Here’s what Michael Yon brings to the table on Haditha.
1. His own experience being wrongly accused of murder
2. The perspective of a Green Beret
3. The perspective of a combat reporter who HAS reported on civilian casualties in Iraq.
Few people know what happened last November in Haditha. I first heard about it when the Associated Press called to ask if I was present. The answer was �??no.�?� But I do know how our troops typically act on counterinsurgency missions, how surprisingly honest they can be about mistakes they make in the field, and the lengths to which they go to avoid collateral civilian injuries when on patrol and conducting raids and ambushes. I also know about being on the business end of an accusatory finger, after having been wrongly accused of murder. I never denied the fistfight or that a man had died as a result. I admitted to it, but no murder was committed. I was nineteen at the time, and in the Army. That was an acute lesson on how bad press can chart a legal trajectory.
From these informed perspectives, comes this collection of comments for consideration.
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