Dear StG,

I thought Wikileaks had done a pretty fair job. They had posted the longer version of the video, the rules of engagement, various translations of the transcript from the video, a timeline, news articles from the period and quite a few other things.

I felt they might have posted the link to the Military's Central Command site with the statements from the pilots and ground forces but then again with a face page that reads;

“The USG routinely intercepts and monitors communications on this IS for purposes including, but not limited to, penetration testing, COMSEC monitoring, network operations and defense, personnel misconduct (PM), law enforcement (LE), and counterintelligence (CI) investigations.

At any time, the USG may inspect and seize data stored on this IS.

Communications using, or data stored on, this IS are not private, are subject to routine monitoring, inspection, and search, and may be disclosed or used for any USG-authorized purpose.”

Wikileaks may well have had second thoughts.

I certainly did.

Was the action 'indiscriminate'? Most certainly even at a most basic level. Those who did not possess weapons and posed no threat were killed along with the only two who were armed.

Was this an unprovoked slaying? Again I say yes because there was no recorded weapons fire from this quarter and the video showed no intention of those in attendance to do so. Even here Wikileaks is careful because it clearly states what it was referring to the “unprovoked slaying of a wounded Reuters employee and his rescuers”. No doubt there.

Ultimately I felt their language was hardly “a stretch at best” like you do but instead pretty accurate. However everyone is entitled to their point of view.

Cont..

Cont..

My last question is asked rather tentatively because I don't want be seen to be 'playing the man' rather than the argument but it has been bugging me.

I noted that also posted via the same youtube account you used to place your earlier response was a clip titled Imma Huntin' Wabbits in which the video game character kills 20 people in a little over a minute and a half.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OHecT3_-O8&feature=channel

I ask it because this was raised by Wikileaks co-founder Julian Assange on a MSNBC piece.

“It seems like they are playing video games with peoples lives.”

“So their desire is to kill as many people as possible, to get as higher scores as possible in their endeavour to kill people then brag about it to the rest of the troops.”

He may well have been a little over the top but is it be reasonable for us to wonder if there was some degree of desensitising that has occurred with a generation who have been exposed to this type of gaming? Further would it then inform their responses to combat and especially to wounded individuals (something you felt was unacceptable in this instance with the shooting of the van)?

Lt. Colonel Anthony Shaffer who was also on the show said “According to the ROE you can engage a person who commits a hostile act or shows hostile intent with minimum force...this was not done here.”

“Now let me be clear here this was a failure partially because of training and discipline I mean when you are using aviation as a primary source of delivery of combat, of fire power, you have to be very precise.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5d3SHumK2UY&feature=related

Please note there are multiple repetitions of the footage as yet another media outlet gorges on 'war porn'.

Pericles,

I said it at the start.

Csteele,

I'll get back to you tomorrow.

Here is a little factoid that was new to me. Wikileaks was founded by an Australian.

http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/international-man-of-mystery-20100409-ryvf.html

It makes me proud.

Excellent link Rstuart.

My heart is beating with more than pride....

A good looking, intelligent maverick... sigh.

Oh, about the topic. In this monopolised 'murdoched' world we need Wikileaks - like any human endeavour it may not always be right but it is a vital part of the mostly controlled media.

Yes, thanks for that rstuart - fascinating indeed.