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The death of a War Photographer.

  • 08-04-2010 7:39pm
    #1
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 9,047 CMod ✭✭✭✭


    Have just seen this article concerning the death of a Photographer in Baghdad in 2007. Apparently the accompanying Video Footage has only just been leaked. It makes for quite disturbing viewing, but shows the dangers of being a War Correspondent.


Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,756 ✭✭✭Thecageyone


    Seen this on Flickr. tragic, but, they were mingled in with guys openly showing AK-47 rifles, and one of the photographers peers around the corner exposing a big lens on the camera, could have been mistaken for a weapon.

    there's a lot of editing done with the clips on youtube etc ... too. Propaganda at it's best.


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 50,871 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    there's a full, unedited version on youtube, over half an hour long, and one edited for reasons of brevity. i didn't find the video very illuminating (though they are quite disturbing).


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 802 ✭✭✭charybdis


    Seen this on Flickr. tragic, but, they were mingled in with guys openly showing AK-47 rifles, and one of the photographers peers around the corner exposing a big lens on the camera, could have been mistaken for a weapon.

    It is both legal and very common for civilians in Iraq to possess small arms such as AK-47 variants and to carry them in public.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,689 ✭✭✭joeKel73


    Came across this the last day. Here's the video on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rXPrfnU3G0

    The relaxed comments and decisions by the US military guys is hard to believe, but it has been confirmed as genuine - terms like "Light 'em up!" and then laughing about the tanks running over the bodies.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 30,469 ✭✭✭✭Ghost Train


    Big thread about it in after hours http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?threadid=2055875276

    Bit disturbing seeing the guy with his children trying to offer help to the wounded and being targetted

    the children did survive


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 842 ✭✭✭daycent


    I just watched it last night. Pretty disturbing. Like one big computer game to the helicopter pilots or so it seemed.


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 50,871 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    foto joe wrote: »
    The relaxed comments and decisions by the US military guys is hard to believe, but it has been confirmed as genuine
    not surprising, and i think this is getting too much attention. these guys deal in death, and would naturally have what we would regard as a 'relaxed' attitude towards it. if you want to train people to be able to shoot from helicopters at unprotected pedestrians, you don't want someone who is going to break down in the process.


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 9,047 CMod ✭✭✭✭CabanSail


    I have read the articles & looked at the 17 min version of the clip.

    The radio talk does seem quite callous, but we are seeing just a small protion of what goes on there & I think that people have to adopt an attitude like that to be able to cope with what they are doing.

    The reason I posted this is more about the dangers of doing a job as a Photographer in that enviroment.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,503 ✭✭✭smelltheglove


    That is sickening. And there was me thinking that they had shut up and maybe felt a twinge of guilt when they realised they hit kids and no - they say well thats what you get for taking your kids into it...

    Disgusting, and yet these people will be treated like heros when they return home.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,510 ✭✭✭sprinkles


    Horrific! The feckless attitude towards people's lives that these guys have is astonishing. Gunning down unarmed people who are carrying bodies of the wounded - whether part of an armed militia or not - must surely be against some sort of code of ethics. The casual gung-ho nature of the murderer, even after realising he shot and wounded kids, is particularly harrowing.

    I'm not an expert in war but I did't see anything about the group that signified an immediate danger. Could they not have tracked their movements until the ground support could verify their intents?

    Hearts and minds indeed....


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,067 ✭✭✭AnimalRights


    USA/Israel the real Terrorists. Fact.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 92 ✭✭greener greene


    Would anyone here try war photography?

    I'd be tempted but I'm fairly sure I'd chicken out :rolleyes:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 802 ✭✭✭charybdis


    sprinkles wrote: »
    Horrific! The feckless attitude towards people's lives that these guys have is astonishing. Gunning down unarmed people who are carrying bodies of the wounded - whether part of an armed militia or not - must surely be against some sort of code of ethics. The casual gung-ho nature of the murderer, even after realising he shot and wounded kids, is particularly harrowing.

    I'm not an expert in war but I did't see anything about the group that signified an immediate danger. Could they not have tracked their movements until the ground support could verify their intents?

    Hearts and minds indeed....

    Well, unfortunately, the initial helicopter strike was because they identified a group of civilians with an RPG launcher near a group of U.S. troops and when Noor-Eldeen used the corner of the street for cover and aimed his camera at the troops it looked a lot like someone levelling an RPG launcher at them. An RPG fired at ground troops does represent an immediate danger and it was probably this misidentification that prompted the attack.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,067 ✭✭✭AnimalRights


    charybdis wrote: »
    Well, unfortunately, the initial helicopter strike was because they identified a group of civilians with an RPG launcher near a group of U.S. troops and when Noor-Eldeen used the corner of the street for cover and aimed his camera at the troops it looked a lot like someone levelling an RPG launcher at them. An RPG fired at ground troops does represent an immediate danger and it was probably this misidentification that prompted the attack.
    And what about the hundreds of other civilian deaths, were they all Camera welding terrorists too?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 802 ✭✭✭charybdis


    And what about the hundreds of other civilian deaths, were they all Camera welding terrorists too?

    Yes. Clearly. That is exactly what I said. Good summary.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,510 ✭✭✭sprinkles


    charybdis wrote: »
    Well, unfortunately, the initial helicopter strike was because they identified a group of civilians with an RPG launcher near a group of U.S. troops and when Noor-Eldeen used the corner of the street for cover and aimed his camera at the troops it looked a lot like someone levelling an RPG launcher at them. An RPG fired at ground troops does represent an immediate danger and it was probably this misidentification that prompted the attack.

    Fair enough, as I said I ain't an expert and I have never been in that position but surely there was an alternative solution to firing first - possibly warn the US troops on the ground that were in danger or fire warning shots etc.

    In any case the second attack in inexcusable. There were no weapons on display, only dead and dying people and a handful of people trying to help. Disgusting.

    Their attitude's still stink.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,760 ✭✭✭Effects


    charybdis wrote: »
    Well, unfortunately, the initial helicopter strike was because they identified a group of civilians with an RPG launcher near a group of U.S. troops and when Noor-Eldeen used the corner of the street for cover and aimed his camera at the troops it looked a lot like someone levelling an RPG launcher at them. An RPG fired at ground troops does represent an immediate danger and it was probably this misidentification that prompted the attack.
    It still comes back to the fact that US troops shouldn't be in that country.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,188 ✭✭✭mrboswell


    Yea its obviously dangerous being a war journalist and I'm a chicken siht so its not for me but thankfully there are people who are drawn to it, who make a difference, including the person(s) who leaked the footage.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,188 ✭✭✭mrboswell


    USA/Israel the real Terrorists. Fact.

    Praise the lord - there are other people out there that are talking sense after all!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,503 ✭✭✭smelltheglove


    Would anyone here try war photography?

    I'd be tempted but I'm fairly sure I'd chicken out :rolleyes:

    Strangely enough it was something I considered when young, my mam always said she could envision me doing it although at the time I was swaying toward journalism. Having a child young meant it never happened and o would never consider it now but hats of to anyone who does!


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,263 ✭✭✭✭Borderfox


    once you go into a war-zone your at the mercy of both sides

    I would have strong morals on why the US shouldnt be there and if you see some of the soldiers you wouldnt like to think they are in charge of heavy weapons

    Terrible shame on this particular guy but there has been some many civilians killed in wars its hard to comprehend each individual story


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 92 ✭✭greener greene


    Strangely enough it was something I considered when young, my mam always said she could envision me doing it although at the time I was swaying toward journalism. Having a child young meant it never happened and o would never consider it now but hats of to anyone who does!

    I think I promised my mam I never would. She wasn't keen on 18 years of raising me so that I could go off to a warzone :cool:


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