WikiLeaks - (the recently returned website that makes available sometimes sensitive material thru FOI) - "exposed" what they called "Collateral Murder" with the release of previously unseen footage on what they call an "indiscriminate" and "unprovoked slaying" of "innocent civilians" in Iraq, 2007.

Video can be viewed here: http://www.collateralmurder.com/

Be warned, the footage is of humans being torn up by a chopper's machine gun fire. The tragic part of it is that Reuters reporters, Namir Noor-Eldeen and Saeed Chmagh were among the dead. Justifiably there was an outrage from those deaths, and also the deaths of others trying to help the wounded when a van with two children on board was destroyed along with its passengers. See video.

BUT, the use of "indiscriminate" and "unprovoked slaying" of "innocent civilians" turns out to a stretch at best. See this video that contains evidence of at least two being armed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1a34IjD69uc

Also, from Collateralmurder.com's OWN transcript of the military radio traffic:

"18:56 Six; this is Four. I got one individual looks like he's got an RPG round laying underneath him. Break.
32:33 This is Bushmaster Six. Has that RPG round been extended already or is it still live, over.
32:38 Looks live to me."

This article also covers the major holes in WikiLeaks story.

http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/collateral-murder-baghdad-anything

IT SEEMS WikiLeak might be using this footage as a way back 'from the brink' which IMO makes them appear deceitful.

Thoughts?

Just some points to consider before commenting.

1. I believe the attack on the van was unnecessary, but according to the ROE's of that time in that area of Iraq the van was deemed a target due to not being identifiable as an ambulance, nor was it deemed "Protected Collateral Objects" so became a "justifiable" target.

2. My main objective on this thread is regarding WikiLeaks reporting of the incident, not a flame session based on ignorance and bias.

Interesting StG. I have a bit of a soft spot for WikiLeaks and for their goal in presenting or exposing information.

Perhaps it comes from having worked in the Commonwealth PS for too long. A group like WikiLeaks appears as a refreshing change balancing out one extremes with another; that of exposure versus cover-up.

As always, the issue is in the idea of whose TRUTH and how balanced is the reporting. Perhaps the reporting of the incident is not the problem if it elicits a frank response and helps to bring about more accountability and duty of care.

However like any organisation, and Wikileaks is no exception, reports of this nature should always be subject to scrutiny and each of us can come to our own conclusions about the matters presented.

The second link demonstrates that this leaking of the video footage has created a response.

Readers as always will make up their own minds. The fact is in war, there are always casualties and sometimes they are innocent civilians. If there is credible evidence that this was preventable then let it rest at that.

The only thing worrying about WikiLeaks is that they may whip up a frenzy among the conspiracy theorists and help feed that frenzy, but I suspect in that case WL only adds to the frenzy rather than creates it.

I had a soft for them too, but this sets them back to an online conspiracy trash mag for me.

Here's a vid I made this morning debunking them regarding their use of "indiscriminate" and "unprovoked slaying" of "unarmed and innocent civilians".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HS8c94BhkaA

ROFL *had a soft SPOT. hehe

The words "innocent civilians" don't appear on the page you linked to. The words "indiscriminate", "unprovoked slaying" refer to gunning down of the Reuters reporters. They are an emotively charged way of describing what happened. But given WikiLeaks sees it self as sort of a news site, and the subject of the killings were news reporters I'll forgive them for that.

I imagine WikiLeaks uncovering a plan by DoD to destroy it by undermining its credibility didn't help either. See "U.S. Intelligence planned to destroy WikiLeaks, 18 Mar 2008" on http://wikileaks.org