Will WikiLeaks video have lasting consequences?
April 21st, 2010 § 1 Comment
Al Jazeera English takes an in-depth look at a WikiLeaks video showing US soldiers killing a group of innocent Iraqi civilians and 2 Reuters employees from an Apache helicopter in 2007. WikiLeaks Editor Julian Assange and US Defence Analyst Ivan Eland provide analytical commentary on the clip. Coverage of this event was but a blip in mainstream US news media and according to US Secretary of Defence Robert Gates, the leaking of the video will not have any “lasting consequences.”
I have sincere respect for the anonymous whistleblower (likely a member of the US military) that provided this video to WikiLeaks in the first place.
On July 12, 2007, the US military responded to reports of small arms fire in a Baghdad suburb.
The military stated they were unable to positively identify the gunmen, and responded by dispatching Apache helicopters to the area.
The actions that followed have been subject to much debate and investigations.
By mid morning of July 12 a dozen Iraqis were dead, among them two Reuters News Agency staff members. All gunned down by a US Apache helicopter.
It captures the moments leading up to the shootings, the aerial attacks and the audio of the pilots and ground forces communicating.Recently, the video of the events was posted online by Wikileaks, a Sweden-based organisation that publishes anonymous submissions and leaks of sensitive documents from governments and other organisations.
An official military investigation took place in 2007 clearing all US military personnel involved of wrong-doing. Nevertheless the video has now been made public.
But has it changed public’s opinion and is it in their best interest to know what really happens in combat situations?
On Collateral Murder? we watch the video with the Wikileaks editor and a US military analyst, providing us with their perspective on the unfolding events.
Must-see, as gruesome and horrific as it is, particularly the lesser known excerpt from the longer video, and particularly with Julian Assange’s commentary (much less so Ivan Eland who sounds like an apologist). Thanks for posting.