have been dismissed and no one has been charged with "cold blooded murder" as alleged by John Murtha who attempted to use the story as a prop for his anti war politics.

There is substantial evidence to suggest that the Haditha Marines believed they were under attack by enemy forces who committed the war crimes of not wearing an identifying uniform and the use of human shields. In the course of responding to that attack several civilians were killed. However the primary responsibility for those deaths should fall on the enemy fighters who camouflaged themselves as civilians endangering all civilians.

The North County Times has more on the story. Chessani's attorney indicated that "at least two Marine Corps generals who were aware of the Haditha killings but did not order a formal investigation will be called to testify at the trial," according to the paper.

The AP report that Chessani did not order an investigation because he thought the civilians died from lawful combat. As indicated above, I think that was a reasonable conclusion.