WIKILEAKS VIDEO: WAR On JOURNALISTS, WAR On CIVILIANS, " Graphic Footage "
Published on Nov 30, 2012
WIKILEAKS VIDEO:
WAR On JOURNALISTS, WAR On CIVILIANS, "Graphic Evidence"
Location: Various ( Baghdad, Iraq; Washington, U.S. )
VIDEO SOURCE: WIKILEAKS.ORG
It's both a front row seat and a bird's eye view to modern day warfare. What you're seeing here is what Apache pilots with the U.S. army saw, as they flew over a city in eastern Baghdad on July 12, 2007. A group of people walking. Included in that group - two employees for Reuters news service, 40 year old Saeed Chmagh and 22-year-old Namir Noor-Eldeen.
Namir was considered one of the best photojournalists in Iraq. Their names were added here by Wikileaks for clarity as they carry their cameras... not what the pilots think they see.
Moments later they're attacked.
According to news reports, like this one in the Washington post, the attack was launched because the people had - quote - been "directing machine gun fire and rocket propelled grenades at U.S. soldiers."
According to Wikileaks one of the most disturbing aspects of this is the behavior of the pilots.
Apache helicopter audio, speaking English:
"Oh yeah, look at those dead bastards. Nice."
When this man, clearly wounded, tries to crawl away, the pilots still seem to want to injure him more.
SB Julian Assange, editor and co-Founder, Wikileaks.org speaking English:
"Even someone who's crawling, prostrate on the ground, wounded, they are looking for an excuse to kill."
Juilan Assange, editor and co-founder of Wikileaks released the video at the national press club in Washington in hopes that the rules of engagement in war will be questioned and changed. He says this video shows how some military personnel treat war like a video game.
Apache helicopter audio, speaking English:
"Where's that van at. Right down there by the bodies."
SB Julian Assange, editor and co-Founder, Wikileaks.org speaking English:
"It seems to me that the attitude of the pilots is -- "this is another day at the office". This is what we have been doing for weeks and weeks and weeks."
As the attack continues you see this van pull up and a man get out to carry away the body. The pilots see this man too, as a threat:
Apache helicopter audio, speaking English:
"Crazy horse one, permission to engage...picking up the wounded...can I shoot?"
It's later discovered there are two children inside the van. You can see them being carried away by soldiers, who tried to get them medical attention.