Haditha-The Little Massacre That Could
by Jayme Evans
The Little Massacre That Could
February 13, 2008 01:00 PM EST
“I think I can, I think I can, I think I can…”
Americans know that without the sacrifices of our military, we’d soon bow to Mecca.We send phone cards and care packages to soldiers overseas. We focus vast resources on rehabilitating our combat wounded and employing our returning vets.
But while America opens its wallet to these men and pours out its heart for the wounded and the fallen, lost in the chatter are the political casualties of the Iraq war; brave men such as USMC 1st Lieutenant Andrew Grayson.
Grayson - 26, is charged with obstruction of justice and making false official statements surrounding his alleged destruction of some 70 photographs the military contends were proof of the Little Massacre That Could in Haditha, Iraq in November of 2005. He is also charged with attempted fraudulent separation from the Marine Corps. Grayson’s trial is scheduled for May 2008.
Grayson and his attorneys maintain his innocence and plan to mount a vigorous defense against the charges. I am confident based on what I know of Grayson’s case that he is not only innocent, but that he was acting entirely appropriately. As for the 3rd charge, I’m not quite sure how the government intends to prove at trial that this Marine tried to fraudulently separate from the Corps, but it’s been my experience that a fraudulent separation is nearly impossible. In fact, the suggestion that 1st Lt. Grayson attempted to do so is quite ludicrous. I’ve seen people try to separate by hurting or killing themselves. I’ve seen them claim injury, illness, bipolar disorder, homosexuality, drug use and insanity; yet the only one who managed to actually separate was the one who died. And none of the others were ever charged with a crime. This particular charge seems quite petty on the part of the prosecution.
Andrew Grayson is an American hero. He served 2 tours of duty in Iraq. For his actions in Haditha, he was recommended for the Bronze Star with Combat Distinguishing Device. The citation which attests to his courage and ingenuity on the battlefield would make any father beam with pride. As Officer in Charge of Human Intelligence Exploitation Team (HET)3, his efforts locating terrorist suspects, enemy weapons caches, IED emplacements and planned VBIEDs saved countless American and Iraqi lives.
His unit was so successful, that HET3 was targeted by the enemy for their ability to gain crucial information on enemy activities. Taking out HET3’s leadership (Grayson) was obviously a high enemy priority. Despite these risks, Grayson put the success of his Battalion’s efforts far above his own personal safety on countless occasions; personally leading raids or identifying and interrogating terrorist suspects.
The UCMJ is entirely inadequate as a mechanism to try the combat soldier. While civilian prosecutors are accountable to voters and civilian grand juries, there is much less oversight in military jurisprudence. Rather than seeking the battlefield truth, the military justice system has now reverted to the same adversarial, win-at-all-costs mentality that plagues civilian courts. Although Grayson’s enlistment has officially ended, he is currently assigned to an intelligence battalion at Camp Lejeune, N.C. awaiting trial, while all of his legal counsel is located in San Diego. One wonders what the Marines have to lose besides Grayson’s case by stationing him in San Diego? Instead they order him to a unit as geographically distant in the continental US as they possibly can, limiting his access to his civilian counsel and hindering his defense.
Like the other families of Marines unfortunate enough to have been caught up in the hysteria of what happened in Haditha on that November day, the family of Andrew Grayson struggles to make sense of the nightmare they’re now living. Andrew’s wife Suzy has delayed her medical school education to be by her husband’s side as he fights to clear his name. Grayson told me in no uncertain terms that the events surrounding his prosecution are far more traumatic than being shot at. But despite the charges agaisnt him, all he’s been through, and all that awaits; when I asked him what his future plans are, he told me that serving next to other Marines was the most humbling and honorable thing he could experience, that he wouldn’t trade that experience to erase those charges and that he is still on the fence about staying in the Corps.
Allegations of a massacre at Haditha have evaporated, yet the prosecution of Andrew Grayson, Frank Wuterich, Jeffrey Chessani and Stephen Tatum trudges on, fed by John Murtha’s hot air and wishful thinking. If he tries hard enough, much like the Little Engine That Could, his dream may one day become reality.
“I though I could, I thought I could, I thought I could…”
Copyright © 2006-2008 Jayme Evans - All Rights Reserved http://warofwits.org/
http://www.theconservativevoice.com/article/30743.html
by Jayme Evans
The Little Massacre That Could
February 13, 2008 01:00 PM EST
“I think I can, I think I can, I think I can…”
Americans know that without the sacrifices of our military, we’d soon bow to Mecca.We send phone cards and care packages to soldiers overseas. We focus vast resources on rehabilitating our combat wounded and employing our returning vets.
But while America opens its wallet to these men and pours out its heart for the wounded and the fallen, lost in the chatter are the political casualties of the Iraq war; brave men such as USMC 1st Lieutenant Andrew Grayson.
Grayson - 26, is charged with obstruction of justice and making false official statements surrounding his alleged destruction of some 70 photographs the military contends were proof of the Little Massacre That Could in Haditha, Iraq in November of 2005. He is also charged with attempted fraudulent separation from the Marine Corps. Grayson’s trial is scheduled for May 2008.
Grayson and his attorneys maintain his innocence and plan to mount a vigorous defense against the charges. I am confident based on what I know of Grayson’s case that he is not only innocent, but that he was acting entirely appropriately. As for the 3rd charge, I’m not quite sure how the government intends to prove at trial that this Marine tried to fraudulently separate from the Corps, but it’s been my experience that a fraudulent separation is nearly impossible. In fact, the suggestion that 1st Lt. Grayson attempted to do so is quite ludicrous. I’ve seen people try to separate by hurting or killing themselves. I’ve seen them claim injury, illness, bipolar disorder, homosexuality, drug use and insanity; yet the only one who managed to actually separate was the one who died. And none of the others were ever charged with a crime. This particular charge seems quite petty on the part of the prosecution.
Andrew Grayson is an American hero. He served 2 tours of duty in Iraq. For his actions in Haditha, he was recommended for the Bronze Star with Combat Distinguishing Device. The citation which attests to his courage and ingenuity on the battlefield would make any father beam with pride. As Officer in Charge of Human Intelligence Exploitation Team (HET)3, his efforts locating terrorist suspects, enemy weapons caches, IED emplacements and planned VBIEDs saved countless American and Iraqi lives.
His unit was so successful, that HET3 was targeted by the enemy for their ability to gain crucial information on enemy activities. Taking out HET3’s leadership (Grayson) was obviously a high enemy priority. Despite these risks, Grayson put the success of his Battalion’s efforts far above his own personal safety on countless occasions; personally leading raids or identifying and interrogating terrorist suspects.
The UCMJ is entirely inadequate as a mechanism to try the combat soldier. While civilian prosecutors are accountable to voters and civilian grand juries, there is much less oversight in military jurisprudence. Rather than seeking the battlefield truth, the military justice system has now reverted to the same adversarial, win-at-all-costs mentality that plagues civilian courts. Although Grayson’s enlistment has officially ended, he is currently assigned to an intelligence battalion at Camp Lejeune, N.C. awaiting trial, while all of his legal counsel is located in San Diego. One wonders what the Marines have to lose besides Grayson’s case by stationing him in San Diego? Instead they order him to a unit as geographically distant in the continental US as they possibly can, limiting his access to his civilian counsel and hindering his defense.
Like the other families of Marines unfortunate enough to have been caught up in the hysteria of what happened in Haditha on that November day, the family of Andrew Grayson struggles to make sense of the nightmare they’re now living. Andrew’s wife Suzy has delayed her medical school education to be by her husband’s side as he fights to clear his name. Grayson told me in no uncertain terms that the events surrounding his prosecution are far more traumatic than being shot at. But despite the charges agaisnt him, all he’s been through, and all that awaits; when I asked him what his future plans are, he told me that serving next to other Marines was the most humbling and honorable thing he could experience, that he wouldn’t trade that experience to erase those charges and that he is still on the fence about staying in the Corps.
Allegations of a massacre at Haditha have evaporated, yet the prosecution of Andrew Grayson, Frank Wuterich, Jeffrey Chessani and Stephen Tatum trudges on, fed by John Murtha’s hot air and wishful thinking. If he tries hard enough, much like the Little Engine That Could, his dream may one day become reality.
“I though I could, I thought I could, I thought I could…”
Copyright © 2006-2008 Jayme Evans - All Rights Reserved http://warofwits.org/
by Jayme Evans
The Little Massacre That Could
February 13, 2008 01:00 PM EST
“I think I can, I think I can, I think I can…”
Americans know that without the sacrifices of our military, we’d soon bow to Mecca.We send phone cards and care packages to soldiers overseas. We focus vast resources on rehabilitating our combat wounded and employing our returning vets.
But while America opens its wallet to these men and pours out its heart for the wounded and the fallen, lost in the chatter are the political casualties of the Iraq war; brave men such as USMC 1st Lieutenant Andrew Grayson.
Grayson - 26, is charged with obstruction of justice and making false official statements surrounding his alleged destruction of some 70 photographs the military contends were proof of the Little Massacre That Could in Haditha, Iraq in November of 2005. He is also charged with attempted fraudulent separation from the Marine Corps. Grayson’s trial is scheduled for May 2008.
Grayson and his attorneys maintain his innocence and plan to mount a vigorous defense against the charges. I am confident based on what I know of Grayson’s case that he is not only innocent, but that he was acting entirely appropriately. As for the 3rd charge, I’m not quite sure how the government intends to prove at trial that this Marine tried to fraudulently separate from the Corps, but it’s been my experience that a fraudulent separation is nearly impossible. In fact, the suggestion that 1st Lt. Grayson attempted to do so is quite ludicrous. I’ve seen people try to separate by hurting or killing themselves. I’ve seen them claim injury, illness, bipolar disorder, homosexuality, drug use and insanity; yet the only one who managed to actually separate was the one who died. And none of the others were ever charged with a crime. This particular charge seems quite petty on the part of the prosecution.
Andrew Grayson is an American hero. He served 2 tours of duty in Iraq. For his actions in Haditha, he was recommended for the Bronze Star with Combat Distinguishing Device. The citation which attests to his courage and ingenuity on the battlefield would make any father beam with pride. As Officer in Charge of Human Intelligence Exploitation Team (HET)3, his efforts locating terrorist suspects, enemy weapons caches, IED emplacements and planned VBIEDs saved countless American and Iraqi lives.
His unit was so successful, that HET3 was targeted by the enemy for their ability to gain crucial information on enemy activities. Taking out HET3’s leadership (Grayson) was obviously a high enemy priority. Despite these risks, Grayson put the success of his Battalion’s efforts far above his own personal safety on countless occasions; personally leading raids or identifying and interrogating terrorist suspects.
The UCMJ is entirely inadequate as a mechanism to try the combat soldier. While civilian prosecutors are accountable to voters and civilian grand juries, there is much less oversight in military jurisprudence. Rather than seeking the battlefield truth, the military justice system has now reverted to the same adversarial, win-at-all-costs mentality that plagues civilian courts. Although Grayson’s enlistment has officially ended, he is currently assigned to an intelligence battalion at Camp Lejeune, N.C. awaiting trial, while all of his legal counsel is located in San Diego. One wonders what the Marines have to lose besides Grayson’s case by stationing him in San Diego? Instead they order him to a unit as geographically distant in the continental US as they possibly can, limiting his access to his civilian counsel and hindering his defense.
Like the other families of Marines unfortunate enough to have been caught up in the hysteria of what happened in Haditha on that November day, the family of Andrew Grayson struggles to make sense of the nightmare they’re now living. Andrew’s wife Suzy has delayed her medical school education to be by her husband’s side as he fights to clear his name. Grayson told me in no uncertain terms that the events surrounding his prosecution are far more traumatic than being shot at. But despite the charges agaisnt him, all he’s been through, and all that awaits; when I asked him what his future plans are, he told me that serving next to other Marines was the most humbling and honorable thing he could experience, that he wouldn’t trade that experience to erase those charges and that he is still on the fence about staying in the Corps.
Allegations of a massacre at Haditha have evaporated, yet the prosecution of Andrew Grayson, Frank Wuterich, Jeffrey Chessani and Stephen Tatum trudges on, fed by John Murtha’s hot air and wishful thinking. If he tries hard enough, much like the Little Engine That Could, his dream may one day become reality.
“I though I could, I thought I could, I thought I could…”
Copyright © 2006-2008 Jayme Evans - All Rights Reserved http://warofwits.org/
http://www.theconservativevoice.com/article/30743.html
by Jayme Evans
The Little Massacre That Could
February 13, 2008 01:00 PM EST
“I think I can, I think I can, I think I can…”
Americans know that without the sacrifices of our military, we’d soon bow to Mecca.We send phone cards and care packages to soldiers overseas. We focus vast resources on rehabilitating our combat wounded and employing our returning vets.
But while America opens its wallet to these men and pours out its heart for the wounded and the fallen, lost in the chatter are the political casualties of the Iraq war; brave men such as USMC 1st Lieutenant Andrew Grayson.
Grayson - 26, is charged with obstruction of justice and making false official statements surrounding his alleged destruction of some 70 photographs the military contends were proof of the Little Massacre That Could in Haditha, Iraq in November of 2005. He is also charged with attempted fraudulent separation from the Marine Corps. Grayson’s trial is scheduled for May 2008.
Grayson and his attorneys maintain his innocence and plan to mount a vigorous defense against the charges. I am confident based on what I know of Grayson’s case that he is not only innocent, but that he was acting entirely appropriately. As for the 3rd charge, I’m not quite sure how the government intends to prove at trial that this Marine tried to fraudulently separate from the Corps, but it’s been my experience that a fraudulent separation is nearly impossible. In fact, the suggestion that 1st Lt. Grayson attempted to do so is quite ludicrous. I’ve seen people try to separate by hurting or killing themselves. I’ve seen them claim injury, illness, bipolar disorder, homosexuality, drug use and insanity; yet the only one who managed to actually separate was the one who died. And none of the others were ever charged with a crime. This particular charge seems quite petty on the part of the prosecution.
Andrew Grayson is an American hero. He served 2 tours of duty in Iraq. For his actions in Haditha, he was recommended for the Bronze Star with Combat Distinguishing Device. The citation which attests to his courage and ingenuity on the battlefield would make any father beam with pride. As Officer in Charge of Human Intelligence Exploitation Team (HET)3, his efforts locating terrorist suspects, enemy weapons caches, IED emplacements and planned VBIEDs saved countless American and Iraqi lives.
His unit was so successful, that HET3 was targeted by the enemy for their ability to gain crucial information on enemy activities. Taking out HET3’s leadership (Grayson) was obviously a high enemy priority. Despite these risks, Grayson put the success of his Battalion’s efforts far above his own personal safety on countless occasions; personally leading raids or identifying and interrogating terrorist suspects.
The UCMJ is entirely inadequate as a mechanism to try the combat soldier. While civilian prosecutors are accountable to voters and civilian grand juries, there is much less oversight in military jurisprudence. Rather than seeking the battlefield truth, the military justice system has now reverted to the same adversarial, win-at-all-costs mentality that plagues civilian courts. Although Grayson’s enlistment has officially ended, he is currently assigned to an intelligence battalion at Camp Lejeune, N.C. awaiting trial, while all of his legal counsel is located in San Diego. One wonders what the Marines have to lose besides Grayson’s case by stationing him in San Diego? Instead they order him to a unit as geographically distant in the continental US as they possibly can, limiting his access to his civilian counsel and hindering his defense.
Like the other families of Marines unfortunate enough to have been caught up in the hysteria of what happened in Haditha on that November day, the family of Andrew Grayson struggles to make sense of the nightmare they’re now living. Andrew’s wife Suzy has delayed her medical school education to be by her husband’s side as he fights to clear his name. Grayson told me in no uncertain terms that the events surrounding his prosecution are far more traumatic than being shot at. But despite the charges agaisnt him, all he’s been through, and all that awaits; when I asked him what his future plans are, he told me that serving next to other Marines was the most humbling and honorable thing he could experience, that he wouldn’t trade that experience to erase those charges and that he is still on the fence about staying in the Corps.
Allegations of a massacre at Haditha have evaporated, yet the prosecution of Andrew Grayson, Frank Wuterich, Jeffrey Chessani and Stephen Tatum trudges on, fed by John Murtha’s hot air and wishful thinking. If he tries hard enough, much like the Little Engine That Could, his dream may one day become reality.
“I though I could, I thought I could, I thought I could…”
Copyright © 2006-2008 Jayme Evans - All Rights Reserved http://warofwits.org/
A.JPG)
.jpg)
.png)
No comments:
Post a Comment