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Published on Tuesday, April 6, 2010 by Democracy Now!
Massacre Caught on Tape: U.S. Military Confirms Authenticity of Their Own Chilling Video Showing Killing of Journalists
The U.S. military has confirmed the authenticity of newly-released video showing U.S. forces indiscriminately firing on Iraqi civilians. On Monday, the website WikiLeaks.org posted footage taken from a U.S. military helicopter in July 2007 as it killed twelve people and wounded two children. The dead included two employees of the Reuters news agency, photographer Namir Noor-Eldeen and driver Saeed Chmagh. We speak with WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange and Salon.com blogger Glenn Greenwald.
Posted in wikileaks
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33 Comments so far
Show AllWhat the hell good is a war if you can't massacre civilians? I have seen many such macho events in my lifetime courtesy of 'our heroes.'
"Come on, fire!!"
"Come on, shoot!!"
AK 47's . . . or the paranoia of a military gone haywire?
The most brutal and cruel army ever raised?
The targets have been "disengaged" . . . ???
Just like a video game, eh?
We need to overturn this Military Industrial/Intelligence Complex which includes now control of CIA and Pentagon
of most of our media!
"According to all myth, the female - not the male -- gives life"
You're right. I don't want 'em back here. Mideast vets give me the creeps. The problem is what to do with them. They're like radioactive waste. Do we keep inventing new wars to keep them busy? Do we make them into cops or prison guards? Do we euthanize them? If the Army can't return to their mothers the children they bagged at recruitment tables in high school parking lots, if they must change them into robotic monsters, then I guess I think they should keep them. In cages if necessary. If you break it you buy it. Of course that is just fantasy. Who is going to put the army in a cage? Or our demented society? What is more likely is that the levels of physical and moral toxicity will just keep rising until, according to the laws of organic disease, we mercifully disappear. Mother nature's way of taking out the trash.
The people that sent them off and sit comfortably in offices give me the creeps more.
Joe
It may not make the evening news in this miserable shambles of a country, but I can gaurantee that it's playing everywhere else in the world-and in the Middle East in particular, and in the end, that may be what counts. These murderous jerks should be charged with war crimes.What do you think the chances of that are?
mph
This is more than disturbing. The mentality that "sees" the enemy everywhere is generated by military paranoia. Is it a question of these guys being in a war-zone too many months or too many times? Is it a question of their lack of proximity to the individuals they are shooting at coupled with videogame-like training that results in the dehumanized attitude? Something is very wrong with the Iraq and Afghanistan situation, and there appears to be no accountability in sight.
The accepted meme amongst far too many is that had those Military Personel in those helicopters not killed those 12 Iraqis, Americans would not be able to vote or to speak their minds in forums such as this.
It is certainly ludicrous if one takes a moment of time to examine it but it WORKS. WHY does it work? As long as that continues to work these murders will continue to happen.
I wonder what the director of the pro-war "Best Picture" winning Oscar movie "Hurt Locker", such a great fan or our "war heroes" thinks of this!
It is incidents like this that create 'terrorists' - people mad with the desire to wreak vengeance!
I took the meaning of 'Hurt Locker' to be that war is a drug. The behavior of the helicopter gunner in this video is of someone hopped up on that drug, and not handling it well. So, I think it complements the movie, to some degree.
The pilot/gunner in this video is handling it very well, really. It appears that he followed policy, got permission, and "engaged" with positive results. His job is doing exactly what he did in the video.
The big problem is that the USA needs oil. Iraq has oil that the USA is controlling.
There is no down side for the pilot/gunner doing their job, and there is no down side to the USA killing people for their oil.
The pilot is insulated from his murders, and the public is insulated from their need for oil at any cost.
Troubling stuff to consider, but what you say has some truth to it.
I would, however, say that there is some culpability on the part of those who asked for permission as it was fairly clear that they wanted to kill all the bastards on the ground. I guess there is a difference between a war zone and the streets where cops at least have to have have a reasonable belief that a perp has a gun and intends to use it on an officer. In a war zone you can shoot away and enjoy it.
But ultimately, you're right - we sanction it with every drop of oil we use. If we don't like that, we'd better change it. Far too easy to blame a few grunts or officers or even the MIC without seeing our role in it. Things will not change until we do.
smitty88, IMO, that's one of the points: to foment a steady supply of "enemies" to keep both wings of the party of money and war in good stead, with the profits on their side and the costs on the little people's.
PeaceTruthBeauty!
Jack Chase
So now they're exposed as the murderers they routinely are! Here's evidence of heinous criminality, etc. etc. Well, guess what. Not one fucking thing will happen. As Greenwald says, this kind of thing happens EVERY DAY in Iraq and Afghanistan, so if anything were expected to come of this video it would expose the true character of our "occupations" of those countries, lay bare the actual reasons for the invasions in the first place, and open about ten dozen more cans of worms our fear-driven leaders simply cannot and will not permit. I admire Wikileaks for getting this out, but there have already been MANY similar exposes of US atrocities, for about two centuries, and not a goddamn thing ever happens.
Remember Bush and Cheney, and their war criminal thug family? Has anything happened to them? Obama gives a bomber-jacket talk in Kabul a few days ago and our "watchdog" media showers him with praise for war crimes promised and already committed. The killing of these two Reuters reporters and the dozen or so others near them, kids and all, will pass unnoticed and remain unaccounted for, just as all our violations against humanity and the earth always do. Hell, Apache helicopters could rain hellfire missiles on the New York Times headquarters, and the paper of record would find some way of rationalizing it or dismissing it as just more SOP.
Karma will be a bitch, as usual. Not looking forward to it.
Disturbing? A mild word. We are witnessing war crimes, narrated with military euphemisms and racist assumptions. Engage? I would like to "engage" those who order and carry out these crimes. Every society has perverts and sadists. Question is, do you stop them or give them work that excites them?
We have become the chief demented bullies and criminals of the world. We have allowed ourselves to give up our souls in order to support the criminal war profiteers who pull the strings and get wealthier and wealthier while we kill civilians and pervert our own children. The sooner we face these facts, the better for everyone.
I hope the troops say no. I am a human. I will not do this.
Thank you again, Amy.
Joe
It used to make me throw up, after returning from Vietnam, to hear my friends and family say shit like," If we don't stop them over there, we'll have to fight em here". To watch atrocities like the one on the film makes me sick. I understand the language of the troops involved. It's bad boy talk we all engaged in to hide our fears and apprehesions about the awful things we did.The military exacts the same twisted logic that is expected from any LA gang banger. Don't hate and revile them. They are only pawns in the same fucked up game. When they come home and are exposed to quiet times and alcohol they'll be as remorsfull and damaged as any combat vet. And I'm heartly sorry for these sins and all the sins of my life.
I understand, really. The "mission" is bullshit. The soldiers need to hide fear, confusion and doubt with swagger and macho argot. But there comes a time when you have to think and be a human... My cousin went AWOL after some sickening helicopter events in Vietnam. The family and friends took him in and hid him. I have never regretted that, nor our efforts against the Vietnam invasion.
I would be more angry at the troops if I did take some of the blame myself. I think of my own inability, and yours, to be effective in stopping these horrible invasions, in which, as you say, the soldiers are pawns. The Vietnamese had a well-organized resistance which was instrumental in driving us out. Compared with that, the Iraqis and Afghans are just disorganized sitting ducks. There is no sense to all this killing, no end in sight. I believe it is up to us to end it.
Joe
Thank you Robert for your perspective. My thoughts and prayers are with you and all other vets who are forced to live with the guilt that our leaders apparently are incapable of feeling. I certainly know who is responsible for these atrocities, but unfortunately it is those who are only following orders who are the only ones held accountable.
I wonder why CD didn't pick up Greenwald's piece on this subject in Salon today.
For anybody interested:
http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2010/04/06/iraq
Maybe you have noticed by now but that article is posted as the main headline in CD.
OK, folks,
1. if you want oil to run the empire, get used to this murder.
2. This is USA military policy from on high. Prosecute the leadership.
3. These guys who shot are innocent of any crime. They requested permission to fire and it was granted. If they shot the "wrong people" it was a mistake born of policy from on high.
4. This is classic air interdiction using helicopter gun ships. What is missing are scout helicopter to confirm the targets.
Obamageddon is now a war criminal without doubt, and every congressman who voted to continue this occupation.
"What is missing are scout helicopter to confirm the targets. "
What targets? Does anyone know or care who we are shooting at or why? What I see is people walking around their own devastated country, driving with their children, helping wounded on the street. It seems to me from the video that the goal was to "engage" (shoot unarmed random people) and get a few laffs while doing so.
What is missing is any justification to be there shooting at the Iraqis at all.
Joe
What the soldiers are innocent? It appears that both the base and the pilots conspired in this plot. The pilots relayed false info the the operating base. Do you think this was by accident or design? Is it because there is nothing else to do? Might as well shoot someone. Why shoot a rescue operation? What no symbol on the side that says they can't help the wounded? All fabricated by those involved (threat that is). Stop apologizing for the poor combat soldier. Murder through and through. Looks like what was done in vietnam on a daily basis (I am sure it is exactly that way in Iraq) and what was displayed by tiger force.
Good points just miss directed to the wrong conclusion.
The pilot/gunner did exactly what he was trained to do. Again, for every "engagement," he got permission from the base.
I don't know what exactly the policy instructs, but un uniformed people are probably regarded as enemy combatants.
The good Samaritans in the vehicle had no red crescent or cross on the side. Briefing probably recounted the resent bombings in Baghdad.
Who wants to die for a wasted cause while patrolling the ground by helicopter, anyway.
Once you are there, even if you know it is a mistake, you have to survive.
War ain't pretty, is it; but they are carrying out the policy of the Congress and Obamageddon. And it is always easy to blame the soldier because he/she is as powerless as you.
Wrong, it's an all volunteer army. No one is pointing a gun at their head saying "kill!". Did you listen to the audio? "Look at those dead bastards." "Nice".
You are powerless if that's what you believe. That's exactly what they want you to think so they can get away with murder, worldwide.
Killing innocent people and children, then smugly laughing it off with a comment like, "that's what happens when you bring kids to a war zone," is inexcusable, as well as ridiculously stupid. Their home was likely around the corner.
It's an all volunteer army but if you have no other options and are hoping to get an education and all that the army promises, there really is no "volunteer" in it. There is no choice for many. Those who might have other options have also been brainwashed by the same propaganda machine we all fight by coming to sites like CD. I'm fortunate to live in SF where there are alternative voices, but many are inundated with the same propaganda day in day out and see themselves really as fighting for their country. They know not what they do.
It's volunteer, even if other options are limited, and these fuckers knew exactly what they were doing, and laughing about it.
I used to be sympathetic to soldiers, but not any more. All willing participants in an indisputably illegal war are war criminals, as far as I'm concerned. Bastards.
DCH-This shoot-em up happened when Bush was in office and it's taken this long for someone to have enough backbone and disgust to get the video out for the world to see. The military does not want this type of film out because it shows what really goes on. They will then do all the lying and spinning and hope it goes away. If enough people see this film they will start to realize that it is a metaphor for the whole screwed up invasion and occupation of Iraq. The military took their cue from Bush when he had the offices of Al-Jezeera bombed in both Baghdad and Kabul as a warning to stop showing all those videos of innocent war dead. Tony Blair literally talked him out of having a bomb placed at the Al-Jazeera offices in Qataar, a neutral country. There can be no defense for the chopper pilot. He committed a war crime and compounded it by shooting and killing the wounded and rescuers. He was so cheerful and enthusiastic that you would think he was at a football game cheering on his team. There should be an investigation to hunt him and the commanding officer of his unit down and give them court martials. The military knows that you do not kill wounded prisoners. Write your members of Congress. Don't just vent here.
The pilot was the one passing the information. He saw what was occuring on the ground better than that which we do in the video, and it's obvious that cameras are not RPGs. It was all wink, wink, nudge, nudge misinformation. He was making it up as he went along. He was the most guilty in this incident, and the system that fosters this type of action is totally corrupt. Enough of this nonsense that "our boys" have no control over this form of murder. They were men killing other men and women indiscriminately without any sense of remorse. The behavior of US service men presented through this video is sickening.
DCH
''War ain't pretty, is it; but they are carrying out the policy of the Congress and Obamageddon. And it is always easy to blame the soldier because he/she is as powerless as you.''
But then, we HEAR and we SEE :
*Giggling excitedly... haha... haha.. good shot... haha... !! There's a wounded guy crawling on the ground.. Kill him. Bastard! Get him.. he might have a gun somewhere.*
The murderers .. those who carried out this massacre couldn't have done anything else? Oh YES they could. And you know it.. you could not help but know it.
How about the murderers' vile lie : ... 'Hey, the parents shouldn't have brought their kids into a BATTLE'.
THERE WAS NO BATTLE.. And you know that too.
New to posting here, although I have visited for some time now. Anyway, hello and my apologies if this has already been mentioned.
DCH says:
"And it is always easy to blame the soldier because he/she is as powerless as you."
Not that DCH necessarily is, but I have seen many such pronouncements seeking to excuse those involved since the release of this footage and they are not strictly true. Principle IV established at Nuremberg states:
"The fact that a person acted pursuant to order of his Government or of a superior does not relieve him from responsibility under international law, provided a moral choice was in fact possible to him".
The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court has adopted a variation:
1. The fact that a crime within the jurisdiction of the Court has been committed by a person pursuant to an order of a Government or of a superior, whether military or civilian, shall not relieve that person of criminal responsibility unless:
(a) The person was under a legal obligation to obey orders of the Government or the superior in question;
(b) The person did not know that the order was unlawful; and
(c) The order was not manifestly unlawful.
2. For the purposes of this article, orders to commit genocide or crimes against humanity are manifestly unlawful.
And, as we know, Bush Jnr. stated many times that Iraqis would not be allowed to use the excuse, 'I was just following orders'. Universality would suggest that that should cut both ways.
Sometimes personal ethics and morality, however corrupted, should outweigh orders and if they can't, well, then there should be repurcussions.
Someday I would like to hear from the person who decided to turn this video over to wikileaks. What kind of Amazing Grace did he experience?
Joe