This is the most thorough treatment I’ve seen, and the most even-handed presentation as well.
I think you are far too generous to SSgt Wuterich, though. I was in Haditha with my battalion just two months prior to this incident and from my experience, he clearly did not understand his role in Iraq.
The first incident is very clearly improper. Hostile intent or hostile act does not include running from a parked car. You must have a hostile intent or hostile act before using deadly force. From the accounts presented here, these men were killed without justification.
But more importantly, strategically, they failed their mission by giving the insurgents more grist for the propaganda mill. Their role in Haditha was not only to kill insurgents, their role was to win the support of the people.
