Wikileaks Releases Video of Journalist Killings

Skimmed a bit about it. Terribly frightening stuff.

After watching the full video of the incident, I've got to say I honestly don't see a HUGE problem. You guys know me well enough to know I'm not a big fan of the war or killing in general, but if this was in a battle zone of some sort (which I assume it was, as there were men who obviously had guns on the ground, tanks, and the Apache in the sky raining hell. It didn't sound like they KNEW that the reporters and children were in the van. They should never have been near the site in the first place. But it isn't like this was just senseless slaying of children, at least from what I understand. And maybe I'm missing something. Or I'm assuming too much.

On the other hand, I do think it's a bit wrong that at times these guys sound like a bunch of redneck teenagers playing Halo or something. Maybe that's how they deal with what is, admittedly, a rough experience I'm sure. I think it's kind of wrong for someone to have fun killing someone else. But I can also see how having to kill people would be really hard for me, and I might try to find some way to make myself enjoy it to cope with it. I do think it's pretty hard for any of us to put ourselves in their shoes.

On a less serious note, that was a pretty cool video (all moral shit aside.) Iraqis sure do seem to be good at the duck and scatter routine. I swear I saw some of them jumping before the dust was even flying. And really, how badass were those hellfire missiles?

Well, I can understand where you are coming from.

It didn't sound like they KNEW that the reporters and children were in the van. They should never have been near the site in the first place. But it isn't like this was just senseless slaying of children, at least from what I understand. And maybe I'm missing something. Or I'm assuming too much.

From what I could tell, they mistaked a tripod for an 'rpg' and the reporter's camera for another weapon, at which point they opened fire on the entire group. This is one of those situations that can be argued by both sides forever and nobody is going to actually be at fault because it was in the 'heat' of the moment, whatever. However, the van that arrived to assist the wounded had not done anything threatening as far as I could tell, maybe i'm like you and I missed something, but from what I could tell by watching that video they were just looking to help those that were gunned down.

Regardless of the situation, this is one of the thousands of reasons why the middle-eastern countries we're invading hate us. I'm sure stuff like this happens on a weekly/monthly basis and goes unreported, atleast to our media.

On a less serious note, that was a pretty cool video (all moral shit aside.) Iraqis sure do seem to be good at the duck and scatter routine. I swear I saw some of them jumping before the dust was even flying. And really, how badass were those hellfire missiles?

It was pretty cool video, good quality too. I did notice the tuck and roll by one of the guys in the group that was getting fired on. If it were me out there and there was a blackhawk circling around and I was standing with a bunch of guys in robes I wouldn't be hanging around. Especially in a high-warfare area. Still no excuses for both sides. They killed innocent people, who 'appeared' threatening to them. Maybe this is why we shouldn't be sending our soldiers on 3rd and 4th tours and exposing them to the highest levels of PTSD ever recorded in our military's history.

But, if the "Middle Eastern" as enemy is only an over-exaggeration,
and the Afghanis and Iraqis are innocent, yet the American .Gov is
killing innocent people but you can't see that, then you are as guilty
as the worthy-of-death force behind the military's purpose.

What do you mean by that? Alot of people can't see it... I mean, people who are oblivious to the war, at least. But then, I guess I'm just being a smart ass.

I'm still too scared to watch the video. ;o I'll probably do it tomorrow, if I can remember, but from what you guys say, it's not completely horrible. So, some idiots opened fire on people who didn't need to be shot? Or... do I need to watch the video right now?

You don't have to watch it at all. It's a group of Iraqis and one of them apparently had an AK47 but was just walking with it at his side. The others had cameras and other instruments that were not weapons, but were mistaken for weapons. The chopper circles around a few times and waits to get permission to engage the targets, and then opens fire on the group. A few minutes after they're slain by the chopper a van of good samaritans comes by and tries to get the wounded in the van, and they are also killed. Towards the end of the video, the ground troops find out there were children in the vehicle and ask for permission to take them to the United States triage, and they were denied access.

I am glad to say the CNN has finally picked up the story.

Leaked video reveals chaos of Baghdad attack

Pentagon releases partially redacted report on 2007 attack after footage was leaked Footage of U.S. copter attack that killed two Reuters photojournalists was put on Web Journalists' cameras looked like weapons, report says Journalists were among nine people killed in attack

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/...ex.html?hpt=C1

edit: and LESS THAN 30 MINUTES after the story was posted on the front website, the link and story are comletely gone off of the front page on CNN. Ridiculous. The video link is down near the editor's choice section, but there is no text underneath the video.. oddly enough. I guess negative press against the Military slaughtering innocent people isn't good enough to report to the American people.



Thanks free-media. Thanks democracy. Thanks capitalism. Thanks CNN. Thanks a lot.

I guess negative press against the Military slaughtering innocent people isn't good enough to report to the American people.

Of course not. We're supposed to be the "Good Guys" to the public, remember? Can't make us look bad, or they're will be chaos.

I'm sure that's the only reasoning behind it.