WikiLeaks Video

[FreckleFart 0]

I've seen worse than this. But yeah, I agree with all of the above.

Americans really are bastards. <33

[Chase 390]

I'd rather be courtmartialed than have to do that. I guess that's why I'm not in the military.

Okay, I can sorta see how they thought the two cameras were AK-47s, and I can kinda see how he thought it was an RPG, but damn they were way too quick on the draw. And the way that talk about them, "bastards" and shit...I don't care who you are, how you've been trained, or what you've been through. They're people, just like you and me. There's no excuse for what happened in that video. NO EXCUSE. If you don't have a clear visual, don't shoot. Don't ask for permission to shoot. Watch and wait. Be very careful about it. This wasn't a war situation. In a war-like situation, this is acceptable. But these people were just strolling down the street. Come on. There's obviously a difference.

[DocHobo 0]

Americans really are bastards. <33

And sometimes you have to be a bastard to get what you want <33

But yeah, this is sad to see considering we should have never gone into Iraq anyway.

[Skippy 82]

Okay, after watching this video, this was, I think, a tragic case of mistaken identity.

Let me just say this, you are in a hostile part of Iraq, the enemy wears no uniform, could quite literally be anything. You are with someone who has a weapon out (3:41 at least one) (there was at least on rifle), in a country where only the military and police are allowed to have weapons, and is currently in urban war. You are a reporter who is with armed individuals without informing the proper authorities. (I don't know the assignment, but it wouldn't be the first time a news agency was hanging around insurgents for a news story)

An apache sees you, sees weapons, engages what very much looks like insurgents, you take a risk of engagement if you travel with these people. That apache was about a half mile to a mile away at the time. Then after the engagement, did anyone notice that they saw he was wounded, and they were rushing in so they could save him, they were trying to get in in time to make sure they could do something for him. Then, your buddies in a van are dumb enough to drive into an unsecured area that just go shot up by an apache, you know that it was americans, the iraqis don't have helos capable of that. If you are ever in an area that gets attacked by an apache, STAY THE puppy OUT until troops secure the area or you WILL BE SHOT. Especially if you look like you are about to take away the hostile threat.

Lionheart, we are in a war like situation in Iraq, our troops are attacked daily by an enemy we can't identify by a uniform, the next bomb or shooting could be by anyone from that 40 year old man having coffee across the street, to the little boy running with a ball, quick and decisive action saves our troops lives, there is a reason news agencies are supposed o report their deployments in hostile areas, and generally have some sort of escort. The first shot may have been a mistake, but the van coming in, was just stupid.

And yes, Lionheart, they will speak like that about insurgents, they are cold. They kill people for a living, the choices are to become depressed, cold, or lose your mind. Most of them go cold, it's life, again, snipers are the same way, when you have to look at who you killed, and can see their faces, cold is the only way to save your mind.

[Chase 390]

They're in a helicopter. Even if the group all pulled out AK-47s from their asses and began firing, I'm confident they would have enough time to react.

I understand we're in a warlike situation, but that doesn't excuse the killing of innocents. What if someone took over the US? What if a helicopter hovered over your house, and as you tried to walk down to the grocery store, the helicopter opened fire on you? Call me sentimental, say that they had no other choice, but to me this was unacceptable.

And I guess I'm just not meant for the military, assuming this is what it's like. Being a cold-hearted bastard isn't my style.

[Teto 2609]

I know a guy personally who was sent out there. He shot civilians who picked up guns and stabbed a guy in the chest until he could see the ribs.

It really puppyed him up for a while. He's a nice guy.

[Skippy 82]

They're in a helicopter. Even if the group all pulled out AK-47s from their asses and began firing, I'm confident they would have enough time to react.

I understand we're in a warlike situation, but that doesn't excuse the killing of innocents. What if someone took over the US? What if a helicopter hovered over your house, and as you tried to walk down to the grocery store, the helicopter opened fire on you? Call me sentimental, say that they had no other choice, but to me this was unacceptable.

And I guess I'm just not meant for the military, assuming this is what it's like. Being a cold-hearted bastard isn't my style.

Yes, they are in a helicopter, probably designated to clear the area, a known hostile area, by the way, of insurgent forces. By the definition, there is no way to tell an innocent or an insurgent, they aren't wearing nametags. There is a reason the press is supposed to inform the iraqi police of where they will be, especially when entering hostile zones.

If someone took over the U.S., I would not be surprised if a helicopter was over my house, and shot me when I walked out with a gun, in fact, i wouldn't be surprised if someone shot me and everyone with me. Then if someone entered the engagement with a vehicle, and attempted to remove the wounded, I would expect them to shoot the van. That is war, even if the first shoot was wrong, the people in the van were idiotic for entering the zone. Sorry this hurts you so much, war is messy.

No, I would imagine you would not do well in a fighting job in the military. They aren't cold when they go, and most get over it when they get back, but in action, cold is what saves you.

ANd silves, I know a guy who was a .50cal gunner on humvee convoys, his letters home were horrible, he spoke so bad about the insurgents and the hellhole he was in, how much he hated Iraq. After he came home, he told us that it was hard, and in all reality, most of the people are nice, but it sucks when someone would open fire on them from a car or van, and he'd have to shoot them, then that mans son or wife would pick up the gun and shoot back at the American troops. War isn't always black and white, it isn't always uniformed soldiers, sometimes the line of innocent and not is crossed in seconds.

[DocHobo 0]

War has changed.

It's no longer about nations, ideologies or ethnicity.

It's an endless series of proxy battles, fought by mercenaries and machines.

War, and its consumption of life, has become a well-oiled machine.

War has changed.

ID tagged soldiers carry ID tagged weapons, use ID tagged gear. Nanomachines inside their bodies enhance and regulate their abilities.

Genetic control.

Information control.

Emotion control.

Battlefield control.

Everything is monitored, and kept under control.

War has changed.

The age of deterrence has become the age of control.

All in the name of averting catastrophe from weapons of mass destruction.

And he who controls the battlefield, controls history.

War has changed.

When the battlefield is under total control, war, becomes routine.

On a side note, I love being American.

<3

[PrimaGaga 1025]

War has become different over time.

[pheonix561 2080]

What was that poem thing from?