Here's a recent picture I found on the film which was leaked, regarding the shooting incident in 2007. I understand the concept of collateral damage. But after having seen the tape I came to the conclusion that the pilot was a bit overzealous.

Looking at Ted's profile. Seems he is one of the civilian intellectually elite college professors. (no military service).

Seems to want to bash the military. Or is it just the US military?

We all enjoy free speech in western countries, I just wonder who Ted thinks gave him that right?

Voltaire was said,"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."
Voltaire (1694 - 1778), (Attributed); originated in "The Friends of Voltaire", 1906
Voltaire talked about defending your right to free speech, but it was the military you are attacking who actually gave it to you.

Originally Posted by Chukpike

Looking at Ted's profile. Seems he is one of the civilian intellectually elite college professors. (no military service).

Seems to want to bash the military. Or is it just the US military?

We all enjoy free speech in western countries, I just wonder who Ted thinks gave him that right?

Voltaire was said,"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."
Voltaire (1694 - 1778), (Attributed); originated in "The Friends of Voltaire", 1906
Voltaire talked about defending your right to free speech, but it was the military you are attacking who actually gave it to you.

“It is the ability to take a joke, not make one, that proves you have a sense of humor.”

Cheers
Kristina

Originally Posted by Blitzmädel

“It is the ability to take a joke, not make one, that proves you have a sense of humor.”

Cheers
Kristina

True, but since he posted this in the political section and not the joke section it was not intended as a joke, was it?

And as a Vietnam veteran, who attended college after I got back. The "baby killer" joke, is a little tired and been done. Just SSDD, coming from the same clueless people.

Old jokes are like fish, they begin to smell with age. And bad jokes smell from the beginning.

Originally Posted by Chukpike

True, but since he posted this in the political section and not the joke section it was not intended as a joke, was it?

Maybe not; I think he was just trying to be sarcastic.

Originally Posted by Chukpike

And as a Vietnam veteran, who attended college after I got back. The "baby killer" joke, is a little tired and been done. Just SSDD, coming from the same clueless people.

Point taken; I’m aware that service in Vietnam, still is a very sensitive subject for most veterans.

Originally Posted by Chukpike

Old jokes are like fish, they begin to smell with age. And bad jokes smell from the beginning.

Well; the world is full of bad jokes. Believe me; the things I have to listen to when people finds out that I’m in the service and have been in Afghanistan. But I just forgive and forget!

Cheers
Kristina

Originally Posted by Blitzmädel

Point taken; I’m aware that service in Vietnam, still is a very sensitive subject for most veterans.

It's not so much Vietnam per se, but the thing that makes those who think, angry, is that our respective governments learnt nothing from the experience. They take willing young men, convince them that they are going to save western democracy from the Bogey man, and when they have finished with them, they are consigned to the rubbish heap of history.

Unfortunately, it takes hindsight to see that we actually achieved nothing more than killing tens of thousands of our respective nations youth in the prime of their lives, and being made to look like fools in the eyes of the world when we had to eventually go cap in hand to Paris and beg our "primitive foe" for peace. Our current efforts to turn Iraq over to the Iraqis is exactly the same, it's merely that this time we are desperately trying to save face. Afghanistan will be the same, in the end we will achieve nothing, the Afghans have never been successfully pacified, and it's not for the want of trying.

Well; the world is full of bad jokes. Believe me; the things I have to listen to when people finds out that I’m in the service and have been in Afghanistan. But I just forgive and forget!

There is no such thing as a "bad" joke, after all that is what a joke is,... something nasty, that happens to someone else[/quote]

Remember,... it is said that there are really only seven jokes in the whole world, all the rest are just adaptations, and usually very poor ones at that.

Originally Posted by Chukpike

True, but since he posted this in the political section and not the joke section it was not intended as a joke, was it?

That hasn't really stopped chain e-mails from being posted in the Political Threads in the past.

Originally Posted by The Other Guy

That hasn't really stopped chain e-mails from being posted in the Political Threads in the past.

Whatever, I made an observation.

I don't agree with Ted's assessment, but I can understand why he may have come to the conclusion that he did. I don't believe he was intending to "bash" the military. But Ted is a big boy and he can speak for himself on that, I'm sure.

I do think people are forgetting that this footage is completely out of context. It's one clip from one part of a day, week, month, etc. No one knows what the history was, trends, tactics, etc of the enemy at that time. No one knows what occurred prior.

Hindsight is 20/20 and suggestive journalism is pretty powerful. If I tell you they were journalists, then I put little pointy things on the screen telling you they have cameras. Well, that's what you see. Now take that away, try to put yourself in the moment, add in previous incidents, TTPs, trends, etc and see if you can have such a clear view. Well, you can't and that's the problem with armchair quarterbacking and out of context reviews.

I could probably give an assessment on what I saw just from that video, even draw a conclusion, but I doubt it would be right. The driver followed his ROEs, he was cleared and he made a judgement call based on the information he had at that time. That to me, is a good shoot.

War ain't pretty and sadly, **** happens. Seems callous, but it's a reality.

Originally Posted by Chukpike

Whatever, I made an observation.

Imagine that, me too.