US Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said on CBS's 'The Early Show' on Monday that 'it would be premature for me to judge the outcome' of an investigation into the killing of civilians in Haditha, Iraq, last Novembe. [AP]

US President Bush promised on Wednesday that any Marines involved in the alleged murders of Iraqi civilians will be punished. A senior officer said the case could undermine Iraqis' support for the presence of American troops.

"I am troubled by the initial news stories," Bush said in his first public comments about the deaths of about two dozen civilians at Haditha last November. "I'm mindful that there's a thorough investigation going on. If, in fact, laws were broken, there will be punishment."

Military investigators have evidence that points toward unprovoked murders by Marines in the Iraqi town of Haditha, a senior defense official said last week.

A U.S. military investigation will conclude that some officers gave false testimony to their superiors, The Washington Post reported on its Web site Wednesday night. The superiors then failed to scrutinize reports adequately, the Post reported.

The probe, which is separate from an investigation into possible criminal actions by the Marines, also will call for changes in how troops are trained for duty in Iraq, the Post reported.

The top commander in Iraq, Army Gen. George W. Casey, is preparing to order all troops in Iraq to undergo "core values" training including humane treatment of civilians and an understanding of Iraqi culture, the Post and ABC News reported.

The shootings came after a bomb rocked a military convoy on Nov. 19, killing a Marine. Residents of Haditha said Marines then went into nearby houses and shot members of two families, including a 3-year-old girl.

At first, the American military described what happened as an ambush on a joint U.S.-Iraqi patrol, with a roadside bombing and subsequent firefight killing 15 civilians, eight insurgents and a Marine. The statement said the 15 civilians were killed by the blast, a claim the residents strongly denied.

With some in Congress alleging a cover-up, the Bush administration offered assurances the facts will be made public.

Bush's spokesman, Tony Snow, urged patience as the Marines conduct what he called a vigorous investigation. He said a report will come out in "a matter of weeks, not a matter of months" and include public release of photographic evidence. "We're going to see everything," Snow said.

Once that investigation is completed, a senior Marine commander in Iraq will decide whether to press charges of murder or other violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

At the Pentagon, Army Brig. Gen. Carter Ham would not discuss any aspect of the probe, but he stressed the potential harm caused by allegations alone.

Page:

1

2