Like I said, I would hope that the release of this video would force the U.S. Military to properly release their conclusions and how they reached them.
However to me, its a far different thing to view a video tape, photoshop arrows into it and analyse the video from the actual live experience where things are confusing, deceptive and look like its moving incredibly fast.
The pilots certainly don't know that there are reporters with this group. They see weapons, they see the reporters carrying bulky gear that could be weapons. They see the van pull up, they see a person jump out to collect the body, the believe that the people from the van are collecting bodies and the weapons.
Its easy to judge from far away with a video that you can rewind and slowdown. and point things out.
we've seen civilian casualties in the past, we've seen friendly fire incidents in the past. The soldiers don't have the benefit of second sight or hind sight, they have the right here and right now, they make a snap judgement based on what they see and compare it to the rules of engagement, they ask for permission to fire and relay their information back to their command structure and get permission to fire.
And again, as far as the laughing and quips, that is the only coping mechanism that these guys have.
If they had hesitated on a mission to seek out insurgents then very bad things could have happened to them.
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My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;
Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!
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