David wrote on Jul 13, 2006 6:09 AM:Oh, Okay, Now they are actually BOASTING about pandering to the media -- how excited they are to be getting all this attention! Will they be selling souvenirs next? Meanwhile the mandatory military lawyers and forensic evidence are not being provided to the defense. I guess we can all tell what outcome the Marine Corps are hoping for...

leanne wrote on Jul 13, 2006 6:37 AM:what happened to old fashioned reporting methods, where the reporter took notes, and then ran back to the office to type it? and when did it become the responsibility of the newsworthy event to supply all these luxuries to reporters who fail to report the entire story anyway? good Lord, that money could be used, if for nothing else, to supply adequate military counsel, not some 'newbie' 3,000 miles away, with a caseload of 25 anyway. or better yet, used towards the less burdened, more apt to counsel unbiasedly, civilian attorneys that these eight have had to hire, because of marine deficiencies on a number of levels.

Hey Lt. Colonel, Mr. Marine Official wrote on Jul 13, 2006 7:40 AM:Are you and the Marine Corps really so concerned that these poor reporters will have everything they need? What about these Marines. Geeez Zusss! I did 22 years in the Corps' legal system and never seen so much pandering for the media. You'r building this for these media guys. Do you also promise a good show for them as well. Marine, at what point do you step up and say enough and act like a Man or Marine and either step away from this atrocity. Oh I know you want to be a full bird Colonel. You had better do exactly what the Generals say. What a kiss! Your pathetic!

What about money for attorneys? wrote on Jul 13, 2006 7:42 AM:ARe we going to spend this much to give these Marines a proper defense and not aw School flunky who couldn't hired by a real law firm! This is great for the leaders. The lower enlisted always get hammered at the expense of the higher ups!

o2cool1 wrote on Jul 13, 2006 7:58 AM:Well my fellow Americans we are witness to the Bush administrations desire to placate the Iraqi people by putting on a real show trial the conclussion of which has already been decided. An article 32 hearing has not even been held in order to determine if these 8 men should go to trial yet the decission has already been made without benefit of the hearing, why else would they spend $860,000 on the media if the decission to go to trial was not a done deal. These men are going to be the scape goats for the failures of the Bush administration. George W. Bush does not support our military, he uses them and disposes of them to suit his needs. If this kangaroo trial goes fourth then my advice to all the Marines of 3/5 is to stand together and stand down when called on to redeploy.

Mark wrote on Jul 13, 2006 9:28 AM:The Marine Corps supplies military defence attorney's that don't have time for the case. But spend nearly a million dollars on a media center for the trial. I pray that the press will appreciate the irony.

BS, BS, BS wrote on Jul 13, 2006 10:01 AM:It is an outrage that they would even consider these hearings be televised. These mens lives are at stake and the politicians and the media want to give this story entertainment value. Everyone go out to the Front gate of C.P. this Sat. with the other supporters and protest the media involvement. What the Hell has this all come to!! Makes me ILL!

David wrote on Jul 13, 2006 12:50 PM:to BS, to be fair, the Marine Corps are not planning on televising them to the public. They are only televising them to the press -- the courtroom isn't big enough for the number of press they are expecting. Which makes it WORSE -- they are spending all this money SOLELY to accomodate the press -- not because it will be publicly broadcast and they want to make a good impression to the public -- they only want to impress the PRESS!!!!!

Concerned wrote on Jul 13, 2006 1:10 PM:After hearing about the recent preceedings with airport where an Iraqi was found with a blade in his shoe and then let on the plane; and of the guy who was detained because he had oyster shells in his carry on, noting surprises me anymore. Oh and the next day we read where a popcorn stand has been designated by Homeland Security as a possible terrorist target. This while NY State building is not on the list! So now we have the charges against our Marines by so-called Iraqi civilians. Folks we are living in the theater of the absurd. How did things get so wrong? These boys are innocent until proven guilty and by god they better check out the damn witnesses! Only the double-talking scum sucking terrorists could come up with something so absurd. This whole thing is a sham! As is Homeland Security, as is our government's committment to the people, as is our media. Good night and good luck.

To those "higher ups" responsible for this: wrote on Jul 13, 2006 1:41 PM:This aint a "slap on the back and a cigar between the boys" here. These are servicemen's futures and families on the line here! GRANDSTANDING has no purpose but to kiss the bottoms of those who can be easily manipulated. I am going to ask this again. Please reconsider the handling of this case before it damages the reputation of the Marine Corps! It is a disgrace to those Marines that have gone before you for the last couple hundred years. I respect and admire Marines and nothing will change there. However, I will have to reconsider lending my son to your service if you keep this up. Please discontinue your assault on these men. We are fighting a very REAL enemy who wants to wipe us all off the face of the earth. Use your money and energy and go after them!

Former Marine wrote on Jul 13, 2006 1:45 PM:I am disqusted! I can think of many other useful ways to spend close to a million dollars than spending it on renovating a building for the media. How about giving that money to the Marines who have lost body parts because they were fighting for our freedom or those Marines who are paralized or mental unstable and now can't work? I AM DISQUSTED!

David again wrote on Jul 13, 2006 2:03 PM:What I want to know is while the Brass were lecturing the troops about ethics, were they wearing earplugs?

LEE wrote on Jul 13, 2006 2:59 PM:IT WAS THE INVOLVEMENT (AND INSISTANCE BY) THE BIGGER MEDIA CORPORATIONS THAT GOT US TO THIS POINT WE ARE AT NOW, IN THE FIRST PLACE. THAT A REPORTER HAS TO BE AT EVERY SINGLE EVENT THAT INVOLVES MORE THAN TWO PEOPLE, IS ABSURD. TO HAVE CAMERA'S, MEN, NOISE, DISTRACTION AND LIABILITY OF THOSE SAME MEDIA REPS IN A COURT ROOM IS SOMETHING I AM ACTUALLY SURPRIZED AT THE MILITARY CATERING TO. I MEAN, THE MEDIA ISN'T EVEN ALLOWED ON BASE FOR ANY REASON, UNLESS IT IS REALLY SPECIFIC, AND BASICALLY REQUESTED IN BLOOD, AND IN TRIPLICATE. SO WHY DO ALL OF THESE KISSY THINGS TO ACCOMODATE THEM AT TRIAL (WHICH WON'T HAPPEN!!) I THINK I KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT ONE---FOR APPEARANCE SAKE. IN REALITY HISTORICALLY MILITARY AND MEDIA MIX ABOUT LIKE OIL AND WATER MIX. SO THAT WOULD LEAD ONE TO BELIEVE THAT WHAT EVER IS BEING CURRENTLY CHOREOGRAPHED TO HAPPEN IN THOSE 'HALLS OF JUSTICE' MUST ALSO BE 'FOR APPEARANCE SAKE'. WHY NOT HAVE A CLOSED TRIAL PROCESS? AND THE MEDIA CAN SEE THE PRIORS DAY ACTION LATE IN THE EVENING, TOO LATE TO GET ANYTHING INTO PRINT UNTIL THE THIRD DAY AFTER THE ACTUAL EVENT. IT WOULD MAKE FOR A MUCH MORE ORDERLY AND SERIOUS SETTING FOR THE ISSUES THAT WILL BE TACKLED. THEN SOMEONE CAN ACTUALLY COLLECT THEIR THOUGHTS IN A RATIONAL AND LOGICAL MANNER AND SEE WHAT A FARCE THIS ENTIRE PROCESS IS!!!

LEE wrote on Jul 13, 2006 3:29 PM:WHAT HAPPENED NOW TO THE CELL PHONES THAT WERE TOUNTED AS CHANGING THE REPORTING INDUSTRY? COULDN'T THEY JUST DIAL IN WITH AN ARTICLE BODY, AND EDIT IT WHEN HE OR SHE RETURNS TO THE OFFICE. AND I WONDER IF ANY MARINE IN CHARGE THE KEEPING OF THE PEACE ON BASE,WOULD EVER ALLOW ONE OF THE PARENTS OR A CIVILIAN TO COME ON TO BASE AND STAY FOR EXTENDED PERIODS EACH DAY, HAVING ACCESS TO ALL THIS HIGH TECH, STATE OF THE ART MARINE PROPERTY? AND TO BE ALLOWED TO DO SO WITHOUT ANY MONITORING BY BASE OFFICIALS. BASICALLY, FREE TO MOVE ABOUT THE BASE AT WILL. IT DOESN'T TAKE A NUCLEAR SCIENTIST TO KNOW THAT THAT IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. GEE, MAYBE ALONG THE LINES OF ALL THOSE EARLY 'PENTAGON LEAKS' BY UNDISCLOSED PERSON OR PERSONS. PRETTY CONVENIENT AND MUTUALLY BENEFITING LITTLE SCENARIO THERE, BETWEEN THE MEDIA AND THE MARINES! AND, THEN IF IT ACTUALLY HAPPENS, OF COURSE, IT WOULD BE CHALKED UP TO LACK OF FUNDS TO PROPERLY POLICE THE BASE AND NOT BE 'ANYONES' FAULT. THE ONLY ONES WHO MIGHT SUFFER WOULD BE THE MARINES IN QUESTION.....

hey lt. col, mr. marine official wrote on Jul 13, 2006 3:42 PM:geeezzzz is right. the marines are no longer what they used to be. they have become a bunch of whiners trying to have a war without killing, and have a trial without offending any one single media personnell. next it will be on-base housing, and three squares a day for the duration. the entire process is loosing site of one very crucial issue here-these men incarcerated. is this whole entire facade merely a well choreographed play, using real lives that hang in the balance, solely for some brass on base to look good, and some filthy rich media monger to report how good they look? these men count. they are living breathing men with loved ones and families at home, slowly loosing touch with reality, overcome by loss of hope. they did your dirty work for you, mr-in-hiding marine, just so you can play musical chairs once again in six months, and start all over again somewhere else. and out of curiosity, why doesn't the same brass make any two statements in a row? always a new name, a new face, always a new department, and always impossible to get a hold of after that one performance?

To "higher ups"... wrote on Jul 13, 2006 5:20 PM:Wow. Would you all let me know what psychic you are using because I was just waiting for the article 32's to DECIDE if this was EVEN going to trial at all. You obviously KNOW that it is going beyond the article 32's based on the preparation with the "media center". Would you pick my lotto numbers this week? What the he_ _!!

Dav wrote on Jul 17, 2006 1:02 PM:Well since i know a couple of these young men i can say i stand behind them 100%. This is nothing more than the Gov. and Military trying to appease the Iraqi Gov. These young men have risked thier lives time after time an they have only done what they were trained to do by our military. The 'higher ups' need to be on trail not the grunts who do what they are told. Free the C.P.8

mark wrote on Jul 18, 2006 12:09 AM:It's like a bad sequel to "Breaker Morant" The Marine Corps will cover it self in disgrace and injustice just as the British army did at the end of the Boar War