# Slap on wrist for last Haditha massacre defendant? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 25, 2012, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slap-on-wrist-for-last-haditha-massacre-defendant/610641 "2012-01-25T21:03:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slap-on-wrist-for-last-haditha-massacre-defendant/610641/1 "2012-01-25T21:03:49Z")
> **[Iraqi outrage over U.S. Marine's plea deal in Haditha killings | CNN](https://www.cnn.com/2012/01/25/justice/california-iraq-trial/index.html)** > > A plea deal for a U.S. Marine squad leader charged in connection with the deaths of 24 people, in which he avoided jail time, triggered outrage among Iraqis. Amazing the JAG Corps couldn’t make anything stick against any of the codefendants. Not a shining moment for American military jurisprudence. ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slap-on-wrist-for-last-haditha-massacre-defendant/610641/2 "2012-01-25T21:52:16Z")
This is not a bug, it’s a feature. The American military justice system is designed to function such that, in cases such as this one, either the American soldier is found innocent or else he gets no meaningful punishment. Usually it succeeds at that goal. It is designed around allowing American soldiers to do as they please with the civilians of the countries they have conquered. ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slap-on-wrist-for-last-haditha-massacre-defendant/610641/3 "2012-01-26T02:47:05Z")
Look on the brightside - Wuterich will no doubt be out in time to take part in Operation Whatever fatuous PR name is used to dress up the war with Iran. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slap-on-wrist-for-last-haditha-massacre-defendant/610641/4 "2012-01-26T05:07:43Z")
Every single military court result I’ve seen since I’ve paid attention has been a fucking joke. Calling them courts is an insult to justice. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slap-on-wrist-for-last-haditha-massacre-defendant/610641/5 "2012-01-26T09:45:16Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > Every single military court result I’ve seen since I’ve paid attention has been a fucking joke. Calling them courts is an insult to justice. Calley was sentenced to life imprisonment for his role in the My Lai massacre by a courts martial. Of course his sentence was then commuted by Nixon. Edit: Apologies, Nixon didn’t commute his sentence he just allowed Calley free during his appeals. He ended up with a few years of house arrest. My bad. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slap-on-wrist-for-last-haditha-massacre-defendant/610641/6 "2012-01-26T11:31:46Z")
You guys just can’t handle the truth.