REAL WORLD EVENT DISCUSSIONS

Video US helicopter guns down farmers

POSTED BY: GINOBIFFARONI
UPDATED: Saturday, July 23, 2005 19:16
SHORT URL:
VIEWED: 6537
PAGE 2 of 2

Thursday, July 14, 2005 7:51 AM

HKCAVALIER


Quote:

Originally posted by optimus1998:
ok, all sides of arguments involving the morality of the actions depicted here, blah-bity,blah-bity,blah,
all that aside..
the person progamming the webpage linked here, seems to have discovered a new unit of data storage:

Quote:

video: MPEG at 4.6 mebibytes


MEBIBYTES??? to paraphrase Marty McFly - WHAT THE HELL IS A MEBIBYTE?
one would think if one knew enough html to program a basic page like that, they would be pretty familiar with the term megabyte, more so if it is a auto generated page, the person who wrote the software that wrote the page would be pretty familiar with the word....

or am i just being to picky???



Mebi...mebi not.

HKCavalier

Hey, hey, hey, don't be mean. We don't have to be mean, because, remember, no matter where you go, there you are.

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Thursday, July 14, 2005 8:45 AM

SIMONWHO


We haven't heard from the original poster since the full video was linked to. I'd be interested to hear what he thinks about this in its proper context and whether he would have still posted this topic (complete with headline) if he had seen that.

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Thursday, July 14, 2005 8:56 AM

BARNSTORMER


Quote:

Originally posted by SimonWho:
We haven't heard from the original poster since the full video was linked to. I'd be interested to hear what he thinks about this in its proper context and whether he would have still posted this topic (complete with headline) if he had seen that.



Probably not. Either he was duped by a Far Far Left wing bit of false propaganda and posted it, or he was'nt duped, and decided to spread the Far Far Left Wing bit of false propaganda.

Judging from his posts in the past, I think it's more likely the latter.

In any case, none of these Far Far Left wing hypocrites will ever give in to the fact of what the video really shows. After all, that would mean they agree that the U.S. Military acted correctly.




Am I a Lion?... No, I think I'ma tellin' the truth.

BarnStormer

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Thursday, July 14, 2005 9:09 AM

CHRISISALL


Quote:

Originally posted by HKCavalier:
MEBIBYTES??? to paraphrase Marty McFly - WHAT THE HELL IS A MEBIBYTE? am i just being to picky???


Mebi...mebi not.

HK, ha, ha ha , you deserve an award for that one, ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha !!!!

Didn't see that one comin' Chrisisall

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Thursday, July 14, 2005 9:17 AM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.


Quote:

But you are being reckless, irresponsible, and just plain stupid if you think that all American servicemen commit atrocities, and that therefore all American servicemen ought to be presumed guilty until proven innocent.
And I never got a response from Inevitable about this either, especially as I was very careful not to imply that "all" American soldiers are guilty. Can I conclude that Inevitable is deliberately misrepresenting my argument in order to further propaganda points?

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Thursday, July 14, 2005 9:27 AM

CHRISISALL


Quote:

Originally posted by BarnStormer:
In any case, none of these Far Far Left wing hypocrites will ever give in to the fact of what the video really shows. After all, that would mean they agree that the U.S. Military acted correctly.


Having switched sides, as it were, I must agree that the military acts correctly in most situations. Individual and team acts of undiciplined behavior or malicious killing are certainly few and very far between. Orders are usually followed with great precision. For most soldiers, these unbelievably stressfull times actually bring out the best in them. All those left wing nu- hey wait a minute. I would have said the same thing when I was a left kind-of-guy!
Maybe labels don't mean much...

Hmmm, I may have to think about this...

Where's that thinkin' place anyway Chrisisall

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Thursday, July 14, 2005 10:08 AM

SIMONWHO


To be honest, I think the US Army has had a reputation for being overly trigger happy for decades (indeed my grandfather stated that the time his platoon felt most nervous was when the US soldiers were behind them, not when the Germans were in front of them.)

Maybe it's a cultural thing. Certainly we've witnessed too many bombings gone astray (villagers, Red Cross headquarters, the Chinese embassy).

However, I'm a stickler for topics in hand and this topic is about that bit of footage. When you see the whole, unedited video, it is absolutely clear (imo) that the troops acted correctly. What I'm trying to ascertain is whether the original poster agrees with me and whether he was aware of the full length video before his original post.

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Thursday, July 14, 2005 11:04 AM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.


Quote:

Then again, to play the other side of the coin, would the American people be happy not wiping out an entire country who we've deemend 'responsible'? If I'm recalling correctly, as soon as the Taliban and Afghanistan were indicated as the most possible culprits, a great deal of Americans wanted the whole country turned into a glass parking lot. So...If we /did/ utilize nuclear arms in response to a limited nuclear terrorist attack ... isn't it more likely that the American people's (See: Mob) own desire for revenge be the one main factor that would push anybody's finger on the button?
To the best of my recollection, the first reaction was shock. But Bush's rhetoric "Drain the swamp they live in so you can smoke the evil ones who are wanted dead or alive out of their caves as the noose tightens" stoked the mob mentality.

And if you think it can't be done, just look at how people were gulled into supporting the Panama and Grenada invasions. Neither one was a credible threat, but the administration made up a story out of thin air and most people went along with it.

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Thursday, July 14, 2005 11:34 AM

FOCHT


Three great examples, Sig.

I would argue that those examples were, by and large, of a slightly different nature in agenda. I hadn't really thought of Bush's words (At the time) as stoking the mob's fire to get it hot enough to warrant whatever agenda's his cabinet had. Indeed, the words our leader utilized at the time undoubtably had a great deal of sway on the shock and anger the general masses were feeling.

Hey, they even managed to convince government to go into Iraq to begin with while still riding on the tails of said emotions.

But do I really think we'd 'stoop' to nuclear weapons as a response to a terrorist nuclear attack? I personally don't think so.

The moral thing to do for both a global and domestic image and support, would be to refuse the use of nuclear response as a means to say 'Hey! Look! We're not evil, if we were they'd be atoms already!'. No, I think we'll just stick with tomahawks, bombs, etc. It wouldn't do anyone any good to vaporise entire cities of innocents just to get a few 'bad guys'. I don't even think this office would stoop that low.

Yes. I'm a G.W. supporter but I'm not blind. ;)

But, the more interesting question is the one that asks: Who /will/ we fight in any instance post-nuclear attack? Will it be the country where the terrorists originate or operate from or will it be Iran, N. Korea, or any of the former Soviet states who's nuclear arms have slipped through their fingers like so much vodka?

If that's the case, will we even attack at all?

Focht

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Thursday, July 14, 2005 12:03 PM

INEVITABLEBETRAYAL


Quote:

Originally posted by SignyM:
Quote:

But you are being reckless, irresponsible, and just plain stupid if you think that all American servicemen commit atrocities, and that therefore all American servicemen ought to be presumed guilty until proven innocent.
And I never got a response from Inevitable about this either, especially as I was very careful not to imply that "all" American soldiers are guilty. Can I conclude that Inevitable is deliberately misrepresenting my argument in order to further propaganda points?



You can not. What you can conclude is that these threads weary me. I disagree with you and think very few kind thoughts about you. You return the favor. In general, I can't comprehend how /anyone/ could hold some of your beliefs; I'm sure the feeling is more than mutual. I'm convinced that you're convinced and will never change your mind; you can bet your bippy I won't. So where does that leave us?

In a very ugly place, from my vantage point. We are left in a place where one side holds rigid, inflexible, extremist postions on the issue, and lambasts the other as ignorant fools--even though they really only have a vastly oversimplified understanding of the arguments from the other side. The hell of it is, the other side does the exact same thing!

Now, to be fair, there are people here who actually think through the issue and come to informed, rational positions after listening to both sides (HK, Chris, I'm looking in your direction). But mostly, people just go "la-la-la-la-la" with their fingers in their ears them scream at the top of their lungs. I feel very confident saying so, because I've done it myself. Can that type of "discussion" /ever/ be fruitful? And if that is what these threads devolve into, what does that mean for the participants?

If you ask me, SignyM, it means that one of us has to walk away. Since this is pretty much your thread (or one that dovetails nicely with your worldview) I've decided that /I/ will. These idiotic threads don't do anything but reinforce people's pre-existing opinions and personally I'm sick of arguing with people on this board. I came here to find fellow Firefly fans, not to create hate and discontent for all involved.

_______________________________________________
I wish I had a magical wish-granting plank.

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Thursday, July 14, 2005 1:16 PM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.


My reply was to Barnstormer. I wasn't trying to turn your non-reply into an issue, I was using it merely as an example of why NOT to turn a non-reply into an issue!

EDITED TO ADD: But this is the second time that I was misunderestimated! Maybe I should have been more careful with my posts and clarified what I was trying to do.

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Thursday, July 14, 2005 1:32 PM

CHRISISALL


Hey, Inevitable, take a break maybe, but don't dissappear. I don't come to the RWE to change people's minds (well, not mostly), I come here to challenge my existing beliefs, or learn something from a different point of view.
At worst, it can be boring repetitive verbal sparring. But at best it can make us consider something we hadn't before.
My two cents.

Ain't no Herbert Chrisisall

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Thursday, July 14, 2005 6:38 PM

GINOBIFFARONI


Quote:

Originally posted by SimonWho:
We haven't heard from the original poster since the full video was linked to. I'd be interested to hear what he thinks about this in its proper context and whether he would have still posted this topic (complete with headline) if he had seen that.



Sorry about the lateness of my reply, I've been camping up in the mountains the last few days.

And I am also sorry, I can't seem to get your link to work. From what has been posted here I believe that the rest of the video shows the three people moving weapons about etc.

I likely would have posted it anyway, but not with the same headline. I have always said ( well posted ) that the full story wasn't here, but I would still question the ROE of this mission. If a checkpoint was nearby as someone said, could they have not moved a section forward to investigate supported by this gunship? As a former Infantry section commander ( in another army mind you ) this was the sort of thing we trained for.

My base point, being that with the US advantage in military technology, does it make the playing field so uneven it results in " terrorism " types of attacks...

And if that statement holds any truth does the morality of ROE and use of such superior firepower hold the same justifications or lack there of. For example, before I went on vacation there was something in the news about a village in Afganistan being bombed after it was suspected of harboring militants ( not an exact quote ) How do you feel about that ? The " suspected " part bothers me. If a platoon of troops moving into the village takes fire and airsupport is required to back them up, fine. But their was no mention of anything like this ?

I'll try to find a link tommorow

When my eloquence escapes you
My logic ties you up and rapes you

http://www.oldielyrics.com/lyrics/the_police/de_do_do_do_de_da_da_da.h
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Thursday, July 14, 2005 6:39 PM

GINOBIFFARONI


Quote:

Originally posted by BarnStormer:
Quote:

Originally posted by SimonWho:
We haven't heard from the original poster since the full video was linked to. I'd be interested to hear what he thinks about this in its proper context and whether he would have still posted this topic (complete with headline) if he had seen that.



Probably not. Either he was duped by a Far Far Left wing bit of false propaganda and posted it, or he was'nt duped, and decided to spread the Far Far Left Wing bit of false propaganda.

Judging from his posts in the past, I think it's more likely the latter.

In any case, none of these Far Far Left wing hypocrites will ever give in to the fact of what the video really shows. After all, that would mean they agree that the U.S. Military acted correctly.




Am I a Lion?... No, I think I'ma tellin' the truth.

BarnStormer



And I should start calling you names now ??

When my eloquence escapes you
My logic ties you up and rapes you

http://www.oldielyrics.com/lyrics/the_police/de_do_do_do_de_da_da_da.h
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Thursday, July 14, 2005 6:43 PM

GINOBIFFARONI


Quote:

Originally posted by SimonWho:
To be honest, I think the US Army has had a reputation for being overly trigger happy for decades (indeed my grandfather stated that the time his platoon felt most nervous was when the US soldiers were behind them, not when the Germans were in front of them.)

Maybe it's a cultural thing. Certainly we've witnessed too many bombings gone astray (villagers, Red Cross headquarters, the Chinese embassy).

However, I'm a stickler for topics in hand and this topic is about that bit of footage. When you see the whole, unedited video, it is absolutely clear (imo) that the troops acted correctly. What I'm trying to ascertain is whether the original poster agrees with me and whether he was aware of the full length video before his original post.



No, the clip was all I had seen, I'll try the link again in the morning.

BTW don't forget the Canadians in Afganistan, or the Brits in the first gulf war as victims or friendly fire ( never did get that term ? )

When my eloquence escapes you
My logic ties you up and rapes you

http://www.oldielyrics.com/lyrics/the_police/de_do_do_do_de_da_da_da.h
tml

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Thursday, July 14, 2005 6:49 PM

GINOBIFFARONI


Quote:

Originally posted by chrisisall:
Hey, Inevitable, take a break maybe, but don't dissappear. I don't come to the RWE to change people's minds (well, not mostly), I come here to challenge my existing beliefs, or learn something from a different point of view.
At worst, it can be boring repetitive verbal sparring. But at best it can make us consider something we hadn't before.
My two cents.

Ain't no Herbert Chrisisall



This reminds me so much of the other links where I was comparing the board to fight club....

Very Interesting thread going here, I only wish we could all just defend our positions without the left loonie / right facist name calling.

I mean the question I get from reading all of these should be one all side need the answer to

Where is this all going to end ?

I can't believe any of us wants this situation to go on forever

When my eloquence escapes you
My logic ties you up and rapes you

http://www.oldielyrics.com/lyrics/the_police/de_do_do_do_de_da_da_da.h
tml

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Friday, July 15, 2005 7:21 AM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.


Quote:

I would argue that those examples were, by and large, of a slightly different nature in agenda [but]...Indeed, the words our leader utilized at the time undoubtably had a great deal of sway on the shock and anger the general masses were feeling... But do I really think we'd 'stoop' to nuclear weapons as a response to a terrorist nuclear attack? I personally don't think so.
The moral thing to do for both a global and domestic image and support, would be to refuse the use of nuclear response as a means to say 'Hey! Look! We're not evil, if we were they'd be atoms already!'. No, I think we'll just stick with tomahawks, bombs, etc. It wouldn't do anyone any good to vaporise entire cities of innocents just to get a few 'bad guys'. I don't even think this office would stoop that low... But, the more interesting question is the one that asks: Who /will/ we fight in any instance post-nuclear attack? Will it be the country where the terrorists originate or operate from or will it be Iran, N. Korea, or any of the former Soviet states who's nuclear arms have slipped through their fingers like so much vodka?



I think calculations are made at several levels. There is the "general populace" calculation, where the average person looks at perceived costs and balances it against the perceived benefits. "Right" and "wrong" don't enter into it for most people. So in the case of Grenada the costs and benefits were both almost nil. In the case of Panama the perceived costs were higher (Panama had a regular army) but continued control of the canal was a big draw. But in the case of Iraq, the perceived costs were VERY high, and so the populace had to be stampeded into supporting the invasion by visions of Armageddon.

What would happen if Armageddon really happened, and either a/ several "dirty bomb(s)" or a "real" nuclear bomb(s) were to be set off in USA borders? Absolute and total panic. The populace would be primed for anything- panic buying, hoarding, profiteering, donating blood, burying themselves in basements, letting fly a nuclear response.

This is where (hopefully) the policy-makers are not as panicked as everyone else, and other calculations take place. And they have an entire population at their disposal, looking to them for direction and reassurance. They could either defuse the situation (as previously described by Rue) and turn the panic towards rebuilding, OR they could focus on the next available target in queue (IRAN) and respond with either tactical nuclear devices- already alluded to by Bush as an option he would like to keep open- or bunker-buster-bomb an active nuclear facility. At that point, neither China nor Russia would be happy campers. This is as far as my thinking takes me.

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Friday, July 15, 2005 8:11 AM

HKCAVALIER


Quote:

Originally posted by GinoBiffaroni:
...with the US advantage in military technology, does it make the playing field so uneven it results in " terrorism " types of attacks?



To me, this is the most important question. When only 147 Americans die in combat during Gulf War One compared to 22,000 iraqi deaths, can we really call it a war? When each one of our troops in effect killed 150 of theirs? If that was not a large scale massacre, then what is? 500 to 1? 1000 to 1? At what point does our aggression itself become an issue for us?

Think, please, just think what these kinds of body counts mean to the world beyond our borders. We are the only nation in history to drop atomic bombs on an enemy (killing 100,000 in a day). Doesn't any of this matter?

"This has all been covered before."

"It's old news."

"Lefties whining about non-events."

HKCavalier

Hey, hey, hey, don't be mean. We don't have to be mean, because, remember, no matter where you go, there you are.

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Friday, July 15, 2005 8:43 AM

GINOBIFFARONI


Quote:

Originally posted by SimonWho:
To be honest, I think the US Army has had a reputation for being overly trigger happy for decades (indeed my grandfather stated that the time his platoon felt most nervous was when the US soldiers were behind them, not when the Germans were in front of them.)

Maybe it's a cultural thing. Certainly we've witnessed too many bombings gone astray (villagers, Red Cross headquarters, the Chinese embassy).

However, I'm a stickler for topics in hand and this topic is about that bit of footage. When you see the whole, unedited video, it is absolutely clear (imo) that the troops acted correctly. What I'm trying to ascertain is whether the original poster agrees with me and whether he was aware of the full length video before his original post.



Well, I have gotten the link to play

I cannot positively identify the object in question as a weapon. I can say it does not appear to be either a RPG-7 or an RPG-16, it could be an RPG-18/22 but can''t be sure.

I froze the video it your link and compared it to a Soviet Equipment Recognition Guide I was issued back in 1992. The object seems too short to be a SA-7, SA-14, or a SA-16. Also it does not appear bulky enough to be an AT-3, AT-4, or AT-7.

While I have the advantage of freezing the image in question and reviewing books, the aircrew did not, they recieved clearance to shoot from higher authority. While I believe the aircrew acted withing the ROE, I still question the order to open fire in this case. Even though, the object cannot be positively identified ( even with the manuals and time to stare at it ) I still feel the correct course of action would have been the approach of dismounted infantry supported by the aircraft in question.

The individuals on the ground were acting it a strange manner ( I can't explain what they were up to ) My personal feelings is that alone was not reason enough to open fire. Investigate, definately. Fire, not enough info.


When my eloquence escapes you
My logic ties you up and rapes you

http://www.oldielyrics.com/lyrics/the_police/de_do_do_do_de_da_da_da.h
tml

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Friday, July 15, 2005 8:58 AM

BARNSTORMER


Quote:

Originally posted by GinoBiffaroni:
Quote:

Originally posted by SimonWho:
To be honest, I think the US Army has had a reputation for being overly trigger happy for decades (indeed my grandfather stated that the time his platoon felt most nervous was when the US soldiers were behind them, not when the Germans were in front of them.)

Maybe it's a cultural thing. Certainly we've witnessed too many bombings gone astray (villagers, Red Cross headquarters, the Chinese embassy).

However, I'm a stickler for topics in hand and this topic is about that bit of footage. When you see the whole, unedited video, it is absolutely clear (imo) that the troops acted correctly. What I'm trying to ascertain is whether the original poster agrees with me and whether he was aware of the full length video before his original post.



Well, I have gotten the link to play

I cannot positively identify the object in question as a weapon. I can say it does not appear to be either a RPG-7 or an RPG-16, it could be an RPG-18/22 but can''t be sure.

I froze the video it your link and compared it to a Soviet Equipment Recognition Guide I was issued back in 1992. The object seems too short to be a SA-7, SA-14, or a SA-16. Also it does not appear bulky enough to be an AT-3, AT-4, or AT-7.

While I have the advantage of freezing the image in question and reviewing books, the aircrew did not, they recieved clearance to shoot from higher authority. While I believe the aircrew acted withing the ROE, I still question the order to open fire in this case. Even though, the object cannot be positively identified ( even with the manuals and time to stare at it ) I still feel the correct course of action would have been the approach of dismounted infantry supported by the aircraft in question.

The individuals on the ground were acting it a strange manner ( I can't explain what they were up to ) My personal feelings is that alone was not reason enough to open fire. Investigate, definately. Fire, not enough info.


When my eloquence escapes you
My logic ties you up and rapes you

http://www.oldielyrics.com/lyrics/the_police/de_do_do_do_de_da_da_da.h
tml




Well Stated Gino,

Now it comes down to what the "Man in the hot seat" has seen and knows prior to this video, what the men at the checkpoint saw and know ect, versus what we think we would do without the benefit of all that extra information.

All we see is a farmer running around trying to plow his fields with an RPG.

So, you got sucked in by someone elses misleading propoganda. My apologies for my previous remark.



Am I a Lion?... No, I think I'ma tellin' the truth.

BarnStormer

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Friday, July 15, 2005 8:58 AM

GINOBIFFARONI


Quote:

Originally posted by SignyM:
Quote:

I would argue that those examples were, by and large, of a slightly different nature in agenda [but]...Indeed, the words our leader utilized at the time undoubtably had a great deal of sway on the shock and anger the general masses were feeling... But do I really think we'd 'stoop' to nuclear weapons as a response to a terrorist nuclear attack? I personally don't think so.
The moral thing to do for both a global and domestic image and support, would be to refuse the use of nuclear response as a means to say 'Hey! Look! We're not evil, if we were they'd be atoms already!'. No, I think we'll just stick with tomahawks, bombs, etc. It wouldn't do anyone any good to vaporise entire cities of innocents just to get a few 'bad guys'. I don't even think this office would stoop that low... But, the more interesting question is the one that asks: Who /will/ we fight in any instance post-nuclear attack? Will it be the country where the terrorists originate or operate from or will it be Iran, N. Korea, or any of the former Soviet states who's nuclear arms have slipped through their fingers like so much vodka?



I think calculations are made at several levels. There is the "general populace" calculation, where the average person looks at perceived costs and balances it against the perceived benefits. "Right" and "wrong" don't enter into it for most people. So in the case of Grenada the costs and benefits were both almost nil. In the case of Panama the perceived costs were higher (Panama had a regular army) but continued control of the canal was a big draw. But in the case of Iraq, the perceived costs were VERY high, and so the populace had to be stampeded into supporting the invasion by visions of Armageddon.

What would happen if Armageddon really happened, and either a/ several "dirty bomb(s)" or a "real" nuclear bomb(s) were to be set off in USA borders? Absolute and total panic. The populace would be primed for anything- panic buying, hoarding, profiteering, donating blood, burying themselves in basements, letting fly a nuclear response.

This is where (hopefully) the policy-makers are not as panicked as everyone else, and other calculations take place. And they have an entire population at their disposal, looking to them for direction and reassurance. They could either defuse the situation (as previously described by Rue) and turn the panic towards rebuilding, OR they could focus on the next available target in queue (IRAN) and respond with either tactical nuclear devices- already alluded to by Bush as an option he would like to keep open- or bunker-buster-bomb an active nuclear facility. At that point, neither China nor Russia would be happy campers. This is as far as my thinking takes me.



I would say that WW2 in the pacific proves your point.

Post Pearl Harbor, the American public was whipped up into such a frenzy, only total victory would be enough to satisfy them. Later campaigns, particulary Iwo Jima, proved the costs of pushing for unconditional surrender. At this point of the war, I have read the Japanese were willing to negotiate, but not outright surrender. Coronet, the invasion of the Japanese main islands would have been a blood bath. I would argue, that FDR was not pushed into using nuclear weapons to scare the Soviets as has been claimed elsewhere, but by the success of the American propaganda campaign of the same period.

The cost today.... You see China and Russia as being unhappy.

I could see big troubles in Japan ( very anti nuclear ) Europe, Canada, well most of the world.

How would the US react if Venezuela refused to continue to sell them oil. Canada for that matter. The backlashes to the basklashes are far reaching and rather scary.

When my eloquence escapes you
My logic ties you up and rapes you

http://www.oldielyrics.com/lyrics/the_police/de_do_do_do_de_da_da_da.h
tml

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Friday, July 15, 2005 9:12 AM

BARNSTORMER



You Betcha

I am the United States of America.....

Mine is an evil laugh!!!!!!!!

Make no mistake, All that is bad in the world is of my doing.

Tremble in fear Peons

Oh, and by the way, I'll be sending out the International aid checks at the end of the Month.

Have a good weekend folks.

Am I a Lion?... No, I think I'ma tellin' the truth.

BarnStormer

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Friday, July 15, 2005 9:14 AM

GINOBIFFARONI


Quote:

Originally posted by BarnStormer:
Quote:

Originally posted by GinoBiffaroni:
Quote:

Originally posted by SimonWho:
To be honest, I think the US Army has had a reputation for being overly trigger happy for decades (indeed my grandfather stated that the time his platoon felt most nervous was when the US soldiers were behind them, not when the Germans were in front of them.)

Maybe it's a cultural thing. Certainly we've witnessed too many bombings gone astray (villagers, Red Cross headquarters, the Chinese embassy).

However, I'm a stickler for topics in hand and this topic is about that bit of footage. When you see the whole, unedited video, it is absolutely clear (imo) that the troops acted correctly. What I'm trying to ascertain is whether the original poster agrees with me and whether he was aware of the full length video before his original post.



Well, I have gotten the link to play

I cannot positively identify the object in question as a weapon. I can say it does not appear to be either a RPG-7 or an RPG-16, it could be an RPG-18/22 but can''t be sure.

I froze the video it your link and compared it to a Soviet Equipment Recognition Guide I was issued back in 1992. The object seems too short to be a SA-7, SA-14, or a SA-16. Also it does not appear bulky enough to be an AT-3, AT-4, or AT-7.

While I have the advantage of freezing the image in question and reviewing books, the aircrew did not, they recieved clearance to shoot from higher authority. While I believe the aircrew acted withing the ROE, I still question the order to open fire in this case. Even though, the object cannot be positively identified ( even with the manuals and time to stare at it ) I still feel the correct course of action would have been the approach of dismounted infantry supported by the aircraft in question.

The individuals on the ground were acting it a strange manner ( I can't explain what they were up to ) My personal feelings is that alone was not reason enough to open fire. Investigate, definately. Fire, not enough info.


When my eloquence escapes you
My logic ties you up and rapes you

http://www.oldielyrics.com/lyrics/the_police/de_do_do_do_de_da_da_da.h
tml
]


Well Stated Gino,

Now it comes down to what the "Man in the hot seat" has seen and knows prior to this video, what the men at the checkpoint saw and know ect, versus what we think we would do without the benefit of all that extra information.

All we see is a farmer running around trying to plow his fields with an RPG.

So, you got sucked in by someone elses misleading propoganda. My apologies for my previous remark.



Am I a Lion?... No, I think I'ma tellin' the truth.

BarnStormer




Actually no, can you state for a fact that it was a RPG ? I have stared at the pictures here for a bit longer now, it may have been a piece of a broken down machinegun... or it could have been nothing at all.

By agree that the aircrew acted with their rules of engagement I think raise only questions with that ROE. These people, while acting suspiciously, they were not an immediate threat. The guy on the tractor drove up after the fact, as well. What was his involvement ?

My training tells me that in this situation, you advance to contact, secure the area. Then determine the facts. Mind you the US has a completely different doctrine on the use of supporting arms than the British/Canadian one, I think this A) Is wrong from a moral perspective, B) Can and has led you into some pretty difficult issues. While, I continue to be against the US war in Iraq for a variety of reasons... I try to see tactical problems like this from the perspective of the men on the ground ( both sides )
and of course C) If it was a weapon. if an advancing section could have grabbed these individuals ( likely I would say ) local intel could have been obtained as to weapons caches, enemy intentions, etc


When my eloquence escapes you
My logic ties you up and rapes you

http://www.oldielyrics.com/lyrics/the_police/de_do_do_do_de_da_da_da.h
tml

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Friday, July 15, 2005 9:30 AM

HKCAVALIER


Quote:

Originally posted by BarnStormer:

You Betcha

I am the United States of America.....

Mine is an evil laugh!!!!!!!!

Make no mistake, All that is bad in the world is of my doing.

Tremble in fear Peons

Oh, and by the way, I'll be sending out the International aid checks at the end of the Month.

Have a good weekend folks.

Am I a Lion?... No, I think I'ma tellin' the truth.

BarnStormer



Quit trolling.

HKCavalier

Hey, hey, hey, don't be mean. We don't have to be mean, because, remember, no matter where you go, there you are.

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Friday, July 15, 2005 9:33 AM

BARNSTORMER



What?????

Grab the guys, said guys armed with at least RPG's, advancing over an open field, with no apparent cover except the cars and truck that the "suspected Fedayeen Saddam" came with????????

What the F*ck Army taught you that kind of tactic? Did they not like you?



Am I a Lion?... No, I think I'ma tellin' the truth.

BarnStormer

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Friday, July 15, 2005 9:38 AM

BARNSTORMER


Quote:

Originally posted by HKCavalier:
Quote:

Originally posted by BarnStormer:

You Betcha

I am the United States of America.....

Mine is an evil laugh!!!!!!!!

Make no mistake, All that is bad in the world is of my doing.

Tremble in fear Peons

Oh, and by the way, I'll be sending out the International aid checks at the end of the Month.

Have a good weekend folks.

Am I a Lion?... No, I think I'ma tellin' the truth.

BarnStormer



Quit trolling.

HKCavalier

Hey, hey, hey, don't be mean. We don't have to be mean, because, remember, no matter where you go, there you are.




Quit Trolling????

Heck, I thought it was funny. Did'nt you think it was funny?

I thought it was funny,
Hee Hee, Snort, Snort

You Sir/Madam have no sense of Humor




Am I a Lion?... No, I think I'ma tellin' the truth.

BarnStormer

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Friday, July 15, 2005 9:57 AM

GINOBIFFARONI


Quote:

Originally posted by BarnStormer:

What?????

Grab the guys, said guys armed with at least RPG's, advancing over an open field, with no apparent cover except the cars and truck that the "suspected Fedayeen Saddam" came with????????

What the F*ck Army taught you that kind of tactic? Did they not like you?



Am I a Lion?... No, I think I'ma tellin' the truth.

BarnStormer



We practiced advance to contact in worse situations, as for cover how about the helicopter who seemed to have little difficult tracking the movements of and dispatching these people ?

If they had for grabbed for their weapons, fine then there would have been no questions right ?

as for RPGs ? can you tell me the type ?
I have been estimating the height of the guys in the field at 5'6 to provide scale to estimate the length. Still not convinced, besides advance to contact is what the infantry does... or do you think that they should only move after rockets and artillery blast any possible danger ?

This seems fairly straight forward to me...,

Is there anybody with any background out there who could provide any additional comment ??


When my eloquence escapes you
My logic ties you up and rapes you

http://www.oldielyrics.com/lyrics/the_police/de_do_do_do_de_da_da_da.h
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Friday, July 15, 2005 10:40 AM

BARNSTORMER



Gino,

In what ever Army you trained with, if your superiors sent you out under those conditions against a group of people who are Undoubtably armed (in my opinion) with at least RPGs, while other assets are available such as an armed helicopter that itself is not likely to be harmed by return fire. And your duty station was to man a checkpoint or crossroads or whatever (ie maybe a squad, not a company of men).

That situation says to me (yes, I do have a military background) that the chances of at least one of your men being either wounded or killed is very high.

That also says to me that your superior who sent you out there when he did not have to should find himself in a courts martial.

And that leads me to ask again,

Don't they like you?????



Am I a Lion?... No, I think I'ma tellin' the truth.

BarnStormer

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Friday, July 15, 2005 12:15 PM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.


Quote:

And that leads me to ask again, Don't they like you?????
Aside from personal sniping, was there any reason to include and repeat this question?

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Friday, July 15, 2005 12:15 PM

CHRISISALL


Quote:

Originally posted by BarnStormer:
Heck, I thought it was funny. Did'nt you think it was funny?


Yeah, it got a smile outta me.
Hey, I never got magically turned into Military Guy for any Halloween or anything, but the way I see it, battle is a highly fluid situation, and what should and shouldn't be done can change in a second.
So back to Gino's point: War is war, and true war has no rules. Terrorism is a label we put on people who conduct war in a way that targets innocents on purpose as well as the 'enemy'.
So there's the thing, we have to not live down to the level of the crazy, cowardly and oh-so-ready-to-see-God maniacs out there, right? I believe that's what the people running the war try to do, but let's face it, genius guys work at Nasa, if you get my drift.

Fly me to the Moon Chrisisall

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Friday, July 15, 2005 12:22 PM

CHRISISALL


Quote:

Originally posted by SignyM:
Quote:

And that leads me to ask again, Don't they like you?????
Aside from personal sniping, was there any reason to include and repeat this question?


On a psychological level he's repeating the question because he has subconcious feelings that his superiors didn't like him, and is trying to make a human connection on that basis.

Psych 101 Stony Brook, NY Chrisisall

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Friday, July 15, 2005 2:10 PM

GINOBIFFARONI


You didn't answer this question ?

" Still not convinced, besides advance to contact is what the infantry does... or do you think that they should only move after rockets and artillery blast any possible danger ? "

I assume by your post, the answer is yes. So my follow up would be, if by your actions ( valid, unvalid, doesn't really matter ) you further alienate the people who live in the country you are trying to occupy... how the hell do you expect to win ?

There has been many Vietnam comparisions out there, but I think the only valid one is the US military is going to succeed tacticaly, I mean really how can they not with all the technolgy and firepower anyone could dream of, but eventually as the bodies pile up, and the locals begin to hate Americans more and more ( the fault of your government, and the upper end of the command structure, not the troops ) one day you will be gone. Maybe the local puppets you put into place can hold it together, or maybe you'll have Iran in 79.

Of course, some of the puppets may be hedging their bets for the day this comes around

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4659287.stm


So, when we look back. What was it all worth

Haliburton makes a couple of billion ?



When my eloquence escapes you
My logic ties you up and rapes you

http://www.oldielyrics.com/lyrics/the_police/de_do_do_do_de_da_da_da.h
tml

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Saturday, July 23, 2005 3:24 PM

GINOBIFFARONI


Now it seems the police in London have taken to using these exact tactics

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4711021.stm

Perhaps this is a positive step, I mean after all... if the police in Britian and the US act towards the people at home with the same reguard their troops, and their allies act towards people abroad, maybe we can put an end to both tragedys.



When my eloquence escapes you
My logic ties you up and rapes you

http://www.oldielyrics.com/lyrics/the_police/de_do_do_do_de_da_da_da.h
tml

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Saturday, July 23, 2005 4:42 PM

FINN MAC CUMHAL


Quote:

Originally posted by GinoBiffaroni:
My training tells me that in this situation, you advance to contact, secure the area. Then determine the facts. Mind you the US has a completely different doctrine on the use of supporting arms than the British/Canadian one,

Canadian one!! Oh you were serious.

I’ve done work for the British military, and frankly I don’t think you know what the hell your talking about.

This whole thread is a joke. It was started by an anti-American hack to accuse the US of war crimes they never committed based on 20 seconds of indistinct footage from an old altered video that has probably been discredited a dozen times already. It amazes me that anybody takes these people seriously.

-------------
Qui desiderat pacem praeparet bellum.

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Saturday, July 23, 2005 5:04 PM

GINOBIFFARONI


I was about to argue with you, but that would really be pointless wouldn't it

Any of your posts alway has your opinion, and everyone else not knowing a damn thing....


Really it is no wonder people around the world want to shoot / bomb Americans. There is just no point in talking to you.

Well, the loud ugly Americans anyway. Too bad some of the others get caught up in it as well.


When my eloquence escapes you
My logic ties you up and rapes you

http://www.oldielyrics.com/lyrics/the_police/de_do_do_do_de_da_da_da.h
tml

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Saturday, July 23, 2005 5:14 PM

GINOBIFFARONI


http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article8842.htm

Trigger-happy US troops ' will keep us in Iraq for years'

By Sean Rayment

05/15/05 "The Telegraph" - - British defence chiefs have warned United States military commanders in Iraq to change their rules for opening fire or face becoming bogged down in a terrorist war for a decade or more.

The Telegraph has learnt that the warning was issued last month in response to a series of incidents that led to the deaths of Iraqi civilians, mainly at checkpoints, after soldiers opened fire in the mistaken belief that they were being attacked by suicide bombers.

The warning is said to have taken the form of advice from senior officers who accompanied Gen Sir Mike Jackson, the chief of the General Staff, on a recent trip to southern Iraq and Baghdad to visit British troops.

A conversation took place between officers on the differences between British and American rules of engagement, during which British commanders expressed their concerns over the use of US tactics.

They attempted to explain that in their experience of post-war counter-insurgency operations it paid to adopt a low-key and less aggressive stance.

American officers were told that when the British Army had made mistakes, such as in Londonderry in Northern Ireland in 1972 when troops shot dead 13 civilians during a civil rights march, the political and military consequences had been disastrous.

In the past month alone in Iraq there have been more than 130 car bombings and 67 suicide attacks that have killed more than 400 people. The attacks have led to renewed fears among coalition officials that American and Iraqi forces are losing the fight against the insurgency.

According to senior British officers, US military operations are typified by "force protection" - the protection of troops at all costs - that allows American troops to open fire, using whatever means available, if they believe that their lives are under threat.

By contrast, the British military has a graduated response to a threat and its rules of engagement are based on the principle of minimum force. Troops also have to justify their actions in post-operation reports that are reviewed by the Royal Military Police, and any discrepancy can lead to charges including murder.

A British officer said that some of the tactics employed by American forces would not be approved by British commanders.

The officer said: "US troops have the attitude of shoot first and ask questions later. They simply won't take any risk.

"It has been explained to US commanders that we made mistakes in Northern Ireland, namely Bloody Sunday, and paid the price.

"I explained that their tactics were alienating the civil population and could lengthen the insurgency by a decade. Unfortunately, when we ex-plained our rules of engagement which are based around the principle of minimum force, the US troops just laughed."

© Copyright of Telegraph Group Limited




When my eloquence escapes you
My logic ties you up and rapes you

http://www.oldielyrics.com/lyrics/the_police/de_do_do_do_de_da_da_da.h
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Saturday, July 23, 2005 5:19 PM

RUE

I have a vote and I'm not afraid to use it!


Gino,

You will find that Finn is not serious about any topic. This is a game.

He takes a contrary opinion (AIDS, global warming, colonial rule, ROE), finds or more generally makes up a very small set of facts (sometimes just one) to support his opinion, then attacks people personally to try to keep them engaged in his game.

He needs it to feel superior.



Nearly everything I know I learned by the grace of others.

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Saturday, July 23, 2005 5:23 PM

GINOBIFFARONI


Quote:

Originally posted by rue:
Gino,

You will find that Finn is not serious about any topic. This is a game.

He takes a contrary opinion (AIDS, global warming, colonial rule, ROE), finds or more generally makes up a very small set of facts (sometimes just one) to support his opinion, then attacks people personally to try to keep them engaged in his game.

He needs it to feel superior.



Nearly everything I know I learned by the grace of others.



Perhaps Bush should find him an appointment into your government.... sounds alot like the way they try to operate... And I would point to that as the main problem.

Thanks Rue

When my eloquence escapes you
My logic ties you up and rapes you

http://www.oldielyrics.com/lyrics/the_police/de_do_do_do_de_da_da_da.h
tml

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Saturday, July 23, 2005 5:33 PM

FINN MAC CUMHAL


Quote:

Originally posted by GinoBiffaroni:
I was about to argue with you, but that would really be pointless wouldn't it

Probably.
Quote:

Originally posted by GinoBiffaroni:
Really it is no wonder people around the world want to shoot / bomb Americans.

Do I need to say any more?

-------------
Qui desiderat pacem praeparet bellum.

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Saturday, July 23, 2005 7:16 PM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.


Quote:

You will find that Finn is not serious about any topic. This is a game.

He takes a contrary opinion (AIDS, global warming, colonial rule, ROE), finds or more generally makes up a very small set of facts (sometimes just one) to support his opinion, then attacks people personally to try to keep them engaged in his game.

In other words, a troll?

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