Charges Dismissed Against 2 Marines In Haditha Case

All charges have been dismissed against two of the Marines, Lance Cpl. Justin L. Sharratt and Capt. Randy Stone, accused of killing killings of Iraqi civilians in Haditha.

In dismissing the charges, Lt. Gen. James Mattis, said he was sympathetic to the challenges Marines on the ground face in Iraq:

"Where the enemy disregards any attempt to comply with ethical norms of warfare, we exercise discipline and restraint to protect the innocent caught on the battlefield," Mattis wrote in his letter to Sharratt. "Our way is right, but it is also difficult."

[. . .]

Mattis concluded that Sharratt acted appropriately and within his rules of engagement.

"With the dismissal of these charges, you may fairly conclude that you did your best to live up to the standards ... in the face of life or death decisions made by you in a matter of seconds in combat," Mattis wrote in his statement, dated Aug. 8 and made public Thursday.

The decision to drop the charges against Sharratt followed an earlier recommendation from Lt. Col. Paul Ware:

"The government version is unsupported by independent evidence," Ware wrote. "To believe the government version of facts is to disregard clear and convincing evidence to the contrary."

Three cheers for Lt. Gen. James Mattis.

Where's Murtha's apology?: