By the sounds of it, the Americans were following the rules of engagement. Clear marked signs, visual and audio warning, failing that warning shot. After that, lethal force authorized. (point to note that Rules of Engagement differs from places to places, and unit standard operating procedures, etc. Also, nothing prohibits any soldier from using lethal force to protect themselves and members of their unit, allied forces. At least, I haven't heard of any RoE stated otherwise, even during most peaceful peacekeeping operations)
Points to consider
-Americans do not know who's in the car. Pregnant woman, a terrorist, could be anyone in there. All they saw was a car going really fast towards them and not heeding their warnings to stop.
-While we can sympathize with the Iraqi man going to the hospital to help his sister and it is quite possible that he's so concentrating on getting his sister to the hospital as fast as possible so he did not see the warnings.
-The Americans, being under constant IED and suicide bombers attacking their checkpoints, cannot take the risk of being hit by another suicide bombers. Having delivered reasonable amount of warnings, they were justified in using lethal force to try to stop the vehicle.
End result in this tragic incident is that nobody won.
EvilTree
quote:
Originally posted by Provocative_boi
This was the reason why i said what i said, and i did admit i was off topic and sorry if i offended anyone with my comments.
The point i was trying to raise:-
Warning really disturbing pics !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for that very unsubtle way to try to derail the topic.
Provocative_boi
quote:
Originally posted by EvilTree
Thanks for that very unsubtle way to try to derail the topic.
You didnt read what i wrote above the video.
EvilTree
quote:
Originally posted by Provocative_boi
You didnt read what i wrote above the video.
I did.
I still don't see how dead and wounded children relates to this specific topic about US driving and checkpoints in Iraq, other than another 'look at the Yanks! They are shooting up kids!' anti war point.
If you want to specifically address the topic on hand, ie the Yanks are wrong in playing bumper cars with Iraqi civilians, then I'd be happy to debate further. (Though not quite sure all this armchair general-ing is valid)
But if you're going to bring up another 'Iraq war is wrong' stuff, I have no more time with you. (Feel free to go to the Political Discussion forum where there's plenty of that)
Dr. DAS
That video is tragic.
I 100% agree that we are in a horrible situation, and things will get a lot worse before they ever get better. However, you cannot villify and blame soldiers for war, they are a product of it - not a cause.
Imagine being some sheltered kid from Wisconsin who joined the army as a medic to pay for medical school. Two years later, you have to live in the shadow of the poor children in that video. You have to treat them. You have to watch thier families' reaction when that child dies in your arms. This is reality for some of the troops over there. The are just as much victims of war as the Iraqi people.
There are bad eggs in every profession, but the bulk of them are just that - professionals. It's a war without an enemy, without a front line and without a moral compass. This is why it's so dangerous over there and this is why 99.9% of the time I will give the dreaded American soldier the benefit of the doubt.
Provocative_boi
quote:
Originally posted by EvilTree
I did.
I still don't see how dead and wounded children relates to this specific topic about US driving and checkpoints in Iraq, other than another 'look at the Yanks! They are shooting up kids!' anti war point.
If you want to specifically address the topic on hand, ie the Yanks are wrong in playing bumper cars with Iraqi civilians, then I'd be happy to debate further. (Though not quite sure all this armchair general-ing is valid)
But if you're going to bring up another 'Iraq war is wrong' stuff, I have no more time with you. (Feel free to go to the Political Discussion forum where there's plenty of that)
I never asked you to reply to me for that pics i posted, it was to show why i said, what i said earlier at the begining of the thread when i made it go off topic.
Neways im out
DigiNut
I realize this isn't Toronto, but I would so love to drive like that here.
As for the terrorist apologists in here, just be glad that I'm too bored with your braindead anti-American identity politics to bother with yet another pointless debate.
Cosmic Fur
All I know is that if I was in a country where people were constantly shooting at me, I wouldn't just be bumping these people lightly, i'd have one of my buddies sitting in the machine gun nest clearing the way for me as I rolled over them full speed.
