Take them out, dude: pilots toast hit on Iraqi 'civilians'

[seventhson]

Take them out, dude: pilots toast hit on Iraqi 'civilians'
By Andrew Buncombe in Washington

The Pentagon said yesterday it was investigating cockpit video footage that shows American pilots attacking and killing a group of apparently unarmed Iraqi civilians.

The 30-second clip shows the pilot targeting the group of people in a street in the city of Fallujah and asking his mission controllers whether he should "take them out". He is told to do so and, shortly afterwards, the footage shows a huge explosion where the people were. A second voice can be heard on the clip saying: "Oh, dude."

The existence of the video, taken last April inside the cockpit of a US F-16 fighter has been known for some time, though last night's broadcast by Channel 4 News is believed to be the first time a mainstream broadcaster has shown the footage.

At no point during the exchange between the pilot and controllers does anyone ask whether the Iraqis are armed or posing a threat. Critics say it proves war crimes are being committed.





http://news.independent.co.uk/low_res/story.jsp?story=569207&host=3&dir=70

[farmbo]

1. Anyone have a link to the clip?

eom

[ckramer]

3. here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x891236#891830

[Ripley]

4. Here

http://vampirebat.com/war/f16_fallujah.wmv

Thanks for that ckramer. It is sick. Poor quality video, but they seem happy don't they?

[Tiberius]

5. Disturbing

... does not even describe this. I don't understand the headline, though- did they raise a toast to what they had just done?

I also watched that clip on a machine with no sound, so maybe there's something I'm missing in the audio.

[Ripley]

8. Not much audio.

Basically it is just background jet noise and you can hear the pilot breathing. Then he says something like "I've got numerous individuals on the road, do you want me to take them out?" Another voice says "Take them out." Then a 10 second count down by someone...the explosion. And the happy co-pilot (I guess) says "Oh, Dude" in an orgasmic way.

No discussion about who the individuals were walking down the street.

on edit: I forgot to say I thought his breathing would change...get more rapid as he bombed, but it didn't. I guess they're trained to control their body, but it really was creepy.

[saigon68]

2. No wonder their relatives will behead the Infidels

Nice. This will be shown all over the Muslim world

[Ravenseye]

6. I don't know what to say.

I'm speechless.

Why isn't this all over the media?

[leftchick]

7. I bet you could guess why....

we have state run television now... :(

[Moderator]

9. duplicate topic--Please continue discussion here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=887578