Stop Charges Against Ilario Pantano and our Soldiers

A platoon commander with the U.S. Marine Corp, Second Lt. Ilario G. Pantano, has been charged with two counts of premeditated murder for shooting two Iraqi men in the Sunni Triangle, and if found guilty, he would face the death penalty. According to reports, on April 15, 2004, Lt. Pantano's unit was dispatched to a very dangerous area of the Sunni Triangle after they were given details by captured terrorists about a supply of weapons and terrorist hideouts. Lt. Pantano and his men conducted the search, which revealed bomb-making equipment, weapons, ammunition, and mortar equipment. The Marines were removing the equipment when two Iraqis tried to flee in an SUV. The Marines stopped the SUV and then apprehended the two Iraqis. During a search of the SUV, the Iraqis , began to move quickly toward Lt. Pantano and they were speaking in Arabic. Lt. Pantano yelled at them to 'stop' in both English and Arabic yet the two men continued to advance. Knowing that booby-trapped suicide bombers run rampant in Iraq, Lt. Pantano had to make a split-second decision with respect to his life and the lives of his men. He opened fired and killed the two Iraqis. This is, afterall, war, and decisions like this have to be made on a daily basis.

Now that charges have been brought against Mr. Pantano, his reputation is now shattered and he may be put to death because of left-wing "political correctness" during a time of war. Because of this, every soldier, every Marine, will now hesitate to fight because they are now second-guessing their decisions – decisions that they have been trained to make by our military. It is ironic that the organization that trained Lt. Pantano to fight the enemy is the very one that can take his life for doing so. This is absurd and this "treason" by our own government, our own people, our own military, against our soldiers who are fighting and dying each and every day for our freedoms and the freedoms of the world must stop NOW. It is time for the President of the United States, President George W. Bush – a man who put our men in harms way; a President who says that he supports and is behind our military – to put his reputation on the line and put an end to these charges as well as all other charges of murder and indecencies, against our brave soldiers. The Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, should do the same, in spite of what may happen to him or his career. According to Mr. Gittins (Lt. Pantano's attorney), the President of the United States can stop this atrocity today! It is time for our government to stand up for all of our brave men and women who are defending this great country of the United States of America. If you agree, please sign the petition below. The petition will be submitted to President Bush and as many Congressmen as possible on March 1, 2005.