US Collateral Murder

[blm]

WikiLeaks has released a classified US military video depicting the indiscriminate slaying of over a dozen people in the Iraqi suburb of New Baghdad -- including two Reuters news staff. Reuters has been trying to obtain the video through the Freedom of Information Act, without success since the time of the attack. The video, shot from an Apache helicopter gun-site, clearly shows the unprovoked slaying of a wounded Reuters employee and his rescuers. Two young children involved in the rescue were also seriously wounded.


WikiLeaks

[decadecadeca]

Watch the complete video and make your own decision.

The men in the street clearly had weapons to include RPGs.

Reporters can't tag around with bad guys and not expect bad shit to happen.

[Konitz]

That was a bad ass video; as far as I am concerned they should just fly around and shoot everyone over there.

[Bouncer]

I think we have the benefit of knowing more details after the fact. we also don't know what happened before that video leading up to that event.

[Konitz]

I think we have the benefit of knowing more details after the fact. we also don't know what happened before that video leading up to that event.

Unfortunately, simpletons will see people being slaughtered and children needlessly killed. Therefore, these delusional peoples points will ring true.

[Bouncer]

Unfortunately, simpletons will see people being slaughtered and children needlessly killed. Therefore, these delusional peoples points will ring true.

one thing i will point out though is that i think the pilots and gunner could have been more professional about how they went about it and what they said. there were a few comments and snarks made that were out of line. sort of seemed like they were playing a video game. i would have like to have seen more professionalism.

[redsquirrel]

I agree with the whole video game thing. It appeared to me that they were just walking down the street- I didn't see any of them having any weapons...we're talking about the same video, right? At the end they shoot up a van & stuff?

[Bouncer]

"The problem, according to many who have viewed the video, is that WikiLeaks appears to have done selective editing that tells only half the story. For instance, the Web site takes special care to slow down the video and identify the two photographers and the cameras they are carrying.

However, the Web site does not slow down the video to show that at least one man in that group was carrying a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, a clearly visible weapon that runs nearly two-thirds the length of his body.

WikiLeaks also does not point out that at least one man was carrying an AK-47 assault rifle. He is seen swinging the weapon below his waist while standing next to the man holding the RPG. "

[Konitz]

one thing i will point out though is that i think the pilots and gunner could have been more professional about how they went about it and what they said. there were a few comments and snarks made that were out of line. sort of seemed like they were playing a video game. i would have like to have seen more professionalism.

I don't think you can make that call; you are shooting people with guns you have to handle it a specific way to cope with the reality of the situation.

[Bouncer]

"Julian Assange, a WikiLeaks editor, acknowledged in an interview Tuesday evening that "it's likely some of the individuals seen in the video were carrying weapons."

Assange said his suspicions about the weapons were so strong that a draft version of the video they produced made specific reference to the AK-47s and RPGs. Ultimately, Assange said, WikiLeaks became "unsure" about the weapons. He claimed the RPG could have been a camera tripod, so editors decided not to point it out."

[decadecadeca]

Watch the entire video, not the shorter edited version.

Small arms and RPGs were clearly visible and confirmed.

The reporters were following with known combatants, not a behavior conducive to a long healthy life.

The people in the van brought their children with them to a hot zone, in a combat area to retrieve injured enemy. Again, the death of the children is the result of their poor judgement, not the fault of the US soldiers.

[Bouncer]

I don't think you can make that call; you are shooting people with guns you have to handle it a specific way to cope with the reality of the situation.

by )(specific way to cope) do you mean joke around and make light of the situation? that is not ever how a united states soldier (especially the pilot of an Apache gunship) is ever supposed to act during any mission.

do not make excuses for stupid behavior.

[decadecadeca]

by )(specific way to cope) do you mean joke around and make light of the situation? that is not ever how a united states soldier (especially the pilot of an Apache gunship) is ever supposed to act during any mission.

do not make excuses for stupid behavior.

People use humor to cope with stress in every walk of life.

US military are no different. It's a warrior mindset, and it's needed to get the job done.

I didn't hear anything out of line.

[Bouncer]

Watch the entire video, not the shorter edited version.

Small arms and RPGs were clearly visible and confirmed.

The reporters were following with known combatants, not a behavior conducive to a long healthy life.

The people in the van brought their children with them to a hot zone, in a combat area to retrieve injured enemy. Again, the death of the children is the result of their poor judgement, not the fault of the US soldiers.

all correct except 1 point. the van was trying to pick up the injured Reuters reporter not necessarily the enemy.

but yes i agree, the reporter should not be walking around with guys with RPG's and ak-47's in the middle of the street.

[decadecadeca]

all correct except 1 point. the van was trying to pick up the injured Reuters reporter not necessarily the enemy.

but yes i agree, the reporter should not be walking around with guys with RPG's and ak-47's in the middle of the street.

But it's not like the reporter was wearing a huge flag that said "GOOD GUY". He made the choice to travel with the enemy and he paid the price. Those people in the van should have known better as well.