Our military/police are trained to relentlessly suppress/incapacitate/destroy. War is hell.
The video, in this context, is hardly surprising.
I am surprised, however, when folks are so quick to shrug their shoulders, rationalize and justify military actions (be they on the micro scale, like this incident with the AP reporters, or be they macro, like the overall US military policy in Afghanistan/Iraq).
Over the last decade+, I have been so utterly drained, emotionally and physically, from working to change things (on the local level, from union-building to educating folks on US foreign/domestic policy), that I dread even posting here. It's always ugly. Nonetheless, my two cents (in technicolor!):
For the folks who can "understand" why trained, professional soldiers fired upon the van in the video: Wow. Regardless of how you feel about the initial "engagement", firing upon the van was sterile, high-tech brutality. Period. Rationalize all you want, it simply strengthens my point about brutality. Perhaps we see things differently, though? Unarmed civilians trying to save a wounded, dying man by carrying him to a van = threat. Yes! I see it now. By all means, I grant you permission to open fire.
The helicopter gunship (and/or troops on the ground) are in immediate danger of having a dying man being tossed at them.
One day, I hope we live in a world where even jaded individuals will recognize brutality when they see it. There is no need to "GTFO", since, as you are keenly aware, the very existence of America is founded upon political freedoms to fight inequality and injustice, in an effort to make this country (and maybe even the world!) a better place. "GTFO" is, if anything, one of the most UNpatriotic and antiAmerican sentiments a person could harbor, especially in times like these.
The sad thing is that the only reason this particular story has some traction is because it involved AP reporters, who are usually regarded, at times, as bonafide "humans". Had this simply involved Iraqi reporters, or even worse, locals in the community, we would simply know them as "insurgents".
And, to guyjin's post from the veteran: We, as vigilant, patriotic Americans, must scrutinize the actions of both the policy-makers AND those who enforce that policy. To do anything less is criminal.
