Of War and Videos (Part Two)

Sunday, 11 April 2010 16:29

A video frame from the WikiLeaks US Apache helicopter video shows wounded civilians being loaded into a van moments before the Apache gun-crew opened fire, 07/13/07. (image: Apache Crew/WikiLeaks)

Reader Supported News | Perspective

t is titled Collateral Murder. The shock value is obvious with a backstory full of intrigue and shadows and denial and attempted cover-up and veiled threats.

WikiLeaks packaged the release of this video and prepped the audience so that it would achieve the most impact. It worked. It's a love-hate reaction.

I have read a lot of indignation about the aircrew chatter on the video. Maybe I've been around war and military ops for too long but I'm not offended as much as others seem to be - at least not in the same way. If you spend any time around EMT and First Responders you will hear some pretty crass and cruel terms for the sick and injured. It is a coping mechanism when trauma is your life.

Let me ask you a question:

When you watched the video, did you see the woman and her child scurry away along the sidewalk by the shot up bongo van?

I saw them and I wondered where the hell they had been during the shooting? Were they huddled against a wall in one of those buildings? Had they taken a shortcut through an alley and ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time?

Now think of the words from the aircrew: "Well, it's their fault for bringing their kids into a battle."

For that Iraqi woman and child, the city is their home, their neighborhood, their street to go to market or run errands or visit friends and family.

For the aircrew and the ground units - the city, the neighborhoods and streets are a battleground filled with hidden and sometimes subtle dangers around every corner.

One man's battleground is another man's home.

Was the black bongo the same van the radio chatter talked about having been seen earlier dropping off men and weapons in the area? Or was it just some guy driving by who simply tried to help? I don't know and I don't think anyone knows for sure. There was a lot of car traffic a few streets over, people trying to live their lives in the middle of a war zone. Is that where the van driver came from?

Were the children being used as human shields or were they just out with their father doing family errands?

There are Rules of Engagement (ROE) that outline dealing with the use of force and the difference between use of force and use of lethal force and what conditions must be met. On a factual basis, the situation in the video never met the conditions for use of lethal force. At least nothing in the video frames. But that's just my opinion.

Men had weapons, yes. A man in a striped shirt had a Kalashnikov or Bulgarian SLR type rifle and the young guy next to him had an RPG. And another man walks up to them and points at the circling Apache and you can see them discreetly hide their weapons. In the full version, this all happens at the 2:08 minute mark and lasts about four seconds. Four seconds. Life and death in four seconds.

In a country or city where a much of the local population carries weapons, where neighborhoods have their own militia as protectors against local criminals and corrupt police or tribal conflicts - how do you know who is the enemy?

We have been down this road before.

You wind people up for a war and you're bound to end up with a violent bloody mess. We know that. We have the history. We also have the answer.

Stop the war.

If you don't want people judging what our troops do - stop the war.

If you don't want to put soldiers on trial for crimes - stop the war.

If you don't want another Collateral Murder video - stop the war.

Here's the thing - every new war drags a piece of an old war along with it. Better dead than Red. The only good Indian is a dead Indian. It's just a Gook. They're not real people. Light 'em up and grease that Johnny-Jihad. Bring it on. Dead or alive.

War is the only drug addiction that is socially acceptable.

Abstinence only should be our war policy.

We need to face this now. The real crime here is if we turn away. Avoidance is an infection that spreads rapidly and kills us with the germs of denial. It infects us with a fever that blinds our eyes and minds to the horror of our actions.

If we allow ourselves to rationalize these acts then it becomes easier to sweep them under the rug and avoid having to acknowledge the devastation. Time Magazine used the headline: "Collateral Damage or Civilian Massacre in Haditha." On AC360, CNN ran a series about the canal killings with the headline: "Battlefield, justice or murder?" The headlines equivocate and suggest it might not be as horrible as it sounds because there may be extenuating circumstances.

Each time we fail to face the facts and choose to wave the flag of patriotism over truth, we wound the American essence at the center of our being. Each time we rationalize the deaths of human beings we die little by little within ourselves. Each time we say, 'they probably deserved it anyway,' we commit the small suicides of our own humanity. Each time we close our eyes to the sins of war we extend the darkness of violence.

It's time to stop the war.

In the film Judgment at Nuremberg as Judge Haywood renders his verdict, he speaks to the politics of atrocity: "But this trial has shown that under the stress of a national crisis, men - even able and extraordinary men - can delude themselves into the commission of crimes and atrocities so vast and heinous as to stagger the imagination... How easily that can happen. There are those in our country today, too, who speak of the 'protection' of the country. Of 'survival.' The answer to that is: 'survival as what?' A country isn't a rock. And it isn't an extension of one's self. It's what it stands for, when standing for something is the most difficult. Before the people of the world - let it now be noted in our decision here that this is what 'WE' stand for: justice, truth... and the value of a single human being!"

We are all collateral damage and war is the collateral murder of our national soul.

A bullet did not kill America - it just broke its heart.

Read: Of War and Videos (Part One)

Comments

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-8 # RICHARDKANEpa 2010-04-11 21:02

If you check back over the years the US is more and more avoiding civilian casualties. none of the bloodbaths or even tit-for-tat ethnic vengeance like happened in Iraq.

But it can end because the Karzai government and the top al Qaeda supporting warlord Hakmatyar are suing for peace.

But Kucinich wants to set an arbitrary date to cut funds rather than join the negotiations that will end the war. Google Peace Movement Betrays Afghan President Karzai, and join the real peace movement.

RichardKanePA

+8 # Guest 2010-04-12 05:40

Richard, the U.S. is NOT avoiding civilian casualties. In many instances we are not hearing of those casualties. Drones are causing casualties, indiscriminant shootings such as this are causing casualties. In this most recent attack in American history, the count is at least 90% civilian deaths to 10% military deaths. Maybe more civilians. We'll never know.

As for Karzai, the U.S. puppet, who in his first year after being installed was counted among the top 10 best dressed men in the world, he has his own welfare to contend with, and being a pal of the U.S. has put him in jeopardy more than once.

None of what is reported is reality. It is a vast cosmic joke that the U.S. is perpetrating on the rest of the world, to the detriment of millions of people.

+2 # Guest 2010-04-12 05:59

vengeance like happened in Iraq? That did not occur until we got there. So it is OK to kill 10's of thousands because before we used to kill more? We are there, not to free anything, to stop Russia and China.

+3 # Guest 2010-04-11 23:12

John Cory's eloquence amazes me and the simplicity of his call to action - "stop the war" - is rendered exquisitely elegent in the context of his writing.
His words are precisely this: a call to action. Not specified is how, but isn't it perfectly clear? WE must stop this war. WE must behave like citizens in a free country are supposed to. If our government doesn't have enough of a conscience to do the right thing, WE must give it one because, if you believe in a government of, by and for the people, WE THE PEOPLE are the only legitimate government that we have and must demand that our conscience be heard by our elected SERVANTS. WE don't ask for justice if we are doing our duty. WE demand it.
Get on the phone and start calling your representatives . Start writing letters. Start organizing for protests. Get off your butts or confess your depravity of accepting forced complicity for murder and admit you are damned...and don't say a word of whining when justice is served, as it shall be.

+9 # Guest 2010-04-12 05:21

In the run-up to the war in Iraq, hundreds of thousands of us protested, not only here in the U.S., but across the world. My representative, Dennis Kucinich, has been calling for an end to the war since it began. He's been voting against all funding. Both of my senators, Sherrod Brown and George Voinovich, have continued to vote for funding, Brown because he's going along to get along, and Voinovich because George Bush told him to, according to what each of them wrote me. After all the protests and the letters and Cindy Sheehan's activism, the war still continues. What's the answer?

+2 # Guest 2010-04-12 06:13

Denise: I agree with Daniel, the answer is, and can only be, the PEOPLE'S independent actions in protest and to alter the overall political atmosphere. Before the war millions demonstrated and helped to create the conditions that blocked the UN from providing any support for the invasion. Ending wars is never easy and stopping the war in Vietnam took years. People in other countries know this better than Americans who tend to think that a few demonstrations will do it and tend to rely on elected officials. During the 1960s the fight in the public arena was over whether the main issue was "social injustice" or "crime in the streets." The social movements managed to make the former frame prevail. Check out worldcantwait.net's new statement and action call.

+3 # Guest 2010-04-12 11:13

Protests and coverage of the war by the news media eventually turned the public against the Vietnam war, but we live in a very different United States now. Millions in this country and millions more around the world protested before the Iraq invasion, but this was barely covered by the U.S. media. Most people had no idea. And our media only reports what the military tells them to report about the war. They don't show what really happens. The Wikileaks video is a very rare glimpse into the reality. These changes effectively neutralized efforts by some people to end these illegal invasions. The people, as a whole, don't care because it's not real to them. The minority who does care has no power, no means of even getting media attention. Nonviolent protest, writing letter, and other traditional actions no longer work. We don't need generalized calls to the people to take action. We need ideas for actions that might have an effect. I don't have any. Do you?

+2 # Guest 2010-04-12 21:48

Well said, Brian. It frustrates the Hell out of me to see so many people on left wing blogs/sites writing things like "the people just need to rise up and demonstrate." It's the very fact that the media ignores millions of protesters that makes it possible for caring and intelligent people-- not to know that the media ignores millions of protesters. In fact when someone writes that I think.. hm, this person is writing this from an armchair, because if she or he had been doing anything about the issues, they would know that it makes no difference. How many times have I read "Rise up in the millions and they will HAVE to take notice!" The same old devices-- protesting, writing letters-- don't work; the playing field is too steep now. The current media is against us. --more in a sec--

+3 # Guest 2010-04-12 22:01

--cont--
There is no one answer; but one major battle can be waged by funding and supporting the alternative, Internet press, and spreading the word of these sites to all of your acquaintances. The news isn't getting out through the corporate media ("MSM"). We have to bring the public into the "alternative" media arena. Facebook post truthout articles. Start discussions with everyone in your life. Of course you should still go to protests and try to embarrass politicians. But realize that isn't enough anymore.

+1 # Guest 2010-04-12 18:16

Denise, there are very real answers and I know some of them. The real question to me though, is the matter of leadership. I am very familiar with Cindy Sheehan and appreciate the tragedy of her efforts so far. She is doing the right thing, but there is more to do. While media fails to report the resistance, actions are possible that will so astonish and reinvigorate that if our media won't report it, world media will. The World Can't Wait people are onto something. While I am just another Joe among the masses, I have answers! But do I have the courage? With so many depending on me and so much in my near future to look forward to, there is no sacrifice I can make that won't harm others but then, the same would be true of anyone else. Not just the answers, but the leadership must come from the people, not merely Washington. I'm trying to find my nerve here. We need a Ghandi or a ML King but all we seem to have is little guys like me. Will I be brave enough to risk martyrdom? We'll just see about that.

+1 # Guest 2010-04-11 23:13

"The one we learn from history is that we do not learn from history."
Why is it even when we can watch what is happening, we still try to fool ourselves?
Why do we not learn from our mistakes?
If we were not ashamed of what we had done, why was it hidden from the public?
What did we teach our soldgers?

-1 # Guest 2010-04-11 23:17

The fact that the author is not offended by the aircrew "chatter" is disgusting. This kind of talk is sickening and horrific and indefensible no matter how common it is. Plus the video shows no "battlefield" at all. There is too much rationalizing in this article in spite of the author's plea to end war or what could more justifiably be called massacres and murder.

+2 # Guest 2010-04-12 09:23

I think the author understands that everyone is a victim in a war. It has been true in every one of America's wars. I am sorry you didn't understand that the young shooters were also victims.

Do we understand that we actually do not have any control or input into what our government and its employees are doing? We cannot even make them stop taking our property so they can build fences and prisons to isolate and torture other innocents. All we can do is to complain loudly, like children with a drunken and brutal parent.

Anyone with children should know that as long as militaries are "volunteers" we seem to be legally involved in all their atrocities ourselves. We have, essentially, a secret government about which we know nothing but the lies they are pleased to tell us. Propaganda is their primary instrument and the world's most wealthy and powerful are always in charge.
We have a single weapon and that is the truth. Don't hesitate to tell it.

+3 # Guest 2010-04-12 11:21

In some sense you are right that everyone is a victim of war. But a volunteer is never completely a victim. Nobody has to volunteer, even if they are poor. Even when the draft was in effect, we still had some choice. I remember thinking that if I was drafted, I would either try to be a conscientious objector, try to hide, flee to Canada, or I would even go to jail before I would kill another human being. Everyone has choices, even if you are already in the military, even if none of the options are good. You never have to kill, it is always a choice.

+3 # Guest 2010-04-12 00:03

I watched the video I think minutes after it was posted in the middle of the night. I literally was in anguish watching and vocally, and somewhat loudly, kept repeating, "No, no, no."
If all the horrendous, deceitful machinations that led us to the Iraq war didn't totally break my heart, that video did.
How will that young soldier's life, that sounded about 18 to 22 years old, who pleaded permission to fire, be affected?
What a tragedy this Iraq Occupation has been, and what unnecessary bloodshed and maiming!!

+3 # Guest 2010-04-12 06:05

what unnecessary bloodshed and maiming!? Necessary bloodshed and maiming, we need the oil and we need to keep China from getting it. We do not give a shit about the people, but that is nothing new. We are a right wing terrorist government, just look at who we have supported during the past 100 years and who we have opposed during the same time.

+2 # Guest 2010-04-12 01:33

Stop the War !!!!

+1 # Guest 2010-04-12 02:13

Congress is considering refunding the wars now. Why not call your senators and rep and tell them you do not want any more funding for the wars. Ending the funding is what ended the Vietnam war. Come on, let's get this funding stopped and starve the war. Enough is enough!

+1 # Guest 2010-04-12 07:48

Just get out of there. What would George Washington think of today's US?

-1 # Guest 2010-04-15 00:53

Edgar:

George Washington was a slave owner, an imperialist and a tyrant. His are the values that this nation was built upon.

+1 # Guest 2010-04-12 08:02

In re the authors statement of:
"War is the only drug addiction that is socially acceptable."
Another of the [horribly] acceptable 'drugs' is POWER. It does the same thing to our minds as physical drugs. And, unlike other physical drugs, no one is to be trusted with it; yet it is perfectly 'legal'. Politicians, police, bureaucrats, civil servants, etc., use it all the time - and get away with it! More's the shame!

+3 # Guest 2010-04-12 09:05

We are the people who are powerless to force our representatives to act normally. After all the demonstrations, all the injured and dead war protesters, all the murdered civilians and members of the press and the loss of the best of our youth in wars, we are as impotent as ever to make our government act reasonably in military matters.

Why don't we admit it now? We are not and never have been a democracy.

+1 # Guest 2010-04-12 11:24

To end the war, we provide the opportunity and obligation for individuals to debate (Equal Time Recorded Dialogues) and publish the results. We include Iraqis, Afghans, Americans, Canadians and everyone else involved. Debate is both a right and an obligation. Point-by-point issues are discussed, then published for the court of public and expert opinion to weigh the evidence. This is how war is ended in practical and tangible terms. Audio or visual recorders with transcription software can be deployed at large not only in Iraq, Afghanistan, among the public, but in the army, among armies and finally everywhere in all our lives. Formal Dialectic discourse is everybody's right.

+3 # Guest 2010-04-12 14:25

Wars must be ended and the Military should be DE-FUNDED by AT LEAST 50%. I GUARANTEE there is AT LEAST THAT MUCH WASTE in Military spending!!!

+3 # Guest 2010-04-12 15:10

when a country methodically teaches our young to kill, and then praises them and heaps glory on them for their wonderful effort- to keep "us" safe- why are we surprised when one out of five prescriptions written is for physic disorders upon discharge, (from veterans hospital data), when do we start thinking? who is it really for?
scream for no more funding! yell for cessation to our reps!
i don't know any parent who teaches their kids to kill other parents kids- except criminals.

+1 # RICHARDKANEpa 2010-04-14 10:21

Glen and others I hate to pop your bubble because I wish it wasn't true but the American people aren't opposed to this war.

The following was a peace site during Vietnam and the Contras and for peace in other wars around the world but has an evenhanded approach to the Afghan war,and FPIF is not alone,

Note and cry about this instead of my comment,
http://www.fpif.org/articles/afghanistan_should_we_stay_or_should_we_go

Foreign Policy in Focus is connected to the Institute for Policy Studies

+1 # Guest 2010-04-15 00:42

I agree with Glen. Civilian casualties are high. The reality of war is kept away from public view. This was considered the big mistake of the Vietnam War. The military-industrial complex has kept tight controls on the media since.

For extremely thoughtful commentary on this video visit Civilian Soldier Alliance at: http://www.civsol.org/content/second-member-of-company-involved-in-wikileaks-inc. There is an interview featuring two U.S. soldiers who were seen in the video running with the wounded children to get them medical attention.
As John Cory had written, the soldiers also point out that this video depicts what war looks like. This footage does not represent a unique and isolated incident, but rather everyday life for soldiers in Iraq.

0 # Guest 2010-04-22 10:10

If the "civilian" had an RPG what was he carrying it for? Defence of his house?

Does a make him a target under the rules of engagement?

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