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January 2006: TIME's Tim McGirk obtains a copy of Thabet's videotape from the Hammurabi human-rights group
INVESTIGATIONS
Feb. 10, 2006: After gathering witnesses' reports, TIME presents Iraqi accounts of the killings to Colonel Barry Johnson, chief military spokesman in Baghdad
Feb. 14, 2006: Lieut. General Peter Chiarelli, commander of U.S.-led forces in Iraq, orders a preliminary investigation by Gregory Watt, an Army colonel in Baghdad
March 3, 2006: Watt concludes that the Marines may have acted inappropriately. He recommends a further investigation
WASHINGTON LEARNS
March 10, 2006: Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Peter Pace are told about the incident
March 11, 2006: The President is told about the killings
March 13, 2006: A Naval Criminal Investigative Service team arrives in Haditha to open an investigation. Marines begin briefing members of Congress about the probe
PUBLICATION
March 19, 2006: After being given a briefing on the military's probe, TIME publishes its investigation into the Haditha killings on TIME.com The next day, the article appears in the March 27, 2006, issue of TIME
March 19, 2006: Chiarelli assigns Major General Eldon Bargewell to investigate the Marines' reporting of information about the incident up the chain of command
April 7, 2006: Three Marine officers are relieved of their command, in part because of actions that may have been related to the Haditha incident
May 17, 2006: Congressman John Murtha, left, briefed on the results of the ongoing internal investigation, says the information demonstrates that U.S. troops killed innocent civilians "in cold blood"
May 31, 2006: Bush promises a full investigation
June 1, 2006: The Iraqi government announces it will launch its own investigation into the incident
The Chain Of Command
One focus of the investigation is how superior officers reacted to the killings at Haditha by members of Kilo Company of the 3rd Marine Battalion. Here's an overview of how the corps is set up:
The Ranks From lowest to highest:
Enlisted
Private Private First Class Lance Corporal Corporal Noncommissioned officers
Sergeant Staff Sergeant Gunnery Sergeant Master Sergeant* First Sergeant* Master Gunnery Sergeant* Sergeant Major* Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps (1)
Warrant officers (2) Chief Warrant Officer 1 to 5
Commissioned officers Second Lieutenant First Lieutenant Captain Major Lieutenant Colonel Colonel Brigadier General Major General Lieutenant General General
Where Kilo Company Fits How Marine fighting units are organized: SQUAD A sergeant leading a dozen Marines with ranks of private first class, lance corporal or corporal PART OF. . .
PLATOON Three squads led by a lieutenant PART OF. . .
COMPANY A group of platoons, commanded by a captain or lieutenant. Kilo is led by a captain
PART OF. . . BATTALION Kilo is one of five companies making up the 3rd Marine Battalion, which is led by a lieutenant colonel