Disconn3cted wrote:"Well it's pretty obvious the guys trying to help the reporter didn't know there had been a US attack on insurgents just seconds before (maybe they thought suicide bomber, IED), but that is irrelevant. To the chopper pilots it appeared to be an enemy helping an enemy."
I understand that. I'm saying they were too fast to make assumptions.
In combat you don't have seconds.

What if that HAD been an enemy and that van was full of rifles, rpgs, explosives, more men??
If they had waited a few more seconds all that would have happened is the van would begin driving off, and being that they would still be considered an enemy.. boom.. they'd get shot anyway.
Don't forget there are ground forces advancing on the site.. the chopper pilot can't let an enemy van drive around freely with friendly forces showing up on scene. Again, remember, there was NO reason for the pilots to assume the van was innocent. They acted appropriately given the situation and information at hand. AND AGAIN, it's unfortunate innocent people died..
What more is there to discuss?
Bad example, this is a war zone. The citizens know exactly what is going on. The whole deal comes down to.. why were the Reuters reporters chilling with insurgents?