Another war crime in Iraq

[Knife]

This leads to cases - like the Haditha massacre - where obvious and blatant lying by soldiers lead to the case not being investigated. Even the most cursory investigation would have uncovered that lie.

Hence, the US should change that policy so that in each and every case with civilian deaths where American soldiers are somehow involved should be investigated.

Uhm, you realize that even the most cursory investigation is talking to the troops involved? In which case, if you do what you want, they did it. Granted, the troops lied, at the very least obstructing justice, but even if you do 'investigate' every incident at the most basic level, this one was. Or perhaps I should ask, what level of investigation do you think should be minimum?

[D.Turtle]

Except they didn't investigate. The soldiers filed their report, and that was that.

Just checking their claims with the morgue/hospital - one single phone call - would have uncovered the fact that something wasn't right about the story.

[Shroom Man 777]

It's already hard enough to investigate crimes and abuses done by police forces - who live with and together with the local community, and whose mandate is to help and protect that said community, and where all sorts of internal affairs and checks and balance systems have been developed by the local government. How much more for soldiers operating on foreign territory, with markedly less oversight, and with a very different mandate like instead of "protect and serve the community" it's "freedomize all of the terrorizers" or something.