First of all, Haditha was a set up. Read here:
http://warchronicle.com/TheyAreNotKi...1%5D.BATES.pdf
and here:
American Thinker Blog: Was Haditha a deliberate propaganda ploy by al Qaeda?
and here:
Second, Blackwater fell into the same type trap. The insurgents set up an ambush in a crowded area, looking for media sympathy. The Blackwater vehicles were full of bullet holes from the insurgents.
Third, I have operated extensivly in Nangarhar Province. The scenario the Marines state is very likely. It is SOP for the insurgents to commit this type of act. They set up the primary ambush, with secondary ambushes along likely ingress/egress routes. Their favorite spots are in villages.
We ran into a similar situation outside Jalalabad City in 2005. My Battalion was pulling out of the Kunar valley after a massive operation, and heading back to Jalalabad airfield for after action debriefings. One company was left behind for rear guard while the rest of the Battalion exfiled. Once we were all back at the FOB, the rear guard broke position, and headed back to the FOB.
Lots of action ensued, the militants who refused to fight the whole battalion jumped on the one company, and got their asses handed to them. The Company Commander was awarded the Bronze Star for his actions and leadership.
Once out of the Kunar valley and those fights, they loaded up on trucks, and headed home. They ran into a couple of small actions along the way to the finaly. As they were nearing Jalalbad on the far side of the river, the insurgents kicked off another LARGE ambush using RPGs, RPK,s and AKs in a small village that lined both sides of the road. The insurgents were firing from inside houses that they had the families held hostage in, intentionally drawing our fire into them. Luckily, no civilians were hurt, but many insurgents who were outside the buildings were cut down.
So, for all you nay-sayers who think you know what you are talking about, I would ask you to throw on a pair of boots and a vest, go over there, and see what the real story is. At the very least, ask someone who was involved. But please, for the love of God, quit making assumptions and talking out of your asses about our guys using excessive force, or force when it isn't necessary, just because you don't like Bush. It really raises the blood pressure, know what I'm saying?