Reply #127: I know I'm going to be flamed to hell and back for this..

[KDLarsen]

But, monday morning quarterbacks coming through.

Rules of engagement were followed, the two Apaches arrived at the scene after Hotel platoon had encountered small arms fire from the direction of the court yard. The Apaches reported the presence of 8 persons with what appeared to be weapons, two AK's and an RPG. It's easy for us to sit here with 20/20 vision and point out that it's obviously a camera with lens, but such hindsight is not really offered those in the situation at the time. In their case it was a matter of life or death.

They reported this to the Platoon commander, Hotel 6, who then gave authorisation for the Apaches to open fire.

Afterwards, the good samaritan appeared in his van. This mirrored previously used tactics by the insurgents, where they'd pick up their wounded (or kill those beyond help) and transport them away to prevent them from being captured and interrogated. And tragically, the Apache pilots proceeded to respond as they would have if it had been insurgents.

The Army made a huge mistake in covering it up. Cover-ups never go down well with the public (as the responses so far show).

And war is Hell. Iraq in the summer of 2007 was no different.