Real Modern Warfare

[SkinBasket]

The whole thing smells really fish to me. If they were really enemy combatants, would they really stand around shooting the breeze in an open courtyard with an enemy gunship capable of cutting them to shreds in an instant circling ominously over them? I've seen nuns more ominous looking than those guys.

If they weren't combatants then why were they totting weapons near combat operations instead of staying inside?

As far as their proximity to the helicopter, I'm not sure what the range is on those things. They certainly must have seen it, but maybe assumed (having never been shot by an Apache before) that it would dramatically swoop in and gun them down individually like in Airwolf. They aren't any smarter than anyone else when it comes to things like that.

Again, they were tasked with supporting and protecting ground troops. When the van shows up and trying to "save" what they perceived to be an opposition force, part of a group that was positively identified to be carrying weapons and matching the description of forces engaging American troops nearby, they can't know that there were children in there anymore than they can know there aren't a dozen more guys with RPGs in there. They did what they had to in an armed conflict to ensure the safety of their fellow soldiers to the best of their ability. Asking that they divine the intentions of any given person in a combat zone before pulling the trigger seems a little much to ask.

[Little Whiskey]

I think they did,.......

The story I heard is that the undecrypted video was leaked by a government whistleblower.

I believe the gov't/military explained what happened when these two journalists died. before the video was leaked. Let me look and see if i can find a link.

[Scott Campbell]

I think they did,.......

The story I heard is that the undecrypted video was leaked by a government whistleblower.

I believe the gov't/military explained what happened when these two journalists died. before the video was leaked. Let me look and see if i can find a link.

They did, but they suppressed the release of the video tape when it was requested by Reuters.

[Guiness]

The van was dodgy for sure. An unmarked black van of the type Harlan drives by elementary schools - no telling what's in it. And certainly 2 kids wouldn't have been my guess. The audio also seemed to indicate they thought bodies and weapons were being retrieved.

The Reuter's photogs was unfortunate, but if there were some RPG's being toted by that group, fuggetabouit

[Little Whiskey]

I think they did,.......

The story I heard is that the undecrypted video was leaked by a government whistleblower.

I believe the gov't/military explained what happened when these two journalists died. before the video was leaked. Let me look and see if i can find a link.

They did, but they suppressed the release of the video tape when it was requested by Reuters.

and when it was leaked out, you see what happened. so why would they want to release it?

[red]

The van was dodgy for sure. An unmarked black van of the type Harlan drives by elementary schools - no telling what's in it. And certainly 2 kids wouldn't have been my guess. The audio also seemed to indicate they thought bodies and weapons were being retrieved.

The Reuter's photogs was unfortunate, but if there were some RPG's being toted by that group, fuggetabouit

so you're saying its the same type of van that blue dog uses to cruise elementary schools,

and yet you're surprised that there were kids in it?

[twoseven]

The van was dodgy for sure. An unmarked black van of the type Harlan drives by elementary schools - no telling what's in it. And certainly 2 kids wouldn't have been my guess. The audio also seemed to indicate they thought bodies and weapons were being retrieved.

The Reuter's photogs was unfortunate, but if there were some RPG's being toted by that group, fuggetabouit

so you're saying its the same type of van that blue dog uses to cruise elementary schools,

and yet you're surprised that there were kids in it?

that's not fair, harlan is above average intelligence...i say he cruises the schools in an ice cream truck. why bother stalking when you can have them chase you down the street.

[Scott Campbell]

and when it was leaked out, you see what happened. so why would they want to release it?

To take control of the story, and to ensure that it doesn't end up looking like a coverup.

I buy most of the explanations given for shooting. But then again, I'm not a real tough sell. I want to support our military.

[Freak Out]

There are no rules of engagement that say it's ok to fire on the unarmed.

[swede]

There are no rules of engagement that say it's ok to fire on the unarmed.

If they were going to hang around with guys shooting my guys... they should have armed themselves.