Israeli tank blows away cameraman

[Dr. Tyler; Captain America 0]

Of course, bu that *DOESN'T MEAN* they can't take further safety precautions before blowing the guy away.

[Guest MikeSC]

Jesus.

 

I fail to see how it's so difficult to say "They (the soldiers) should have been more careful"

 

I'm not saying we're strategically eliminating journalists. I'm saying we need to be more careful. You're denying that fact.

 

Whatever, you're the "expert" and I'm just another stupid liberal.

No, what we're saying is that in a warzone, soldiers are UNABLE to either shout warnings or "be more cautious".

 

In a warzone, a journalist needs to make darned sure nothing he does looks remotely suspicious or can conceivably be misconstrued.

 

Soldiers get no benefit out of killing innocents.

-=Mike

[Anorak 0]

The "killed by a retarded American during wartime" section in heaven is expanding.

It wouldn't be a proper war without a few of those though would it?

 

Seriously, you can't compare this unfortunate event to stupid stuff like bombing hospitals and shooting down allied planes that have occured before.

[Dr. Tom 0]

Tyler:

 

There's no chance to "be more careful." This was a war zone. A soldier, when presented with a potentially dangerous situation, has very little time to think about what else that situation might be. If he guesses wrong, not only is he dead, but several of his companymates are, as well. Police officers face similar situations a lot, and are likewise criticized by people who have no comprehension of what it's like to be in that scenario. If you're a cop and you're investigating something in a dark house, and you see what looks like someone pointing a gun at you, what do you do? And if it turns out to be a twelve year-old with a very realistic-looking water gun, that's truly a shame, but the officer's actions are not even remotely questionable, IMO. Ditto the actions of a soldier on a tank who sees what looks like someone pointing an RPG at him. He doesn't have time to think it might be a journalist with a big camera, because if that guess is wrong, the tank is scrap metal and several US soldiers are dead.

[Dr. Tyler; Captain America 0]

Why not shoot him somewhere like the leg, where it won't kill the guy? That will take him down and give him more time to investigate... as opposed to just flat out killing the guy.

[Vern Gagne 0]

You're taught to aim for the largest part of the target.At least that's with police. I can't imagine it being any different in the military.

[Dr. Tom 0]

Exactly, Vern. Law enforcement officials are taught to shoot at center mass because they have the greatest chance of hitting their target, even if they're not entirely accurate. Tyler, you can shoot someone in the leg, then see them blow you away when the fall down. It's not worth the risk. Any officer in that situation should shoot to kill.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

Why not shoot him somewhere like the leg, where it won't kill the guy? That will take him down and give him more time to investigate... as opposed to just flat out killing the guy.

That has to be the funniest thing I've read, well, this week -- even funnier than your post in the "gay" thread.

 

Of course, what would be REALLY funny is if a soldier followed this insane idea, aimed for a possible terrorist's leg, missed and killed a bystander...

[Guest SideFXs]

Jesus.

 

I fail to see how it's so difficult to say "They (the soldiers) should have been more careful"

 

I'm not saying we're strategically eliminating journalists. I'm saying we need to be more careful. You're denying that fact.

 

Whatever, you're the "expert" and I'm just another stupid liberal.

 

Agreed: Stupid, irrational, and totally out of touch with reality--> A liberal.

 

Hamas, Al Qaeda, Baathish loyalists. Their M.O. for many ambushes---> from cars.

 

Abu Ghraib prison was attacked the previous day, 6 killed and 60 injured.

 

You, as an American Soldier, are charged up on adrenaline, alert for any sign of an attack on your life, or your American Tank, guarding the prison.

 

All of your buddies, in the tank, are depending on your vigilance.

 

You see a man get out of a car, with a shoulder mounted device, pointed at you.

 

Now, I ask you.......Would you really stop, and yell for identification? Is your aim, from a tank mounted gun, going to be laser like, so you can just wound your attacker in the leg?

 

Besides many soldiers die from a gunshot wound to the leg. Getting hit in the descending femoral artery is just as fatal as a center shot to the heart. It takes minutes!

 

Attacks, on American military, occurred until 1947, in Japan. Pres. Bush saying the war is over, means our military reached its goal, but we are going to shoot back, if attacked.

 

I recommend you go on a paintball camp weekend. Personally I hope you get hit in the nuts.

[Firestarter 0]

Personally I hope you get hit in the nuts.

I believe it is safe to say that this cannot happen to Tyler.

[Guest MikeSC]

Why not shoot him somewhere like the leg, where it won't kill the guy? That will take him down and give him more time to investigate... as opposed to just flat out killing the guy.

Because it is a WAR ZONE and you can't really shoot to "hurt".

 

Why couldn't the guy simply wait to shoot his footage until after the military LEFT THE AREA?

-=Mike

[Guest Vitamin X]

Why not shoot him somewhere like the leg, where it won't kill the guy? That will take him down and give him more time to investigate... as opposed to just flat out killing the guy.

Because it is a WAR ZONE and you can't really shoot to "hurt".

 

Why couldn't the guy simply wait to shoot his footage until after the military LEFT THE AREA?

-=Mike

I agree with Mike here, and seemingly everyone else here in the thread besides Tyler as the soldier would have taken a much greater risk to himself and his fellow men by firing a warning shot or anything else.

 

As it is, it is still an area of conflict and I'm pretty sure even the cameraman knew what he was getting involved with when he went in that area. He should have exercised more caution, or as Mike said, wait until the military had left the area, or gain clearance from the military, even.

 

I'm betting also the fact that he was an ethnic Palestinian didn't help much either, though.

[Firestarter 0]

I agree with Mike here, and seemingly everyone else here in the thread besides Tyler

Really. People like Tyler almost make me think Ann Coulter has a point when she says that any given liberal's first instinct under any circumstances is to attack America and support our enemies: that treason is the livelihood of the left. Doesn't matter what the facts are; if you're in the armed forces of the United States, you are physically and psychologically incapable of doing not only anything right, but anything even vaguely justified or understandable.

 

Christ Jesus. The camera guy was in the wrong, and he got shot. People get shot in a war zone, especially if they're stupid. He isn't a goddamn martyr just because he's one of your ever so fucking precious Palestinians.

Edited August 22, 2003 by Cancer Marney

[NoCalMike 0]

Marney, I wouldn't say the cameraman was in the WRONG, perse, it was just a press guy taking the risk that any press person does while being in the middle of a war zone. It was just a tragic mistake.

[Jobber of the Week 0]

Christ Jesus. The camera guy was in the wrong, and he got shot. People get shot in a war zone, especially if they're stupid. He isn't a goddamn martyr just because he's one of your ever so fucking precious Palestinians.

In case you haven't noticed, I accidentally fucked up the thread title and wrote down Israeli tank and can't change the line. That section of the middle east really isn't involved in this. Sorry bout that, it's what happens when you have two radios and a TV running at once.

[Firestarter 0]

Marney, I wouldn't say the cameraman was in the WRONG, perse, it was just a press guy taking the risk that any press person does while being in the middle of a war zone. It was just a tragic mistake.

Fair enough. I just take issue with Tyler's interpretation that the cameraman was somehow guaranteed absolute safety and that our soldiers committed a horrible atrocity by accidentally shooting him.

[Firestarter 0]

In case you haven't noticed, I accidentally fucked up the thread title and wrote down Israeli tank and can't change the line. That section of the middle east really isn't involved in this. Sorry bout that, it's what happens when you have two radios and a TV running at once.

Did notice, was going to comment about everything being Israel's fault, decided it wasn't worth the time it'd take to type, didn't. No harm done.

 

The comment about the Palestinians was just on the side, so to speak, since Tyler seems to think he was murdered brutally and without cause, and that's the left's usual reaction to the deaths of suicide bombers as well.

[NoCalMike 0]

Marney, I wouldn't say the cameraman was in the WRONG, perse, it was just a press guy taking the risk that any press person does while being in the middle of a war zone.  It was just a tragic mistake.

Fair enough. I just take issue with Tyler's interpretation that the cameraman was somehow guaranteed absolute safety and that our soldiers committed a horrible atrocity by accidentally shooting him.

Alrighty.