Kline Apologizes To Marine

Representative John Kline (R-Minn.), who made remarks about the Marines at Haditha that I thought at the time was out of line, has made a very public apology to the marines. Kline's remarks were a one time thing and did not rise (or sink) to the same level as the execrable John Murtha who has made repeated indefensible comments on the matter. That Kilne regrets the comments is apparent by the way he responded to the threat of a lawsuit.

A Republican congressman apologized yesterday to the Marines under investigation in the killings of two dozen civilians in Haditha, Iraq, last November, saying that statements he made about the case were taken out of context and that he did not mean to imply the Marines were guilty of wrongdoing.

Rep. John Kline (R-Minn.) issued the apology as part of an agreement with lawyers for Marine Staff Sgt. Frank D. Wuterich, who alleged that Kline had damaged Wuterich's reputation.

Wuterich, through his lawyers, has denied any wrongdoing in the Haditha case. None of the Marines involved has been charged.

Wuterich took the unusual step earlier this month of filing a federal lawsuit against Rep. John P. Murtha (D-Pa.), alleging that statements Murtha made about the Haditha deaths were libelous. Murtha said after the lawsuit was filed that he did not mean to prejudge Wuterich, but the representative has not responded to a settlement offer that seeks a similar public apology, according to Wuterich's attorneys, Mark S. Zaid and Neal A. Puckett. The lawyers set last Friday as a deadline for Murtha's response.

Wuterich had threatened to sue Kline as well. But Zaid said yesterday that Kline responded to a settlement request within an hour of its arrival Aug. 4. Kline wrote that news outlets used incomplete statements that gave the false impression that he had concluded the Marines broke the law. (Emphasis added).

Murtha, on the other hand, has not responded and has been caught in a flat lie already. The Marine Corps was happy to expose the lie, too. The people of Pennsylvania deserve better than a self-aggrandizing liar like John Murtha who would try for political advantage by smearing US marines.

If Murtha disgusts you as much as he disgusts me, feel free to head over to Rightroots and help support Diana Irey to unseat Murtha. Redeploy his butt to Okinawa. The world will be a better place.