World

May 6, 2009

Trying to Understand the Mahmudiyah Massacre

In 2006, a group of American soldiers brutally raped a young Iraqi girl and murdered her and her family. Gelf talks to some of the soldiers convicted of the crimes.

Sarah Bowles and Hadley Robinson

"All my life, I just hoped for the average American dream," Pfc. Jesse Spielman wrote from Christian County Jail in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, in 2006, eight months before he was sentenced to 110 years in prison. "Get a nice house, good job, loving wife and settle down and start a family. I thought I started out good. I graduated when I was 17, got married right out of Basic. I joined [the Army] mainly to get a jumpstart on life. It has great benefits and we were planning on starting our family soon. I did it for me and for her, but now it has ruined our life, well at least mine anyways."

Spielman was convicted for his involvement in the rape and murder of Abeer Qassim al-Janabi, a 14-year-old Iraqi civilian girl, and the murder of Abeer's sister Hadeel, her father Qassim Hamzeh Rasheed, and her mother Fakhariya Taja Muhassain, in Mahmudiyah, Iraq, on March 12, 2006.







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Comments

- World
- posted on May 07, 09
Kent

This is an extremely important and well-researched piece of journalism. I hope it circulates widely across the internet.

- World
- posted on May 07, 09
Rachel

Thank you for writing this. Something has to be done to address the mental health issues of soldiers in iraq. The fact that Green was labeled as a "homicidal threat" and was allowed to continue serving...It just blows my mind. I find this shocking. I hope this story spreads quickly, as it needs to be heard. Thank you.

- World
- posted on Oct 18, 09
AN IRAQ COMBAT VETERAN

THESE MEN DESERVE THE DEATH PENALTY

- World
- posted on Aug 10, 10
John

All of the soldiers deserve to die for this. As to the soldiers that have supposed mental health disorders.... Go to the website CCHR.org If you think mental health causes people to do things like this, you have a mental health problem. You are in denial.

- World
- posted on Oct 01, 10
the real story

James Barker was a violent man long before he went to Iraq. He beat his wife and his children and his higher ups helped him cover it up. He did NOT divorce his wife!!! They are still legally married as he refused to sign the divorce papers she had sent to him. He cheated and had a baby with another woman while still married to her.
His mother keeps a shrine to him in her living room and tells everyone what a good man he is....and how the army messed him up. It was only a matter of time before he raped and/or killed someone. Iraq just gave him the opportunity and the excuse.
He should be shot for what he did to this girl and her family. Yet he is already up for a good behavior and clemency hearing. They gave him a fake name in prison so no one would hurt him. Dont believe everything you read about how good he was before Iraq...or how he regrets doing this. He told someone after sentencing that he was the one who lit the match and set her on fire, then he laughed. He isnt sorry, he is only sorry he got caught. Yes...I know him personally.

- World
- posted on Oct 01, 10
the real story

James Barker was a violent man long before he went to Iraq. He beat his wife and his children and his higher ups helped him cover it up. He did NOT divorce his wife!!! They are still legally married as he refused to sign the divorce papers she had sent to him. He cheated and had a baby with another woman while still married to her.
His mother keeps a shrine to him in her living room and tells everyone what a good man he is....and how the army messed him up. It was only a matter of time before he raped and/or killed someone. Iraq just gave him the opportunity and the excuse.
He should be shot for what he did to this girl and her family. Yet he is already up for a good behavior and clemency hearing. They gave him a fake name in prison so no one would hurt him. Dont believe everything you read about how good he was before Iraq...or how he regrets doing this. He told someone after sentencing that he was the one who lit the match and set her on fire, then he laughed. He isnt sorry, he is only sorry he got caught. Yes...I know him personally.

- World
- posted on Apr 21, 12
Sarah Bowles

Hi re: "the real story"

Thank you for your comment. I really wish I had found you to get your opinion while I was doing research for this article. I only briefly met James Barker. Though we didn't have any verbal exchange, I gained the information for this article from sitting in on his Court Martial at Ft Campbell, KY for 6 hours. I took notes, then I was very nicely kicked out, escorted out by military police. Please contact me if you'd like to tell me more about Barker. I am not a journalist, I am not a media person. I followed their story as a civilian. It bothers me that people don't remember this story as one of the worst crimes of this war, and unacceptable. I won't stop talking about it.

-S Bowles

- World
- posted on Jan 29, 13
Mazy

Not surprising that someone would make this article to justify and make excuses regarding the atrocities committed by Americans. Killing and torturing innocent people is a normal thing for American AND European soldiers.
This is sickening. They deserve the death penalty.

- World
- posted on Jul 25, 13
marianne

I have been researching on this case for months, even though it occurred several years ago. I wanted know if anyone knew how these men are doing in prison, especially Green. If anyone has info please let me know!

- World
- posted on Aug 18, 13
Sarah Bowles

Green has life in prison without parole.

- World
- posted on Jun 02, 14
Barstow rat

I went to youth group with Paul Cortez at New Life Fellowship in Barstow and I was never surprised he ended up in this kind of trouble. He was a total trouble maker in church and at school, but we were always told by the youth leaders to make allowances for him because of his messed up mother and crappy life. I remember he was dating a girl named Amanda and he hit her and threatened her and her Dad or Grandpa was ready to hunt him down, but the pastors talked to him about what a sad case this kid was. They always made excuses for him because he was like their pet project. I noticed none of them commented when the story first came out. I think it is because they know he had a violent streak, but no one wants to go on record as saying it.

- World
- posted on Apr 13, 15
Me

I'm just wondering why nobody ever tries or tried to contact Barker's wife regarding him and this and his background before this.... His wife really isn't that hard to find...

- World
- posted on Jun 18, 15
World

These idiotic losers don't deserve to live and anything horrible that happens to them will not affect the normal majority. Divinely bless the innocent's hearts, minds, and souls, and all their loved ones and may they all be in peace with justice, karma, tranquility. All stupid evil be prevented and all innocent be protected. Don't hate, save peace. Use your brains and true problem-solving abilities not on materials for few but on the greater humanity as it should be for all.

- World
- posted on Dec 01, 16
Liz

I hope there's a hell for all of them to burn in.

- World
- posted on Jul 17, 17

I served with Paul Cortez - he's up for parole this year I think.

Article by Sarah Bowles and Hadley Robinson

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