It's not yet up to the Trident standards (four out of five recommend . . .) but it is worth noting that another US soldier confessed to his part in the war crimes of the gang rape of 14-year-old Abeer Qasim Hamza, the murders of Abeer, Hadeel Qassim Hamza (Abeer's five-year-old sister), Qassim Hamza Raheem and Fakhriya Taha Muhasen (their parents).
In November, James P. Barker confessed to his role and, last week, Paul Cortez confessed. Steven D. Green, who the press has reported was the likely ring-leader, continues to deny any involvement. Jesse Spielman and Bryan Howard also have yet to admit to any involvement. Green will be tried in a federal court (civilian), Howard and Speilman in a military court due to the fact that the latter two were still serving when the official explanation ('insurgents') of the March 12, 2006 war crimes began to disinegrate.
As part of their plea agreements, Barker and Cortez have agreed to testify against the other three. Cortez' attorney mainstains that Cortez was more of an observerer. In Barker's testiomny he offered that Cortez appeared to take part in the gang rape. Cortez did take part. Even if he didn't penetrate Abeer, he held her down while Barker did.
That's not "observing." A press that cared about the rape and murder of a fourteen-year-old girl and the murders of her family would be examing the attorney's claim; however, as we've well seen, the press really isn't interested in this story with very few exceptions.
