Subject: Stuff the rest of the world reads about us: Haditha marine 'watched superior kill surrendering civilians', Mark Oliver and agencies; Guardian Unlimited UK; A US marine told a court yesterday that he had "pissed" on the head of one of 24 dead Iraqi civilians killed by his unit and watched a superior officer kill five Iraqis as they tried to surrender. Sergeant Sanick Dela Cruz made the admission at a pre-trial hearing ahead of a series of military trials over the killings and alleged cover-up at Haditha, 120 miles west of Baghdad, in November 2005. He said he knew urinating on the dead Iraqi was wrong but was enraged after one of his colleagues, Lance Corporal "TJ" Miguel Terrazas, had been torn apart by a roadside bomb. "I know it was a bad thing what I've done, but I done it because I was angry TJ was dead and I pissed on one Iraqi's head," Sgt Dela Cruz said. The Haditha killings have prompted the biggest US criminal case involving civilian deaths in the Iraq conflict. A total of seven US marines face charges, including three marines who have been charged with murder. He said he watched how his squad leader, Staff Sergeant Frank Wuterich, shot five Iraqis who were trying to surrender and then told his men to lie about the killings. The Iraqi civilians had been standing by a white car with their hands interlocked behind their heads when they were shot, Sgt Dela Cruz says. After the five men died, a team of marines led by St Sgt Wuterich allegedly attacked two houses with grenades and gunfire in an effort to find insurgents. The dead included women, children and the elderly. The marines involved have said their response was a legitimate action because they were under attack. Yesterday Sgt Dela Cruz was giving evidence ahead of the trial of Captain Randy Stone, a Marine lawyer. Cpt Stone is accused along with three other officers of dereliction of duty for failing to investigate the deaths. Capt Stone's civilian attorney, Charles Gittins, contends Capt Stone, 34, did nothing wrong because he thought the killings were a legitimate outcome of combat. Mr Gittins said Capt Stone reported the incident up the chain of command and said he had been told not to investigate further.

RESPONSE: If as many claim the war against terrorism is one for minds and not merely superior military killings of the opposition...this kind of story multiplied thousands of times over, is why the war simply is not winnable for America. Add to this, the validation of torture and holding prisoners for years without any kind of opportunity to prove their possible innocence, or even know what they are charged with ...is such a large betrayal of the American claim to a better and more higher principled form of government...that this war as it is being fought by Bush with ...support from 70% of people who define themselves as Republicans, is NOT winnable...and most Americans get that reality.

Only 'dumb' Republican loyalists, continue to support Bush. Interestingly, more and more moderate life long Republicans feel betrayed by today's Republican Party. Famous names from the past, who have proudly been members of the GOP, with family names that resonate, like Susan Eisenhower feel abandoned by today's Republican Party ...which is no longer in any way the Party of fiscal responsibility...entering office with a large surplus, and running up massive deficits.

Also, we have Theodore Roosevelt IV, another life long Republican feeling abandoned in terms of the legacy of concern about the environment ...which at every level is for sale by today's Republican inhabitants of the White House, Roosevelt is considering no longer supporting the Republican Party. Even a proud conservative with the Goldwater name, Peggy Goldwater, claims that her Party 'is taking on more than I feel they can handle.' Ergo, more and more moderate Republicans see today's GOP, no longer as representing fiscal responsibility, protections and stewardship of the environment, and wariness of foreign adventures. DUH!!!