1. United States
2. N.Y.
3. Letter

The photos depicting the Haditha massacre are profoundly disturbing, revealing the killing of innocent Iraqi civilians, including young children, by U.S. Marines in 2005. This atrocity must be fully accounted for, and those responsible held accountable through the proper legal channels. The dismissal of murder charges and failure to secure meaningful convictions allowed this horrific war crime to go largely unpunished. The military's efforts to conceal these graphic images from public view compounded the injustice. In the interests of transparency, restorative justice, and upholding the laws of armed conflict, a comprehensive reinvestigation of the Haditha massacre is warranted. All available evidence, including witness testimony and the newly released photos, should be thoroughly examined. Any substantiated criminal conduct by service members must result in appropriate prosecutions and penalties commensurate with the grave nature of the offenses. Only through such actions can there be any sense of reckoning for the victims and their families who suffered catastrophic losses on that appalling day.