Reuters Reporters Killed in Iraq - Video

[cronxeh]

Made my stomach queezy first time I've seen this.


Explicit VIDEO from Iraqi War shows the death of 12 people including two Reuters news staff

[link and quote deleted]

I'm not sure if its because those enlisted Army guys become pilots or its so hot in Iraq that you can't think clearly, but whatever happened to rules of engagement? They were not shot at, how did they just slaughter 12 people and what we would call an ambulance state-side that responded to the incident. I could even forgive all that, but what really pisses me off is how they laughed it off, cursed over the airways, knowing this was a recorded video. I mean, how did these rednecks get access to advanced weaponry?

 

[russ_watters]

This story has been picked-up on CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/04/05/iraq.photographers.killed/index.html?hpt=T2

The U.S. investigation into the attack found that the helicopter gunship's crew mistook the journalists' cameras for weapons while seeking out insurgents who had been firing at American troops in the area. The fliers estimated they killed 12 to 15 Iraqis in the attack.

"This tragic incident was investigated at that time by the brigade involved and the investigation found that the forces involved were not aware of the presence of the two reporters, and that all evidence available supported the conclusion by those forces that they were engaging armed insurgents, and not civilians," Maj. Shawn Turner, a U.S. military spokesman, told CNN in a written statement Monday.

The Army's 2007 report on the incident found the crew had "neither reason nor probability to assume that neutral media personnel were embedded with enemy forces," according to a copy of the document released to CNN.

"We regret the loss of innocent life, but this incident was promptly investigated, and there was never any attempt to cover up any aspects of this engagement," Turner added.

The original source and original video from "wikileaks" does not meet the PF quality guidelines. The CNN article is much better. Reuters also has an article with a much different tone from the wikileaks article/video: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6344FW20100406

Heck, the tone/bias of all of these sources is plainly evident from the titles of the articles alone. I encourage everyone to apply some critical thinking to the issue rather than relying on the heavily biased reporting of wikileaks. Also consider the clarity of hindsight vs fog of war. The critical fact, glossed over by wikileaks is this: Reuters and CNN seem to confirm that the journalists were mingling with insurgents, who had weapons in clear view, at the scene of a battle earlier that day.

The moderators will discuss this issue internally and decide if this thread should be re-opened. If it is, though, consider this a pre-emptive warning against intentionally inflammatory rhetoric (trolling) and poor quality sources.