February 12, 2008

Preview: PBS’ FRONTLINE Does Haditha

On February 19th (9 PM), PBS’ Frontline will broadcast “Rules of Engagement: What Really Happened in Haditha.”

This is an important show to watch.

The motion hearings start tomorrow in the court martials of LCpl Tatum and SSgt Wuterich. These motions, including which evidence to allow or suppress, will heavily affect their trials. One of the motions, by the prosecution, is to suppress Major (then Captain) Dinsmore’s testimony, he being the intelligence officer of the battalion. The Frontline show does have an interview with Dinsmore. You may get more information from Frontline than from the court martials themselves.

It's also important to watch the show, and be prepared with the known facts of the matter, to intelligently understand the show.

Today, I spoke at length with several individuals with direct involvement with the program, and others with heavy involvement in the Haditha cases. I asked some pointed questions, and received what sounded like credible answers.

I will also receive a copy of the show, possibly this weekend if final edits are complete, to preview with you.

Before proceeding, at this point, you may not need a backgrounder so, if you do, see the links at bottom to prior posts about Haditha, in reverse chronological order. Also, refer to the Defend Our Marines website for most of the primary documents.

I asked a leading defender of the Haditha Marines for his expectation of the show, having been interviewed for it. He’s hopeful, and “wants a fair shake for guys trying to stay alive.” Interestingly, this retired professor, this 3-tour Army vet of Vietnam, was a participant in the Vietnam Veterans Against The War’s demonstration in D.C. in April 1971, seeking “chicks,” and not finding out ‘til after VVAW’s deeper agendas and extremist leadership.

I asked the press liaison for Frontline whether to expect a thrust that involvement in a brutal war brutalizes our men? She said not, but rather, “was there a rush to judgment?” I questioned several lines in the show’s press release, that could be taken as accepting the line of Iraqis who accuse the Marines of atrocities. She replied that these Iraqi assertions are rebutted by Marine defenders in the show. She expressed the very strong impression of the Marines’ professionalism, and one saying in light of the trials they’ve seen “I hesitate now” about taking direct action against threats and another saying it’s “important to hesitate for the greater good of the mission.” [her words]

Review the prior posts below. The oldest has a prominent conservative blogger deeply troubled by Haditha, so the “rush to judgment” was not entirely from those opposed to our involvement in Iraq. But, he was following the major media’s rush to judgment, the major media's persisting, at least until the Marines’ defense punched holes in the prosecution at the Article 32 hearings.

Still, none of the major media has come out and taken responsibility for a rush to judgment.

The respected Frontline show may yet bring about the re-examination of the major media’s willingness to believe the worst about the Marines and the U.S.

For more important background to the show:
The Frontline press release is here.
The Defend Our Marines announcement of the show is here. The writer/producer/director of the show is quoted: "Once we started to look into the story more deeply, we realized how far off the popular notion of what happened in Haditha was.”

We eagerly look forward to seeing how well Frontline manages to get viewers closer to the truth. Both the Marine defender and the show’s press liaison I interviewed independently said the Haditha Marines did what they’d been trained to do. It doesn’t appear to me that major media journalists did what they’re trained to do, unless it’s to rush to accept negative views of our combat troops.

The Haditha Juries & Truth

The Court Martials That Could Break Or Strengthen The Marine Corps

NYT’s Excuses Itself From Haditha

Haditha Is Final, Except For Justice For Murtha

Haditha Hurrahs May Be Premature

NYT’s Hasn’t Heard Of Innocent ‘Til Proven Guilty

Haditha: Ware, Sharratt, Tatum, Wuterich, Mattis

What's Next On Haditha

LtCol Chessani Recommended for Haditha Court Martial

Haditha Prosecution Judged “Incredible”

Latest Haditha Prosecution Implosion

Haditha: Tale of Three Cities (Update From Marine's Mother)