U.S. military commanders in Iraq on Thursday ordered troops to undergo “legal, moral and ethical” training in the wake of allegations that Marines killed unarmed civilians last year.
“This is just a reminder for troops either in Iraq or throughout our military that there are high standards expected of them,” President Bush told reporters after a Cabinet meeting. “It also is a reminder to our commanders that they must constantly enforce the proud tradition of our military.”
The training in “core warriors values” will be administered over the next 30 days to 133,000 U.S. troops in Iraq and nearly 17,000 troops from other nations, including Great Britain.
“Of the nearly 150,000 coalition forces presently in Iraq, 99.9 percent of them perform their jobs magnificently every day,” said U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli, commander of coalition forces in Iraq. “Unfortunately, there are a few individuals who sometimes choose the wrong path.”
The military is investigating whether a group of Marines massacred dozens of Iraqi civilians in the town of Haditha in November. The episode has been described in news reports as retaliation for a roadside bomb that killed a member of the Marine unit.
Bush said the White House is not involved in the probe, the results of which will be made public. In the meantime, the administration of hoping the new round of training will dissuade other troops from immoral battlefield behavior.
“What you’re seeing is the Marine Corps reminding our troops about what it means to be a Marine, what it means to uphold the honor of that corps and what it means to adhere to the rules of engagement,” Bush said.
Added Chiarelli: “The challenge for us is to make sure the actions of a few do not tarnish the good work of the many.”
