First thoughts: 1. Context of patrol - what was intel? Why wa | Jarrin Jackson

First thoughts:

1. Context of patrol - what was intel? Why was group of men ID’d as targets?

2. Ground force commander authorized shot - if ROE permitted, then GFC bears responsibility, but is justified (in my opinion) of authorizing force. Ground guys trust eyes in the sky on stuff like this.

3. I’ve seen this video before. A loooooong time ago.

4. Soldiers celebrate victory. Pilots likely believed the men were dangerous, and operating under that belief, I also celebrated when we killed people we thought were bad guys.

5. I’d like to know intel & threat sitemp

6. Kids were often used as human shields (and sometimes made weapons themselves)

7. Medical evac of wounded enemy (again, if they believed he was enemy) is a judgment call; guy on the ground giving pilots authorization likely thought enemy with intel was being evacuated; I’d probably have greenlit him too - especially if I couldnt get there in time

8. Humvee rolling over body would be alright; dust, rubble, need to secure perimeter of objective against counterattack, etc.

Commentary:

This video shows that combat sucks and is full of fog. It shows America’s military overmatch in a war we couldnt win bc the mission wasnt right.

I’ve laughed at how the enemy got killed or looked stupid when they were dead.

I’m not an objective observer; I usually sided with using force bc war sucks and I didnt want Americans to die.

If that meant I’d clear air to engage targets I thought were hostile but were innocent, then that’s a call I would (and did) make.

Lastly, not identifying weapons is a problem for me, but again, ROE matters. The threat assessment matters.