http://collateralmurder.com/ 5th April 2010 10:44 EST 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. The military did not reveal how the Reuters staff were killed, and stated that they did not know how the children were injured. After demands by Reuters, the incident was investigated and the U.S. military concluded that the actions of the soldiers were in accordance with the law of armed conflict and its own "Rules of Engagement". Consequently, WikiLeaks has released the classified Rules of Engagement for 2006, 2007 and 2008, revealing these rules before, during, and after the killings. WikiLeaks has released both the original 38 minutes video and a shorter version with an initial analysis. Subtitles have been added to both versions from the radio transmissions. WikiLeaks obtained this video as well as supporting documents from a number of military whistleblowers. WikiLeaks goes to great lengths to verify the authenticity of the information it receives. We have analyzed the information about this incident from a variety of source material. We have spoken to witnesses and journalists directly involved in the incident. WikiLeaks wants to ensure that all the leaked information it receives gets the attention it deserves. In this particular case, some of the people killed were journalists that were simply doing their jobs: putting their lives at risk in order to report on war. Iraq is a very dangerous place for journalists: from 2003- 2009, 139 journalists were killed while doing their work.
Quote at 20 seconds in, "Although some of the men appear to have been armed, the behavior of nearly everyone was relaxed". The operative words, "Appear" and "nearly" are important. The fact was some were armed and ready to engage. Lessons learned...if you're going to film enemy combatants in action, you should be aware that your ass might get shot too. People that hide behind thier children while engaged in combat are solely and directly responsible for whatever happens to those children. But don't let the facts get in the way of your political bias.
Under President Obama, "The war (in Afghanistan) has become far deadlier and far more costly, setting records last year for the numbers of troops and civilians killed." http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N28221289.htm I guess that's what happens when you switch from a Christian president to a liberal messiah.
What bias? I don't lean either way, nor did I give any opinion. Everyone is free to make up their own mind. I suggest you do the same. If the comments weren't directed at me, I retract what I just wrote.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/05/wikileaks-exposes-video-o_n_525569.html Ronald Reagan: "retaliation in which innocent civilians are killed is 'itself a terrorist act.'"
Around 3:41 if you look at the group behind the first group of men approaching the buildings the equipment the men have certainly could be mistaken for weapons. One of them has some type of object hanging from the shoulder and the other has a five foot solid rod that looks like a tripod or an RPG. Secondly around 4:07 one of the men can clearly be seen peaking around the corner of the wall with some type of object in his hands. At 4:19 it seems as if the man stands up right when the Apache loses its shot and seems to be aiming something in the direction of the Apache. Based on those three observations I would consider those men to be hostile. Also, what type of people stop their car on the side of the road and pickup injured people on a battlefield while having kids in the car? They are either terrorists themselves or completely stupid.
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Starting a thread with an article and video that leans a certain way is bias in itself unless you posted this without your knowledge .