MELISSA BLOCK, host:
From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Melissa Block.
MICHELE NORRIS, host:
And I'm Michele Norris.
The Marine Corps' top general, Michael Hagge, flew to Iraq today to tell his troops they should kill "only when justified." This as the military is investigating two incidents in which allegedly killed Iraqi civilians. The first incident, which left 24 Iraqis dead in the town Haditha, happened in November. The second occurred in April in a town west of Baghdad.
NPR's Pentagon correspondent, Tom Bowman, joins us now to talk about all of this. And Tom, before we get to the details on that second incident, what can you tell us about the Marine Corps' top general, who flew to Iraq today?
TOM BOWMAN reporting:
Well, General Hagge, what he's gonna try to do over there is make sure the Marines remember the core values of honor, courage and commitment. And also, he's gonna visit most of the Marines in their forward operating bases west of Baghdad, in Al Anbar Province. And he's also gonna tell them that the most difficult part of courage is not their physical courage on the battlefield, but rather the moral courage to do the right thing, even under pressure from fellow Marines.
NORRIS: And Tom, now about that second incident in that town west of Baghdad, what more can you tell us about that?
BOWMAN: Well, a government official knowledgeable of the investigation said that seven Marines and a Navy Medical Corps member, who's essentially a medic, went on a patrol on April 26 looking for a suspected insurgent. Now, they didn't find this insurgent at his home, so they went to another house, apparently at random, and they burst into the house and took away an Iraqi male.
They questioned him and then investigators say they shot and killed him.
NORRIS: How did the investigation begin?
BOWMAN: Well, the family of the man came forward, talked to military authorities, and then they started an investigation by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. And interestingly, what the investigation has found is, not only did they allegedly kill this man, but they also planted evidence to look like he was an insurgent.
They left next to his body a shovel and also an AK-47, so again, he would look like he was an insurgent.
NORRIS: Where are the Marines that were involve din that alleged incident now?
BOWMAN: They're all back at their base, Camp Pendleton in California. We're not sure of their status, if they've been restricted to base or in the brig. We don't have any information on that, but we know they're all back at Camp Pendleton.
NORRIS: Tom, what's the next step in the investigation?
BOWMAN: Well, after the Naval investigators complete their probe, it'll be turned over to the Marine Corps and they'll mount what is known as an article 32 investigation, which is essentially a grand jury. And then charges could flow from that.
NORRIS: And could you give us a quick update, Tom, on that other incident at Haditha.
BOWMAN: Well, in this case, there were, they're looking at a Sergeant and a Corporal and perhaps three other Lance Corporals involved in the deaths of 24 Iraqi civilians, including 11 women and children. That investigation is ongoing and we expect that to be resolved sometime next month.
NORRIS: Thank you, Tom.
BOWMAN: Thank you.
NORRIS: NPR's Tom Bowman at the Pentagon.
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