Michael Collins: WikiLeaks Video - The Greater Horror

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Snip

Six thousand U.S. soldiers are dead as a result of the Iraq War. Twenty times that many struggles with serious war injuries. Over one million Iraqi civilians are dead as a result of the chaos unleashed by the invasion (gunshot wounds, car bombings, etc.). This is the true horror of the Iraq War.

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The incorrect identification of a camera as an RPG (above image) is the basis for all that follows in this first segment of the tape - the shooting of the men gathered on the street and the destruction of the van.

This is war, a war that was not planned or initiated by the crew of the Apache helicopter. The truly responsible parties for starting the war did so with premeditated intent. They deliberately lied to and deceived the public. They are the very first cause of the war and all of the deaths and suffering.

The helicopter crew was called into action, responded, and made a fatal error at the start that was compounded causing the deaths of the Iraqis on the ground. Was this murder? Without doubt, argued one serious analyst. Another, while critical of the mission, had too many unanswered questions to reach that conclusion.

But why is there a focus on the Apache crew? When you lock, load and deploy the world's most powerful military machine, many people die. Civilians die in every war. Several hundred thousand civilians were killed by U.S. and British bombing of German and Japanese cities during World War II. When you hear a president say he's "sending the troops," civilian deaths are part of the deal.

Link: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL1004/S00113.htm

[Me.]

1. The Pandora's Box Has Been Opened

And things are not going to stop flying out until those responsible for the war are brought to justice, if ever. Until there is resolution in some form or another the ghosts of the dead won't allow any of us to forget or live in peace.

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5. Go after the big boys and girls!

I don't go for this bull shit about calling it "murder" and hanging it on the crew. That's actually much worse than prosecuting the Baghdad torturers without going after Bush and Cheney. If WikiLeaks is going to point the finger in addition to doing leaks, then they should point it in the right direction. Put Bush, Cheney, and and the rest of the henchmen on trial for murder and bring the troops home.

[Martin Eden]

2. Cheney & Bush are war criminals, period.

And every member of Congress who voted for the IWR in October 2002 is at least partly complicit, which is one of the reasons Pelosi took impeachment off the table.

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6. Thanks for the reminder on imnpeachment

I went to the one hearing held on the subject, July 27, 2008. It was my birthday present to moi a day early. Conyers did the right thing and it went nowhere because Pelosi couldn't, as you so succinctly said, put it on the table. No success like failure...

[Usrename]

3. I agree, they should be held responsible for starting an unjust war.

But I don't see this is any kind of justification for the gunner who killed those kids.

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11. The ones that started it put the gunner there

And I don't disagree with your point either. It's just that the real perps have gotten a walk on
this and they need to be held responsible.

:hi:

[Usrename]

13. Yep!

:hi:

[autorank]

15. Time for personal attacks is over

This letter is one of "reconciliation" just as they say.

[inna]

4. K&R

[msedano]

7. poisoned fruit of the forbidden tree

the pilots are responsible for their errors, independent of any other factors. they pulled the trigger. but theirs is not the greater error, as the article highlights. the first cause of this crap is presidential hubris, ordering men and women into these situations. i agree, put the previous administration on trial for war crimes. obama is no less accountable for his decision to continue the wars.

but the most stomach-turning phrase of all is the exchange between the teevee talking head and the state department zombie:

Lesley Stahl on U.S. sanctions against Iraq: "We have heard that a half million children have died. I mean, that's more children than died in Hiroshima. And, you know, is the price worth it?"

Secretary of State Madeleine Albright: I think this is a very hard choice, but the price--we think the price is worth it. --60 Minutes (5/12/96)

When Mad Albright pronounces "we" she is speaking for every unitedstates american, unless you repudiate her assertion. does she speak for you?



recommended.

[autorank]

9. She meant "wee"

I agree entirely. The irony is that the July 12 incident came amidst a major change in tactics in Iraq to stay away from civilian casualties. But there will always be this sort of thing. It's gut wrenching to watch but much worse to experience, if you're injured or dead. WTF have Bush-Cheney done? How do they sleep at night? Why is Obama continuing it? It's a "president thing," we wouldn't understand.

[glitch]

8. Never forget. K & R

The people charged with holding them accountable but who refuse to do so will also never be forgotten.

[flyarm]

10. and are now complicit in the crime..they are also criminals now! eom

[AnArmyVeteran]

12. Even the getaway driver is guilty of the crime...

I consider everyone involved in the lead up and commencement of the war guilty of any murders committed. That includes the entire Bush team of war mongers, criminals and torturers. It also includes all of those brain dead conservatives who cheered on every bomb dropped and every dollar spent on THEIR war. THEY are responsible for the deaths of all those soldiers. THEY are responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis.

Just because conservatives in the US were not present at the murder site, they participated in the crimes, just as a get-a-way driver is guilty of the crimes committed by the rest of their gang.

[Patsy Stone]

14. Yes

You are exactly right.
And that's only one reason the Tea Party is ridiculous.
K&R

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16. It's like it never happened to too many

People are just moving on. While the events in the video are horrific, they happened for just the reasons you gave. We forgot this after Viet Nam when the bogus reasons to start that war were exposed and even after the drop dead proof about the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution cam out. We can't pay this price again.