The decision to begin an Iraqi inquiry into the killings was made at a Cabinet meeting, Adnan al-Kazimi, an adviser to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, told The Associated Press.

The investigation will be carried out by a special committee made up of the Justice and Human Rights ministries along with security officials, al-Kazimi said.

The U.S. military already is conducting at least two investigations into the Nov. 19 killings of 24 people in Haditha, including women and children, following a bomb attack on a military convoy in which a Marine died.

Military investigators have evidence that points toward unprovoked murders by Marines in Haditha, a senior defense official said last week.

A U.S. military investigation will conclude that some officers gave false testimony to their superiors, who then failed to scrutinize the reports adequately, The Washington Post reported.

The probe, which is separate from an investigation into possible criminal actions by the Marines, also will call for changes in how troops are trained for duty in Iraq, the Post reported.

"We do want to express our deepest condolences to the families who lost a loved one in Haditha," Maj. Gen. William Caldwell, spokesman for the Multi-National Force-Iraq, said in a Baghdad news conference. "The coalition does not and will not tolerate any unethical or criminal behavior. All allegations of such activity will be fully investigated."

He added that the U.S. military constantly strives to avoid civilian casualties and has promised the deaths in Haditha, 220 kilometers (140 miles) northwest of Baghdad, will be fully investigated.

"Let me be very clear about one point. The coalition does not and will not tolerate any unethical or criminal behavior. Any allegations of such activities will be fully investigated and any members found to have committed these violations will be held accountable," Caldwell said.

He said that "about three or four" investigations were being carried out around Iraq "at this time," but would not provide any details.

An investigation into the killings at Haditha was ordered on Feb. 14 by Lt. Gen. Peter Chiarelli, the commander of Multinational Corps in Iraq, Caldwell said.

An investigator presented Chiarelli "with the initial findings of that preliminary investigation. Based on the recommendations of the investigating officer, he directed further review of the incident and that subsequent review is now ongoing."

Caldwell could not talk about any specifics on that investigation or a separate investigation by the U.S. Navy criminal instigative service.

"The naval criminal investigative service is investigating allegations of misconduct stemming from the Marines actions," he said, adding that their findings would be reported to the commanding general of Marine forces central command "for appropriate action."

He said that the investigation being conducted by Chiarelli was looking at "policies and procedures such as those pertaining to training and reporting," while the Navy was looking "looking into allegations of criminal misconduct."

Al-Maliki said he asked a ministerial committee to hold talks with the U.S. military to set ground rules for raids and detentions.

When asked about Iraqi complaints that U.S. forces show no regard for their lives during raids and detentions, al-Maliki said he objected to such practices.

"We cannot forgive violations of the dignity of the Iraqi people," he said at a news conference. He also said the Cabinet had agreed to issue a statement denouncing such practices.

Lt. Gen. Peter Chiarelli, the commander of Multinational Corps Iraq, said the ethical training would emphasize "professional military values and the importance of disciplined, professional conduct in combat," as well as Iraqi cultural expectations.

"As military professionals, it is important that we take time to reflect on the values that separate us from our enemies," he said. "The challenge for us is to make sure the actions of a few do not tarnish the good work of the many."

The training will be conducted in units in the next 30 days and was aimed at reinforcing training service members received prior to their deployment, according to his statement. It will also include presentations and slide shows, the military said.

"Of the nearly 150,000 Coalition Forces presently in Iraq, 99.9 percent of them perform their jobs magnificently every day," Chiarelli said. Of those troops, about 130,000 are from the United States.

Some experts agreed with the military's decision, but cautioned the training must constantly be reinforced.

"I think it's a healthy thing," said Howard Prince, director of the Center for Ethical Leadership at the University of Texas at Austin and a retired Army general. "It's time to step back and do refresher training to remind those how the United States wages war."

But Prince warned it needed constant reinforcemen to have more than a short-term affect.

"I think it'll have an effect, but effect won't be as powerful if it's not sustained by continuous efforts on part of leadership at every level," Prince said. "Leaders need to keep those things alive once you're in theater. Once you're there, the stress of being in daily combat can erode people's moral conduct."

Prince also blamed a "revolving door" deployment policy that has worn on U.S. troops on their second and third tours in Iraq. The accused Marine battalion was on its third tour in less than 2 1/2 years. In comparison to the 10-year Vietnam conflict, most troops then only did two tours, Prince said.

"Repeated deployments have a cumulative effect on people's ability to maintain moral judgment, tactic standards," said Prince. "Leaders have to be aware of the cumulative, longterm effects of repeated deployments into this highly stressful and danger situation out there. We're wearing out our vounteer Army and Marines is what we're doing. And that's because the services are too small."

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