June 1, 2006 5:47am
CBS News
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Marines 'Traumatized' By Iraqi Deaths
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Probe: Marines Likely Murdered Iraqis
Investigators Believe Marines' Killing Of Iraqis Was Unprovoked
General's Warning Comes Amid Allegations That Marines In Iraq Murdered Civilians
(CBS/AP) In the wake of the Haditha investigation, the U.S. general commanding coalition forces in Iraq on Thursday ordered his military commanders to conduct core values training on moral and ethical standards on the battlefield.
The order from Lt. Gen. Peter Chiarelli, the commander of Multinational Corps Iraq, came as the U.S. military investigated whether U.S. Marines might have intentionally killed unarmed civilians in the Iraqi town of Haditha on Nov. 19.
The killings, in which victims included women and children, followed a bomb attack on a military convoy that killed a Marine.
Chiarelli said in a statement the training would emphasize "professional military values and the importance of disciplined, professional conduct in combat" as well as Iraqi cultural expectations.
"As military professionals, it is important that we take time to reflect on the values that separate us from our enemies," Chiarelli said. "The challenge for us is to make sure the actions of a few do not tarnish the good work of the many."
The training will be conducted in units over the next 30 days and was aimed at reinforcing training service members received prior to their deployment, according to the statement.
"Of the nearly 150,000 Coalition Forces presently in Iraq, 99.9 percent of them perform their jobs magnificently every day," Chiarelli said.
Of those troops, about 130,000 are from the United States.
"They do their duty with honor under difficult circumstances. They exhibit sound judgment, honesty and integrity. They display patience, professionalism and restraint in the face of a treacherous enemy. And they do the right thing even when no one is watching," Chiarelli said.
He added, however, that "unfortunately, there are a few individuals who sometimes choose the wrong path."
The order was issued about a week after the U.S. Marine Commandant, Gen. Michael W. Hagee, traveled to Iraq and cautioned troops on the danger of becoming "indifferent to the loss of a human life," following the allegations that Marines killed civilians in Haditha.
CBS News correspondent Elizabeth Palmer notes that "if the worst charges in this Haditha case are borne out by the investigation, it could have more damaging implications for U.S. presence in Iraq than even the Abu Ghraib prison scandal."
Also Thursday, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki denounced the alleged killings of the Iraqi civilians and said he asked a ministerial committee to hold talks with U.S. military to set ground rules for raids and detentions.
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