War Crimes, Journalists and Marines

When I entered the military in 2002, I had previously worked as a contract photojournalist for Reuters News in Texas. The military maintains a love-hate relationship with journalists and even after I was commissioned a Lieutenant, I endured occassional snide remarks from fellow soldiers about my former employment. The comments were rarely directed at me personally, however the bulk of the remarks concerned shooting journalists (usually in a joking manner) or keeping them off the battlefield.

War journalism has a long and important history in modern democracies. The famous image of Marines raising the flag at Iwo Jima served as an important motivator for the war effort at home. The photos and film from the Nazi camps served to galvanize the public against the threat of future atrocities. Images from the conflict in the former Yugoslavia created an outcry of such significance as to affect US foreign policy. War correspondents serve an important function in free societies as they allow the citizens to see the results of their votes and the policies of their governments.

I don't agree with the angles presented by many journalists, especially regarding the Arab-Israeli crisis and the Iraq war, however a free press allows for counter-reports that allow educated people to make informed choices concerning their leadership.

A British inquest ruled today that US Marines intentionally targeted and shot British journalist Terry Lloyd during the opening days of the Iraq invasion. Based on my own investigation and a careful analysis of the different reports, I must conclude that some rogue Marines probably did intend to kill the journalist. I have served with members from each of the US Armed Forces and I know the "party-line" and I also know the attitudes involved. For me, a former Army officer to suggest that the US Marines are guilty of a war crime in this instance is difficult. I served with soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines that exhibited extremely high standards in their professional and personal lives. However, I also served with troops that were essentially ignorant, Bud Light-drinking rednecks or crack dealer ghetto thugs.

The responsibility lies squarely on the shoulders of the US military to prosecute the Marines in question and strip them of their right to call themselves Marines. If one wants to wear the uniform, they must adhere to the highest standard. In Officer Candidate School, our motto was, "Standards, No Compromise." It's time that we stop compromising and start demanding honor from anyone who would wear the uniform.