The Company You Keep

At this point, it is premature to point fingers or assign culpability.  Of course, it would also be ludicrous to assume any connection to Bush just for sitting next to someone at a parade.  Given the unfolding of the alleged Haditha massacre story, however, this image is a still a little unsettling. 

Here is U.S. General Michael Hagee, the Marine Corps Commandant (right of Bush) yukking it up with the Commandeer-in-Chief in Washington on May 5th.  About two weeks later, in a meeting with Jack Murtha, Hagee told the Congressman that he and his staff knew about the Haditha incident — which took place last November 19th — within days after it happened.  (Murtha has since concluded there was a cover up which extends up the chain of command.)

With the Haditha story almost two weeks old now, The BAG simply wonders if Bush has had any further contact with Hagee on the matter, or feels any regret about sharing an outing with him given what the Commandant had under his hat.

(image: Yuri Gripas/Reuters. May 5, 2006. Washington. Via YahooNews)