Military says it won't discipline Marine over controversial 'Hadji Girl' song

[USMCRET6391]

By Jeff Schogol, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Wednesday, June 28, 2006

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Marine Corps has decided not to take disciplinary action against a Marine whose song “Hadji Girl” drew condemnation from a Muslim-American advocacy group and spawned a preliminary inquiry, according to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing.

In a video posted on the Internet, Cpl. Joshua Belile sang a love song about a Marine who falls in love with an Iraqi girl, and is taken to meet her family. The girl’s family shoots her and then attacks the Marine, who uses her younger sister as a shield and watches blood spray from her head.

The song was slammed by the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which demanded an investigation by Congress and the Pentagon.

Belile, who is based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., apologized for the song in a local newspaper and vowed never to sing it again.

“I apologize for any feelings that may have been hurt in the Muslim community. This song was written in good humor and not aimed at any party, foreign or domestic,” he told The Daily News of Jacksonville, N.C.

After launching a preliminary inquiry, the Marine Corps announced on Tuesday that Belile will not face a formal investigation into the matter or punitive measures for the video.

Belile could not be reached for comment by deadline on Tuesday.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations has already accepted Belile’s apology and left the question as to whether Belile should be disciplined up to the Marine Corps, said group spokesman Corey Saylor

“If that’s the decision they’ve made, we accept that,” he said.

[IcemanM14]

Unbeleivable, what kind of people want so much power and so much control as to nitpick about what songs marines sing!?

American-Islamic relations is a contradiction on terms...

[USMC Chuter]

Good. It's a matter than needs to be dropped. I'm glad the Marine Corps hasn't lost its mind over it.

[Vulture6]

Handled appropriately. If something formal needed to be done, a Page 11 entry would have sufficed -- but a quick counseling by his NCOIC telling him to get his head out of his ass before he posts anything else on the Internet is probably enough.

[USMCRET6391]

I agree, the song wasn't appropriate but it wasnt worth more than a counselling session

[SpongeJuan]

Well I read the story on the Marine Times and it says that the Marine was going to record it with some record company. The Marine Corps had told him that he could sing it as long as he is not in uniform. But right before he was going to record it his command told him that if he recorded it while he is in active duty he will get charged for disobeying a direct order. But then he is trying to say that it is not a lawful order. Who knows what will happen with him. I say no punishment should be done to that Marine. first they teach us to kill kill kill and then they get mad at us for making a song about how they are going to die because they are attacking you with AKs? It's getting kinda stupid don't ya'll think?