File under: eating crow. When it was first revealed that Cpl. Wassef Ali Hassoun was abducted
) who said there was something fishy about this. I publicly apologize for casting dispersions on Cpl Hassoun's version of the story. I was completely wrong. I should not have jumped to any conclusions. I was way out of line. I also admit that his ethnicity as an Arab probably did cloud my judgement. Again, I am sorry. Cpl. Wassef Ali Hassoun deserves better than this. It looks like the worst he might have done was leave the base without permission, but probably to visit a girl he had met. He is not being accused of dessertion or treason. I am sorry for doubting your story. Thank you Cpl. Hassoun for your service.
Hassoun, 24, initially was accused of deserting, but after his hostage video aired on Arab satellite TV, his status was changed to "captured."
Marine Corps officials are "all over the map" over whether they believe Hassoun's story that he escaped execution, said one military source close to the case. He said there is a lingering suspicion that the videotaped threats to behead Hassoun were an elaborate hoax.
The skeptics wonder how he got from Iraq to his native Lebanon 500 miles away - where his wife lives - without a scratch.
The Muslim Marine spent all of August on leave with his family in Salt Lake City before rejoining the antiterrorist 4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade at Camp Lejeune, N.C., on Aug. 30, officials said.
Hassoun is expected soon to be declared fit for duty, the military source said.
But he still could face desertion charges as the probe continues into how he was kidnapped from a secure base in Iraq and whether he was ever in captivity, sources said.
Though Hassoun was debriefed about his ordeal after returning stateside, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service has yet to interview him, leaving his case in limbo, sources said.
"He's frustrated that it's still out there," said the military source. "But he realizes there's a process that needs to take its course."
The Marines are being careful with Hassoun's case.
"Some of the early statements about Hassoun deserting probably went too far," the military source said. "We don't want to make this guy into a Chaplain Yee."
Capt. James Yee, the Muslim chaplain for the terror prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, was accused of espionage last year but later cleared in a major embarrassment for the military.
Hassoun was reported missing on June 19 and presumed a deserter by the Marines, but he was shown days later on Arab TV as a blindfolded hostage with a sword dangling over his head.
On July 8, Hassoun popped up safe at the American Embassy in Beirut.
Hassoun, a veteran of the major combat phase of Operation Iraqi Freedom, denied he ran away.
1
Wouldn't be the first time a Marine got in trouble over a girl.
Posted by: Brian B at September 08, 2004 02:18 PM (OnnW3)
2
An excellent post Rusty. You've shown once again why the new media is so much better than the old media. When we mistakes we most of us put those mistakes front and center and own up to them. Its not an easy thing to do. But we should remember that owning up to mistakes is much better than hiding them. To own up to them is to remain honest. To hide them is to start down a slippery slope of dishonesty.
Posted by: Rob at September 08, 2004 02:33 PM (fcqpB)
3
I stand by everything I wrote. This guy went AWOL at the very least. I still firmly believe that by far the most likely explanation was that he was in league with his "kidnappers."
And I completely reject the idea of apologizing for believing this guy's Arab descent was a reason to suspect him.
OF COURSE it's a reason to suspect him. An Arab muslim goes AWOL from his unit, and ends up with a bunch of terrorists. That terrorist group threatens to kill him, but then doesn't. Still, by far the most reasonable assumption is that something hinky was up.
I suspect this guy more because he was an Arab muslim, and I'll be damned if I'll ever apologizze for it.
Besides, did you even read the story you linked to? It says right there that the military guys are still not sure whether they believe Hassoun, and that he could still face desertion charges.
You've got this one badly wrong, Jawa.
Posted by: Spoons at September 08, 2004 09:06 PM (X4FCJ)
4
"..probably did cloud ..It looks like ..might have ..but probably .."
-that kind of language does not sound very definitive in a situation that is extremely suspicious on it's face.
Posted by: Les Nessman at September 09, 2004 12:29 AM (A23Sv)
5
hmmm... not reading links, know the story.
Spoons, do you?
I think the only reason he's alive, was because at the time and the people who had him, respected the fact he was of Arab descent. When he did arrive in Lebanon, he somehow got to his family's home there and they all blocked the streets and the home with cars to protect him and keep him from any harm. The entire neighborhood did. He called the embassy right away, so neighbors and family kept watch until the Marines or whomever was able to get there and pick him up. From there he was flown to Germany and he spent about a month there in the psychiatric ward and physically treated as well; I'm not sure what his physical injuries were at the time. The psychiatric nurse was interviewed along with his muslim cleric (is that the right word for them?) after he left Germany. The doctor said that in time, after all he's been through, he should be okay as long as he kept up with therapy, et al. Obviously he was traumatized and more. The priest or whatever you call those guys said that someday his story would come out and when it did, everyone would understand. Both did say he had been through quite an ordeal but felt he would get through it and be allright in time. When he left Germany, he was flown to Quantico, where Marines are also based and spent another month there being debriefed, having therapy and so on. Twice the marines came out to do a short press conference and on the second one, Cpl Hassoun had a small statement that he read and then left. He did not look all that well; very pale, very stressed, sick-like and I know that look well because I have that same look. After a month there in Quantico, they reintroduced him to his family and slowly they let him go to spend time with his family. That also took another month of his life. After that, he returned to his unit and duty. Now that he is back, the questions remain and of course, the people we are hearing from are the media, not the marines, not Hassoun or a spokesman. After three months, I'm pretty sure they know his story exceptionally well and what he had been through. I blame the mainstream media for all this big deal mystery when to them, the Marines, and others, it's probably no mystery at all.
So I don't think it's very fair to judge him; we are not in his shoes, we have no idea what he went through or how the last three months of his life have been. It's not easy to be a marine, their boot camp is nothing like regular boot camp and you have to be mentally, psychologically, emotionally and physically strong to be a marine. I think we should give him more credit than doubt, Spoons. After all, he is a United States Marine.
~Cindy
Posted by: firstbrokenangel at September 15, 2004 04:22 PM (D39Vm)
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I would just like to say that his whole story is BS. I am also a Marine, currently in Iraq, and I speak for all of the servicemembers that I have discussed this issue with, when I say that he is full of crap. I have heard his version of how he was supposedly abducted, and it is ridiculous. Just because NCIS hasn't charged him yet, doesn't mean he is not guilty. The only reason they even let him go home for a month is because that is standard protocal for POW cases, they rate 30 days convalescent leave. They certainly didn't send him home so that he could recover formt he "trauma" that he had endured, they sent him home because they had to.
Posted by: Misty at December 02, 2004 08:23 AM (DBElx)
7
Hassoun has been charged with desertion. He's probably guilty. His story is fishy, which is to say, it stinks. The French have the best explanation for his desertion, "cherchez la femme."
Hassoun looks like a horn dog. He's been married twice, seems to have no shortage of girlfriends. Should he be jailed for itching to get laid?
Posted by: jack at December 09, 2004 06:36 PM (1y/Pg)
8
hmm..this is quite interesting
Posted by: generic drugs at September 26, 2005 03:06 AM (0IkiY)
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