*Ø* US cockpit pictures from Fallujah screened
I saw this footage on Channel 4 last night and it's horrific. I don't have a link for viewing, but there is a broadband subscription video link on the page. I saw what the pilot saw, a group of unidentifiable people running into the street. They are fired on, and the street dissolves into a mushroom of smoke ...
From Channel 4 News:
"Channel 4 News has obtained video from an American fighter jet showing it launching an attack on a group of people in a Fallujah street.
"The American military have confirmed to us that it is genuine. But it isn't clear whether what we're seeing is a massacre or a military operation in this rare and disturbing example of real footage of the fighting ...
"We have pictures that offer a rare glimpse inside America's disastrous attempt to seize Fallujah from the insurgents in April. At that time, there were reports of hundreds of bodies piling up at the hospital.
"But until now, we've had little real idea of how American pilots go about bombing in built-up areas.
"The Pentagon has confirmed the pictures show a cockpit video from a US Airforce F-16 fighter, shot in April.
"The pilot tells ground control he can see numerous individuals on the road.
"He asks if he should take them out?
"Instantly he's told to take them out.
"The pilot locks the bomb guidance system onto the crowd running along the street.
"The pilot's reaction: 'Aw dude.'
"Overnight, Channel 4 News received the following e-mail:
"'This video is indeed gun film footage from a US Air Force F-16 fighter. The mission was not 'recent', it was in April 2004. This was a close air support mission, flown by an F-16 Fighting Falcon in the Fallujah vicinity, and under the control of a Joint Terminal Attack Controller serving with ground forces in the area. The JTAC designated the target and confirmed the hit.'
"The confirmed hit happens incredibly quickly, just 32 seconds from the pilot telling ground control he's seen the crowd to the deaths of thirty or so people.
"The video graphically illustrates US rules of engagement in practice. Unlike British troops, if the Americans perceive anybody or anything to be a threat it is attacked, particularly in Fallujah, particularly in April.
"As Fallujah again comes into US gunsights many will want to know who were these people? Insurgents? Innocents? Running away from trouble? running to attack? Tonight a doctor who was at Fallujah hospital told us these people were innocent civilians fleeing from houses where they'd been pinned down by American snipers, by running down the street.
"The Pentagon says it's chasing answers but has yet to explain why these people were targeted."
Source and full text
I saw this footage on Channel 4 last night and it's horrific. I don't have a link for viewing, but there is a broadband subscription video link on the page. I saw what the pilot saw, a group of unidentifiable people running into the street. They are fired on, and the street dissolves into a mushroom of smoke ...
From Channel 4 News:
"Channel 4 News has obtained video from an American fighter jet showing it launching an attack on a group of people in a Fallujah street.
"The American military have confirmed to us that it is genuine. But it isn't clear whether what we're seeing is a massacre or a military operation in this rare and disturbing example of real footage of the fighting ...
"We have pictures that offer a rare glimpse inside America's disastrous attempt to seize Fallujah from the insurgents in April. At that time, there were reports of hundreds of bodies piling up at the hospital.
"But until now, we've had little real idea of how American pilots go about bombing in built-up areas.
"The Pentagon has confirmed the pictures show a cockpit video from a US Airforce F-16 fighter, shot in April.
"The pilot tells ground control he can see numerous individuals on the road.
"He asks if he should take them out?
"Instantly he's told to take them out.
"The pilot locks the bomb guidance system onto the crowd running along the street.
"The pilot's reaction: 'Aw dude.'
"Overnight, Channel 4 News received the following e-mail:
"'This video is indeed gun film footage from a US Air Force F-16 fighter. The mission was not 'recent', it was in April 2004. This was a close air support mission, flown by an F-16 Fighting Falcon in the Fallujah vicinity, and under the control of a Joint Terminal Attack Controller serving with ground forces in the area. The JTAC designated the target and confirmed the hit.'
"The confirmed hit happens incredibly quickly, just 32 seconds from the pilot telling ground control he's seen the crowd to the deaths of thirty or so people.
"The video graphically illustrates US rules of engagement in practice. Unlike British troops, if the Americans perceive anybody or anything to be a threat it is attacked, particularly in Fallujah, particularly in April.
"As Fallujah again comes into US gunsights many will want to know who were these people? Insurgents? Innocents? Running away from trouble? running to attack? Tonight a doctor who was at Fallujah hospital told us these people were innocent civilians fleeing from houses where they'd been pinned down by American snipers, by running down the street.
"The Pentagon says it's chasing answers but has yet to explain why these people were targeted."
Source and full text
Nora posted item above at 7:27 AM | Permalink
1 Comments:
Many thanks, dragonsgrail!
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