The only question that really needs to be answered concerning the Wikileaks video.

[LeftyFingerPop]

As Americans, what would our reaction be to this incident if it happened in our country?

It does not matter how it is spun, and it does not matter why it happened.

This incident, and others like it, create a few generations of hate in the Muslim world.

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. You know what bothers me the most?

This is just ONE incident and we know there have been hundreds more in Iraq.

[patrice]

2. That's the question Americans should have been asking themselves for 7 years.

[TorchTheWitch]

4. it's what they should have asked themselves before going in

It's impossible to win hearts and minds at the point of a gun. War is ghastly. These type of incidents are rampent in every single war anywhere.

[patrice]

18. Many of us were, but failing that, I was referring to those who are just now opening

their eyes.

[Dr. Strange]

24. BEFORE going in.

Exactly.

[pocoloco]

19. The question now is....

what use is all that "dry powder" we had to save?

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. There is another question, and this is at the meta level

do we have a free press?

I don't think so.

I posted why today, and I will give you the short answer.

When our troops go out and KILLS a reporter (yes I know the lens), that will freeze others.

[bsorem]

9. Free Press

The free press was a dream rarely realized. It's too easy for the party in power to manipulate. I'm very grateful for WikiLeaks to let some of the truth out.

[nadinbrzezinski]

14. At one point we did have it

but it is gone.

Oh and welcome to DU.

[sudopod]

13. Of course it's not free.

Buying a news outlet costs a lot of money!

[nadinbrzezinski]

16. Of course, I pointed out the difference today

in a meta post

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8094928

Which as usual is not drawing much attention. Meta Posts of this type tend to make people very uncomfortable.

[PufPuf23]

20. I just k&r'd

[nadinbrzezinski]

21. Thanks

[LeftyFingerPop]

15. Agreed 100%. n/t

[TorchTheWitch]

22. war correspondants have always known they may die

and not just from "the enemy". War is absolute chaos and horrible totally preventable truly fucked up stuff happens. They all know that. An incident like this is nothing new in any war and every war correspondent is very well aware of it.

[nadinbrzezinski]

23. Of course, having been to my share

I know that.

This said, there is more to this than just that.

Armies across time also have to deal with witnesses... some are better at it than others by the way.

But tell me, do we have a free press? I don't think so

[jotsy]

30. We do not.

And it sucks.

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[LeftyFingerPop]

6. No offense please...

But you would have to climb into someone's head to accurately make that statement.

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[drdtroit]

17. No, just read their posts n/t

[DJ13]

11. They, of course, are war apologists

No, they are people that would have been comfortable 20 years ago calling themselves Republicans.

They are DLC.

[bluestateguy]

8. What Wikileaks video?

This is all news to me.

I'm in the dark here. What is going on?

[LeftyFingerPop]

10. Start here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=385&topic_id=451962&mesg_id=451962

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. Here

http://www.collateralmurder.com/

Realize for most watching this... well just watch... and if there are kids around, keep them away.

[RedCappedBandit]

28. Seriously disturbing.

Damn

[nadinbrzezinski]

29. War is disturbing

This is a little window into the reality of it, not the movie version of it.

People didn't like the Hurt Locker, why? At the psychological level it went there

[MisterP]

25. they'd still whimper that "but we're not in their shoes!"

though they never give the Taliban that benefit

that sort of person just doesn't realize what sort of servile, bootlicking person they are

[David__77]

26. I wish there were video of every killing, assault, and rape committed.

People then can decide for themselves who is right and who is wrong.

[protocol rv]

27. It is like Battlefield Earth, the John Travolta film

The US soldiers remind me of the alien invaders. A lot of technology, yet they lost.