Bad news for the hardcore anti-war left

Via ABC News:

June 2, 2006 — – Horrific images of Iraqi adults and children have fueled new allegations that U.S. troops killed civilians in the Iraqi town of Ishaqi. But ABC News has learned that military officials have completed their investigation and concluded that U.S. forces followed the rules of engagement.

A senior Pentagon official told ABC News the investigation concluded that the allegations of intentional killings of civilians by American forces are unfounded.

Military commanders in Iraq launched an investigation soon after the mid-March raid in the village of Ishaqi, about 50 miles north of Baghdad.

Maj. Gen. William Caldwell will make a statement about the Ishaqi allegations today in Baghdad, ABC News has learned.

The AP is reporting:

WASHINGTON — A military investigation into allegations that U.S. troops intentionally killed Iraqi civilians in a March 15 raid in a village north of Baghdad has cleared the troops of misconduct, two defense officials said Friday.

The investigation concluded that the U.S. troops followed normal procedures in raising the level of force as they came under attack upon approaching a building where they believed an Al Qaeda terrorist was hiding, the officials said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the results had not been publicly released.

The Army’s Criminal Investigation Division reviewed the results of the investigation and found no reason to probe further, the officials said.

Guess those militant anti-war lefties will have to hang their hopes of being able to once again smear the US Marines and attempt to delegitimize the Iraq war on the Haditha allegations.