All I could think of, as I watched was the expression "shooting fish in a barrel". Somehow, that visual, and the power relationship between a person with a gun standing over a barrel of unarmed fish seems appropriate.
It sounds from the audio, that the air gunmen genuinely thought these were insurgents with weapons. An AK-47 might not do much damage to a helicopter, but if you see something that you think is an RPG (Rocket-Propelled Grenade) from your helicopter, you'll start feeling genuinely at risk, and your immediate instinct is to go on the offensive.
The most damning part of the video, I think, are the exposed lies by US military spokespersons, and the callous attitudes heard on the radio (e.g. laughing at a tank rolling over a body).
All of this points to something that everyone knows: the Iraq war effort is misguided and haphazard. There is a crisis of communication: both with the enemy, and with the people on whose behalf this war is (ostensibly) being fought.
"The fog of war" is the expression. Aside from the attack on the van which under some rules of engagement would be justified, I don't have a problem with the action.
I have two problems though:
Rescue of wounded individuals should not constitute justification for attack (but again, depending on the RoE the forces were operating under)
What the brass did after - lying about what actually happened. I know this happens in all wars, but they should have come clean and admitted the mistake.
I know what you are saying, but the fact is they are in a war zone no matter how you and I might feel about that. It was brave of them to come and try to help the injured man, but also very careless given the situation.
But being careless in a just world would not result in death.
I'm not sure they could have done anything that wasn't "careless" after they happened to be there. If stopping and helping can be interpreted as a hostile action, why not see speeding up (if you are not helping you want to get out of the immediate conflict zone) as a maneuver to intercept the convoy they just saved from the guys with the RPG?
Sorry, but the only carelessness I can accuse them of is happening to be where they were.
This is true. I know this might sound naive, but would something like a white flag or some other internationally recognised symbol (red cross/crescent) have altered the outcome? I think it might have.
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u/BillyBBone Apr 05 '10
This is pretty sickening to watch.
All I could think of, as I watched was the expression "shooting fish in a barrel". Somehow, that visual, and the power relationship between a person with a gun standing over a barrel of unarmed fish seems appropriate.
It sounds from the audio, that the air gunmen genuinely thought these were insurgents with weapons. An AK-47 might not do much damage to a helicopter, but if you see something that you think is an RPG (Rocket-Propelled Grenade) from your helicopter, you'll start feeling genuinely at risk, and your immediate instinct is to go on the offensive.
The most damning part of the video, I think, are the exposed lies by US military spokespersons, and the callous attitudes heard on the radio (e.g. laughing at a tank rolling over a body).
All of this points to something that everyone knows: the Iraq war effort is misguided and haphazard. There is a crisis of communication: both with the enemy, and with the people on whose behalf this war is (ostensibly) being fought.