In cold blood (in Iraq)

The Pentagon, according to MSNBC, has launched a "probe into the death of Iraqi civilians last November in the Iraqi city of Haditha". Locals claim that "U.S. Marines deliberately killed 15 unarmed Iraqi civilians, including seven women and three children".

Unbelievable?

Rep. John Murtha, the widely respected veteran and Pennsylvania Democrat who last year called for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, says "the accounts are true":

Murtha, a vocal opponent of the war in Iraq, said at a news conference Wednesday that sources within the military have told him that an internal investigation will show that "there was no firefight, there was no IED (improvised explosive device) that killed these innocent people. Our troops overreacted because of the pressure on them, and they killed innocent civilians in cold blood."

I'm not about to claim that this incident tarnishes all men and women in uniform. Most are no doubt performing their duties honourably and bravely. But this could prove to be "the worst single incident involving the deliberate killing of civilians by U.S. military in Iraq".

Not good. The terrorists may kill civilians with relentless brutality, but the U.S. military must act forcefully to condemn such incidents, punish those responsible, and ensure that nothing like them happens again.

Ultimately, the world's superpower must lead by example.