Murtha: Iraqis Were Killed 'in Cold Blood'

From Fox News:

A Pentagon investigation will show that U.S. Marines killed 15 civilians in Iraq in cold blood a U.S. congressman said in Washington.

Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., confirmed Wednesday that Iraqis in Haditha said Marines killed the unarmed Iraqi civilians, including seven women and three children, NBC News reported. Military officials told NBC the Marine Corps' own evidence appears to confirm Murtha's statement.

A Marine spokesman issued a statement in November saying a roadside bomb had killed 15 civilians and a Marine, but U.S. military officials later retracted that account.

Murtha said military sources have told him the Pentagon investigation will show the troops overreacted because of the pressure on them, and they killed innocent civilians in cold blood.

Three officers in a California-based Marine battalion involved in the incident were relieved of command. A spokesman for the 1st Marine Division said the officers were removed due to lack of confidence in their leadership abilities stemming from their performance during a recent deployment to Iraq, the Marine Corps Times reported last month.

The officers were Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani, commander of the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, and two of his company commanders, Capt. James Kimber and Capt. Luke McConnell.

The attacks on John Murtha have begun.