Topaz Posted April 11, 2010 Report Share Posted April 11, 2010 An Apache helicopter shot down 12 people and two were children, 2 were Reuters news staff. After watching this video, twice, these guys in the helicopter overacted. The cameras the men were carrying didn't look like guns to me and after the first round of shooting, the people on the ground tried to get the injured into the van, which then, the helcopter fired again at the van the kids were sitting in. I can't believe with all the tech. military advancements, that the soldiers couldn't tell a camera from a rifle with their high-powered glasses or did they even use them to make sure or did they just think automatically is was a gun? The video is on www.wikileaks.com and wans't part of the article. http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/reuters/100411/us/politics_us_iraq_usa_journalists Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonam Posted April 11, 2010 Report Share Posted April 11, 2010 An Apache helicopter shot down 12 people and two were children, 2 were Reuters news staff. After watching this video, twice, these guys in the helicopter overacted. The cameras the men were carrying didn't look like guns to me and after the first round of shooting, the people on the ground tried to get the injured into the van, which then, the helcopter fired again at the van the kids were sitting in. I can't believe with all the tech. military advancements, that the soldiers couldn't tell a camera from a rifle with their high-powered glasses or did they even use them to make sure or did they just think automatically is was a gun? The video is on www.wikileaks.com and wans't part of the article. http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/reuters/100411/us/politics_us_iraq_usa_journalists I already made a thread on this topic here: http://www.mapleleafweb.com/forums//index.php?showtopic=16168 From what people have presented in that thread, it sounds like there were indeed weapons at the scene, not just cameras. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimmy Posted April 11, 2010 Report Share Posted April 11, 2010 What a huge disappointment. I was hoping this was about actual Apaches. -k Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bush_cheney2004 Posted April 11, 2010 Report Share Posted April 11, 2010 An Apache helicopter shot down 12 people and two were children, 2 were Reuters news staff. After watching this video, twice, these guys in the helicopter overacted.... Nope....the enemy was identified and permission to fire was granted. The M230 chain gun is often seen as an "over-reaction" by the targets in its sights. That's exactly what it is suppose to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeyStone Posted April 13, 2010 Report Share Posted April 13, 2010 Yeah, the disturbing thing here, is that the military thinks that it is acceptable to kill people that are trying to help the injured. This wasn't a couple of rogue soldiers, this is standard protocol. The fact that they mistook cameras for weapons, and didn't know their were reporters with the others is perfectly understandable. But to kill unarmed people that were only engaged in helping the wounded is absolutely unacceptable. It also seems a bit surprising that they believe that possession of a weapon is enough to justify a death sentence, but allegedly there were events that took place just prior that suggested a high probability that these men had acted against US or civilian forces. Even so, it seems quite cowardly to open fire from a distance, without at least offering these men a chance to surrender. The US seems to value about 100 Iraqi lives to one of their own, which is part of the reason that they will never win hearts and minds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.Dancer Posted April 13, 2010 Report Share Posted April 13, 2010 Yeah, the disturbing thing here, is that the military thinks that it is acceptable to kill people that are trying to help the injured. This wasn't a couple of rogue soldiers, this is standard protocol. Missing from the people "trying to aid" the injured was a Red Cross, Red Crescent etc etc....otherwise the assumption is they were helping the wounded...escape. A fair cop as the brits would say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bush_cheney2004 Posted April 14, 2010 Report Share Posted April 14, 2010 Yeah, the disturbing thing here, is that the military thinks that it is acceptable to kill people that are trying to help the injured. This wasn't a couple of rogue soldiers, this is standard protocol. Correct....the threat was eliminated along with "collateral damage"....been standard protocol for a long time. The fact that they mistook cameras for weapons, and didn't know their were reporters with the others is perfectly understandable. But to kill unarmed people that were only engaged in helping the wounded is absolutely unacceptable. Helping the wounded do what? Escape to the hospital? It also seems a bit surprising that they believe that possession of a weapon is enough to justify a death sentence, but allegedly there were events that took place just prior that suggested a high probability that these men had acted against US or civilian forces. This would get you killed in South Central Los Angeles, let alone a war zone in Iraq. Even so, it seems quite cowardly to open fire from a distance, without at least offering these men a chance to surrender. The US seems to value about 100 Iraqi lives to one of their own, which is part of the reason that they will never win hearts and minds. Better to live and tell about it than try to satisfy some ridiculous notion some have about "surrender" in a free fire zone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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