5th April 2010 10:44 EST WikiLeaks has released a classified US military video depicting the indiscriminate slaying of over a dozen people in the Iraqi suburb of New Baghdad -- including two Reuters news staff.
Reuters has been trying to obtain the video through the Freedom of Information Act, without success since the time of the attack. The video, shot from an Apache helicopter gun-site, clearly shows the unprovoked slaying of a wounded Reuters employee and his rescuers. Two young children involved in the rescue were also seriously wounded.
The military did not reveal how the Reuters staff were killed, and stated that they did not know how the children were injured.
After demands by Reuters, the incident was investigated and the U.S. military concluded that the actions of the soldiers were in accordance with the law of armed conflict and its own "Rules of Engagement".
Consequently, WikiLeaks has released the classified Rules of Engagement for 2006, 2007 and 2008, revealing these rules before, during, and after the killings.
WikiLeaks has released both the original 38 minutes video and a shorter version with an initial analysis. Subtitles have been added to both versions from the radio transmissions.
WikiLeaks obtained this video as well as supporting documents from a number of military whistleblowers. WikiLeaks goes to great lengths to verify the authenticity of the information it receives. We have analyzed the information about this incident from a variety of source material. We have spoken to witnesses and journalists directly involved in the incident.
WikiLeaks wants to ensure that all the leaked information it receives gets the attention it deserves. In this particular case, some of the people killed were journalists that were simply doing their jobs: putting their lives at risk in order to report on war. Iraq is a very dangerous place for journalists: from 2003- 2009, 139 journalists were killed while doing their work.
Reviewer:
whatever1234569
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February 23, 2024
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That’s what you get
Shouldn’t have been fkn around in a war zone.
Reviewer:
Bushido_spectre
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February 8, 2012
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To the stupid ppl
The journalists were killed in the line of their work. Its bad but it happens. U know what they say about seeping with the enemy anyway. They knew the risk. Its awful that kids were hurt. But point your damn fingers at the ppl who brought them into harms way. Answer me this, while watching the video, could u tell that there were children? Nope u couldnt. And I have read a lot of forums over this video, and ppl are talking about hiw awful the soldiers were killing innocent ppl. . . . To those of u piss off. R u forgetting or just ignoring the fact that there were cleary guns being carried. Not to mention that little punk peaking around the corner of the building CLEARY holding an RPG. Would it be different if he fired an hit the apache chopper and the crew died, or maybe nothing was done and later that day they ambush a convoy of our trrops. Ya it would. U ppl would be saying it was their job. Its no different. they chose their fate. We had the upper hand. Kill one to maybe save a thousand. Remember 911. Over 2000 innocent ppl died. Im proud to know my tax money is going to work and seeing results. War is a dirty business that only some of us have the stomach for. And this crap taking shots at our military is sick. Terrorists want to mind F u into feeling sorry for them. Unfortunatly it has worked with some of u
Reviewer:
tzeentchman
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April 18, 2011
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More idiots with small brains and big mouths
I am sure that when one talks of "protective bubbles" You are talking of the ignorance that only comes from one who expects his comforts and safety to be there when is convenient....such as the bravery that comes from being out of range,no doubt,Remember that the best slave is the one who thinks that he IS free!!
Reviewer:
I_loved_this movie!
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October 27, 2010
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Don't expect any exceptions
There's supposed to be some invisible protective bubble over the lives of journalists "just doing their job" distinguishing them from Iraqi citizens just trying to live their lives?
The killing of western journalists in Iraq is no more horrible than the killing of millions of native Iraqis. We should be no less outraged over the killing of Iraqis than over the killing of journalists.
The American military is not going to have any reverence for journalists trying to report what's taking place there. The American military would rather fabricate its own versions of what's really happening in Iraq and Afghanistan, so don't expect any merciful attempts to avoid the killing of journalists.