War Crimes

[Violet]

It would pay to check your targets.

^
This is the simplest summation of my entire opinion on the matter. The carrying of weapons does not automatically make a person a terrorist (or other 'villain'). Even supposing those cameramen had been terrorists, the civilian death count around them was completely ridiculous and unacceptable. They could have taken three targets out with 'sniper' (here meaning specifically targeted) fire... instead they mowed down more civilians than they did terrorists for nothing but being in the same vicinity. It's a city... and the units deployed in the helicopters either didn't seem to grasp that in the city there are lots of people, most of them 'innocent'... or they didn't understand why they are killing the terrorists in the first place (to protect civilians). Any way you slice it... even had the ones with cameras been terrorists, the unit entirely mishandled the entire situation.

Further... they fired upon people for attempting to save the wounded. That was so ridiculous in its own right that had i been their commander I would have immediately suspended them pending investigation. But if this is indeed the way the American military works... then I will have lost whatever respect may still remain regarding the American military. There is absolutely no rational that could defend such an action. None.

Finally, wounded is almost always better than dead. Targeting the arms and legs will as soundly incapacitate them as would death... but you get access to information and don't completely waste lives in the process. I honestly can't see what there is to defend about that military unit. All they have earned as far as I can see is a suspension for mistaking cameras as weapons, firing with no apparent immediate danger, slaughtering an unacceptable number of civilians to take out not even a handful of 'terrorists', firing upon the wounded and people trying to save the wounded alike, not checking targets, the "just pick up a weapon" comment, and perhaps other lesser transgressions.