Mark Kleiman on Haditha

Hate to be a Dittohead, but yeah. What Kleiman said:

The two key-phrases in the warbloggers' campaign to shoot the bearers of
bad tidings are "rush to judgment" and "presumption of innocence." This confuses
principles of legal procedure with principles of factual interpretation. As far
as their trial by court-martial is concerned, of course the accused Marines are
entitled to the presumption of innocence, and it would be wrong for the judges
in those cases to prejudge the evidence. But here in the real world, we make
judgments every day on evidence that hasn't been presented to a court.

Who killed Nicole Simpson? A jury acquitted her husband. That means he
can't be criminally punished. But it doesn't make him innocent in fact.

At the only trial Bill Clinton ever faced — his impeachment trial before
the Senate — he was acquitted. That doesn't make the blue dress disappear.