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Representative Duncan Hunter said his military unit "probably killed hundreds of civilians" in Iraq, the latest comment by the Californian Republican since the day he was accused of spending campaign funds for his personal expenses. .
Hunter, a Marine Corps veteran, made the remark while renewing his call for clemency for Edward Gallagher, a Navy SEAL leader who is accused of killing a prisoner of the Islamic State under his guard in 2017.
"Frankly, I do not care if he's been killed, I do not care," said Hunter about the prisoner killed in an interview for "Thirty Zero Blog", a themed podcast military produced by Barstool Sports. He added, "Even if all the prosecutors say is true in this case, then, you know, Eddie Gallagher should still have a break, I think."
Kate Mannion, one of the podcast's hosts, reacted by arguing that "it's such a slippery slope" and that the alleged murder of Gallagher "mistakenly takes our honor".
"So, how do you judge me?" Hunter answered. "Then I was an artillery officer and we fired hundreds of shells at Fallujah, we probably killed hundreds of civilians – if not hundreds or even hundreds of civilians. children, if there were any left of the city am I judged too? "
The interview was released last week and sparked a wider interest after CNN and USA Today reported on Hunter's comments.
Prosecutors say Gallagher stabbed a wounded Islamic State fighter and then posed with the teenage activist's corpse. They also accuse Gallagher of firing on unarmed civilians. Gallagher, whose trial is set to begin on June 10, pleaded not guilty.
Hunter has previously defended Gallagher. Last month, he wrote an opinion piece in USA Today in which he pleaded for leniency. He also told a city hall audience that he had been photographed with a fighter who died during his military service.
Hunter and his wife, Margaret, have been charged with using over $ 250,000 in campaign funds to pay for family vacations, tuition, theater tickets and other personal expenses. Both pleaded not guilty. a trial is scheduled for September.
The debate over the military treatment of foreign fighters has taken on increasing importance in recent weeks after President Donald Trump pardoned Michael Behenna, a former army lieutenant who served five years in prison for the murder of a foreigner. an Iraqi citizen committed in 2008. Trump tweeted Gallagher's approval in March and rumor meditates on his grace.
In the interview with "Zero Blog Thirty", Hunter also claimed that the Islamic State fighter "was going to die anyway", which again prompted one of the animators to react .
"Well, anyway, it's wearing the knife to someone who has already been injured, which goes against our rules of war, or profane the corpse, what which also goes against this one, "said Mannion. "I just feel like we're above that, that's all."
According to the Defense Law Manual issued by the Department of Defense, enemy military deaths must be treated with "the same respect that would be accorded or provided to friendly military deaths".
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Eli Rosenberg of the Washington Post contributed to this report.
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