Two former soldiers from "Collateral Murder" video apologize in open letter. - Polidicks

[QUOTE=doommarine23;21452865]This is Facepunch, I expect the worst here.[/QUOTE] Good point.

[QUOTE=B-hazard;21453519]The pilots of the fucking plane/helicopter that caused the whole thing should be apologising, not those soldiers.[/QUOTE] Why do these replies even exist? It's obvious they're carrying a bunch of guns. Helicopter pilots seeing people with guns doesn't generally go down well, and most reporters don't carry RPGs.

[QUOTE=MR-X;21450641]AGood for them apologizing, but it really doesn't mean anything tbh. What has done has been done, no reversing or making amends for that.[/QUOTE] Well no kidding. :downs: That was the first thing they said in the letter.

[QUOTE=Jenkem;21456151]Why do these replies even exist? It's obvious they're carrying a bunch of guns. Helicopter pilots seeing people with guns doesn't generally go down well, and most reporters don't carry RPGs.[/QUOTE] you're a walking box. there were cameras...

[QUOTE=Bomimo;21458723]you're a walking box. there were cameras...[/QUOTE] protip: a gun and two RPGs were allegedly recovered

[QUOTE=JDK721;21459184]protip: a gun and two RPGs were allegedly recovered[/QUOTE] I guess they dropped good loot.

[QUOTE=Wakka;21455378]Fuck those people who said "It's just a warzone and people die". Ugh.[/QUOTE] But it's true,if you were in a war zone where someone was holding something that looks like it could be deadly/pointed at you, would you really think twice just because people might call you a bad name? I understand that it's definitely wrong, but it's not as bad as if it were a peaceful zone.

[QUOTE=Wakka;21455378]Fuck those people who said "It's just a warzone and people die". Ugh.[/QUOTE] It's a horrible thing that has happened, there's no doubt about that, and while I don't think it justifies the actions taken by the gunners these kind of mistakes happen. Soldiers are only human, and to error is human. This war is full of gray zones, it lacks a defined enemy, you Americans aren't fighting an army, you're fighting a country. The bad guys are farmers and laborers, as well as doctors and lawyers. Many times in the midst of a clusterfuck something truly awful happens, and it just so happens something awful was captured on video and put on the internet. Innocents die all the time, the only difference between that and this is these innocents have names and reputations.

[QUOTE=Takeout;21459242]But it's true,if you were in a war zone where someone was holding something that looks like it could be deadly/pointed at you, would you really think twice just because people might call you a bad name? I understand that it's definitely wrong, but it's not as bad as if it were a peaceful zone.[/QUOTE] Did you watch the video? The soldiers were saying they had rocket launchers and AK47s when one guy simply had a camera. I'll give you a hint, those weapons are slightly bigger than your average camera. It's just this triggerhappy mentality that pisses people off. You didn't just kill civilians, you killed journalists. Journalists who posed no threat and had no weapons at all.

[quote]but we are acknowledging our responsibility for bringing the battle to your neighborhood, and to your family[/quote] There, they even said it. Made me facepalm every time a Facepuncher said "that's what happens when you walk around in a 'warzone'".

[QUOTE=MR-X;21450641]And it starts again.. Good for them apologizing, but it really doesn't mean anything tbh. What has done has been done, no reversing or making amends for that.[/QUOTE] They said that in the letter :I

[QUOTE=Hoboharry;21450433]As long as it's former soldiers, or such, fine with me. But for soldiers actually in the field? No time for feelings there.[/QUOTE] if you act different with your morals as a soldier and as a civilian you shouldn't be in the army in the first place.

[QUOTE=MR-X;21450641]And it starts again.. Good for them apologizing, but it really doesn't mean anything tbh. What has done has been done, no reversing or making amends for that.[/QUOTE] So saying sorry for anything in all of history has been useless?

sorry we murdered your family and hurt your children.

In the future we'll just leave you stuck under a tyrant. We have learned from our mistakes.

Wow. Look at some of you. These two soldiers apologize for what happened and you people still aren't satisfied? Sure it won't bring the people back, but at least they realized what happened. Civilians die in war. It happens. There is nothing new about this. The only difference between the war back then and the war now is a camera. Half you fuckers sit on your couch and watch the news and see this shit, yet you don't bat an eye. Then you see what it's really like without editing. Are you a soldier in Iraq? No. You're a civvie sitting at his computer, saying how wrong it was for these men to die. It was wrong, but get over it. They're dead, and there's nothing we can do for them now. The apology is closure. So let it stay closed.

[QUOTE=GunFox;21465277]In the future we'll just leave you stuck under a tyrant. We have learned from our mistakes.[/QUOTE] *A tyrant you supported and supplied chemical weapons for 30 years. You still need to learn from your idiotic mistakes...

[QUOTE=NoDachi;21465428]*A tyrant you supported and supplied chemical weapons for 30 years. You still need to learn from your idiotic mistakes...[/QUOTE] Like the UK is so innocent. British East India Trading Company anyone?

[QUOTE=Identity;21465389]Wow. Look at some of you. These two soldiers apologize for what happened and you people still aren't satisfied? Sure it won't bring the people back, but at least they realized what happened. Civilians die in war. It happens. There is nothing new about this. The only difference between the war back then and the war now is a camera. Half you fuckers sit on your couch and watch the news and see this shit, yet you don't bat an eye. Then you see what it's really like without editing. Are you a soldier in Iraq? No. You're a civvie sitting at his computer, saying how wrong it was for these men to die. It was wrong, but get over it. They're dead, and there's nothing we can do for them now. The apology is closure. So let it stay closed.[/QUOTE] Have you even read it? The apology is not closure. It states how the authors of this letter are trying to make people listen and learn from the mistakes of the US military. They say this kind of shit goes on all the time, and will continue to go on all the time unless America changes. [editline]04:06PM[/editline] [QUOTE=Identity;21465441]Like the UK is so innocent. British East India Trading Company anyone?[/QUOTE] :downs: Thank you for reaching the UK complaints department.

[QUOTE=NoDachi;21465451]Have you even read it? The apology is not closure. It states how the authors of this letter are trying to make people listen and learn from the mistakes of the US military. They say this kind of shit goes on all the time, and will continue to go on all the time unless America changes. [editline]04:06PM[/editline] :downs: Thank you for reaching the UK complaints department.[/QUOTE] How do you know it's not closure? Maybe it's what the families need to hear. Have you ever lost anyone in war? I doubt it. America is trying to change the way they deal with warfare. Ever hear of meet and greets?

[QUOTE=Identity;21465480]How do you know it's not closure? Maybe it's what the families need to hear. Have you ever lost anyone in war? I doubt it. America is trying to change the way they deal with warfare. Ever hear of meet and greets?[/QUOTE] "There is no bringing back all that was lost. [b]What we seek is to learn from our mistakes and do everything we can to tell others of our experiences[/b] and how the people of the United States need to realize we have done and are doing to you and the people of your country. [b]We humbly ask you what we can do to begin to repair the damage we caused[/b]. "

[QUOTE=NoDachi;21465503]"There is no bringing back all that was lost. [b]What we seek is to learn from our mistakes and do everything we can to tell others of our experiences[/b] and how the people of the United States need to realize we have done and are doing to you and the people of your country. [b]We humbly ask you what we can do to begin to repair the damage we caused[/b]. "[/QUOTE] Thanks for that. I'll post it on the fridge.

Cool don't forget this one! "We have been speaking to whoever will listen, telling them that what was shown in [b]the Wikileaks video only begins to depict the suffering we have created.[/b] From our own experiences, and the experiences of other veterans we have talked to, we know that the acts depicted in [b]this video are everyday occurrences of this war: this is the nature of how U.S.-led wars are carried out[/b] in this region."

[QUOTE=NoDachi;21465603]Cool don't forget this one! "We have been speaking to whoever will listen, telling them that what was shown in [b]the Wikileaks video only begins to depict the suffering we have created.[/b] From our own experiences, and the experiences of other veterans we have talked to, we know that the acts depicted in [b]this video are everyday occurrences of this war: this is the nature of how U.S.-led wars are carried out[/b] in this region."[/QUOTE] So they're talking about a new era of unconventional war fighting. Point? You have to make mistakes to learn from them.