WAR: Video shows private security contractors shooting up Iraqi drivers

But Souljah,
Do you know these were contractors?

Right now, this is a video, with a rumour attached.


BTW, to the original author of this post, maidenwolf, congrats on getting past the voting process.

[edit on 28-11-2005 by spacedoubt]

Originally posted by spacedoubt
BTW, to the original author of this post, maidenwolf, congrats on getting past the voting process.

And why is that? Not enough keyboard warriors around today to vote no on stories that don't fit their view of the world?

keyboard warriors..LOL
good one.

nah, it was something else
I guess you'd call it a handoff.

I would have voted no, in it's original format, but yes, in it's current format.
I was actually trying to vote no, but it ended up in the trashbin first..

ask the two authors, if you really want to know.



[edit on 28-11-2005 by spacedoubt]

I've watched those videos three times now trying to see if any of the vehicles that were being shot at actually posed a threat to the vehicle carrying the shooter(s). I couldn't see any threating actions at all. It seems fairly clear the shooters were just shooting things up for the hell of it and that disturbs me--a lot. I've tried every way I could think of to rationalize what I saw in those videos and I can't come up with anything. The behavior depicted is vile, disgusting, barbaric and completely amoral and clearly should be punished severely.

The thought that people like that represent the U.S., the U.K. and other coallition nations makes me shudder. I don't want such people to represent my country for any reason, nor in any place on this planet under any circumstances. I don't believe in "shotgun punishment," but this kind of thing cannot be allowed to continue. I think we should just get rid of all the contracted security people in Iraq that represent any kind of outsourcing of military functions and let the military do that job, even if it means we have to greatly increase the number of military people deployed to Iraq & elsewhere.

I should qualify that last paragraph to some extent, since it is not clear that the shooter(s) were contractors, or indeed were not insurgents posing as contractors. The few spoken words sure sounded like western speech, but they could have been recorded and dubbed in. I'll wait until some corroboration is provided before totally making my mind up, but damn, those people (whoevere they are) anyway.

[edit on 28-11-2005 by Astronomer68]

I reviewed the video several times and at no time did I see any thing to give you the impression that this was contractors or security or whatever. All I saw was the back of the inside of a car, someone tossing out a grenade randomly, shots fired, and of course the all American voice of Elvis on the radio. Just because it(the video) was put up on a website doesn't mean anything. Any one smart enough can put a video on a website. Covert propaganda once again.....Deny Ignorance please. I also read the article and it stated the 4 clips had been removed....It also referenced what was in the four clips, which were all contained in this one video...I am so tired of head games and propaganda...IMO, the whole thing is purely BS.

I watched the video several times. At first I was livid with anger.. then I watched it a few times more and began to analyze it.. and so far, no one else has broken down the video.. so here's my take..



Scene 1: (White car & SUV): It looks like a group of cars were approaching the vehicle, they fire a short burst into (above?) a white car, and it stops. A white SUV goes around the white car at an abnormal speed. The same SUV continues to pursue the vehicle under a hellfire of bullets for 38 seconds, and a clip/gun change.

My take on this scene; they were wrong to fire at the first car. But without seeing or knowing the pretext to this scene, it's hard to determine.

Firing upon the SUV in my view was acceptable. The vehicle made an abnormal pass on the white car, accelerated, and continued to follow after 2 clips were estinquished into it before finally stopping.

Conclusion: Inconclusive.. need more evidence.

Scene 2: (Car accident): Again, without any pretext to this scene, it's hard to say. But from what we see, the car makes a 3 lane change and is approaching at a fast speed. Under the circumstances, with a bus and another vehicle stopped in the middle of the road, this would be fine. The gunman fires on the vehicle before it has a chance to slow down.

The driver of this car is dead. Right before it crashes into the other vehicle, you can see the bullet holes in the windsheild where the driver's head would have been. He's slouched down before impact and makes no attempt to slow down after being fired upon.

My take: They fired too early to see if the car was a threat. But again, inconclusive because we don't know how long, or hard, the car was in pursuit.

Scene 3: Red car: It looks like they throw a flash bang in the road as a warning. The car in question remains a good 100yards+ from our vehicle for most of the 'pursuit'. It's not until our vehicle makes a complete stop, the vehicle approaches, and they begin firing. The vehicle swerves and the driver gets out in a "wtf" type manner.

My Take: Completely unacceptable. The car wasn't approaching at a fast rate, and it remains very far from our vehicle until our vehicle made a stop and shot at it.

Scene 4: The highway driveby: 2 lane highway, and our vehicle makes a complete stop in the fast lane. A white car appears to attempt to pass them in the slow lane before being fired upon.

My take: Completely unacceptable. The car was passing an immoble vehicle on a highway, and our vehicle emptied an entire clip into it's windsheild. I cant tell due to the quality of the video, but if there was a passenger, he's probably dead.

Originally posted by spacedoubt
But Souljah,
Do you know these were contractors?

I do not know these Contractors - but if Judging by their Past Actions, this kind ov Shootings do not surprise me. To me none of these Vehicles and Drivers looked Dangerous Enough, so that they should be shot and killed. Most of them were just driving behind them - but I guess that is a Crime by itself. I saw a Documentary once, about a Journalist from Germany who went to Iraq and he hired himself two local, Iraqi bodyguards (not western contractors), which were driving him around and protecting him. When they were driving on a road, suddenly they were behind an American Patrol in Humvees, which cruised about 40 mph on a 90 mph Road. Everybody knew, that if they get within 100 meters of that Patrol they would be shot at. This is how the "Security" in Iraq Works.

Originally posted by Souljahl,When they were driving on a road, suddenly they were behind an American Patrol in Humvees, which cruised about 40 mph on a 90 mph Road. Everybody knew, that if they get within 100 meters of that Patrol they would be shot at. This is how the "Security" in Iraq Works.

So if everybody knows to stay at least 100 meters away from patrols then these guys shouldn't have continued to approach the contrator's vehicles, especially after they started firing warning shots.

Originally posted by AceOfBase
So if everybody knows to stay at least 100 meters away from patrols then these guys shouldn't have continued to approach the contrator's vehicles, especially after they started firing warning shots.

I said that if they were 100 meteres away from a US Humvee Patrol. Private Contractors drive Pick-ups, and they look very much like Terrorists, all dressed in army clothing, not an uniform and armed to teeth. So how do you know which ones are contractors and which ones are not?

Originally posted by AceOfBase

Originally posted by Souljahl,When they were driving on a road, suddenly they were behind an American Patrol in Humvees, which cruised about 40 mph on a 90 mph Road. Everybody knew, that if they get within 100 meters of that Patrol they would be shot at. This is how the "Security" in Iraq Works.

So if everybody knows to stay at least 100 meters away from patrols then these guys shouldn't have continued to approach the contrator's vehicles, especially after they started firing warning shots.

They didnt fire warning shots at most of the people they shot at... they was also shooting people going past them in the oposite direction, hardly any threat they where posing after they passed... A lot of contractors also drive unmarked cars so its hard to tell its somebody armed to the teeth inside...

I feel pity for you trying to rationalize these actions just because western contractors have been implicated.

[edit on 28-11-2005 by HiddenReality]

[edit on 28-11-2005 by HiddenReality]

I have yet another question or two for those who immediately believe this was random aggression.

What happened before the video starts rolling, in any of these, segments?
How do you know that we aren't watching the tail end of a pursuit?

a couple of questions really..

1. Is it possible to filter out the music to hear what is being said by the individuals in the vehicle?

2. Why film something that will implicate such actions and then allow said video to be broadcast for the world to see? Can't be for fame as no individual is shown...

Originally posted by Klepto

2. Why film something that will implicate such actions and then allow said video to be broadcast for the world to see? Can't be for fame as no individual is shown...

One word Propaganda

That video could have been of anyone since we never get to hear or see the the people in the SUV. Interesting that the Kings music is blasted during the whole video. Nice touch of them picking some old American music.

I saw it one time..

This is the end of the earth...
Don't worry about it... It's the endtimes.

SATAN or what ever force you might call it - are here...

This video are BS... It's Animals in human form With theire kill-toys.-

This is the people who will work in the FEMA concentration camps..

End of story - Wake up!


[edit on 28-11-2005 by asala]

From what I have seen, they seem to be shooting at vehicles they believe is a threat to them. No surprise there. However I dont support the method of shooting at vehicles that are not even close to them, not even close, those vehicles were many yards apart and only got close when the vehicle where the camera is in stopped, and somehow they felt that they shoot the car because it was speeding down on them, which the car was a Mercedes. The last part of the clip shows what looks like they were being fired on and the contractors seem to be thinking that the vehicle behind them is a chasing vehicle being part of the ambush and decided to fire on it as well. Of course I cannot judge until I can see the own thing instead of just clips of shooting at cars.

Originally posted by Klepto
2. Why film something that will implicate such actions and then allow said video to be broadcast for the world to see? Can't be for fame as no individual is shown...

My thoughts exactly. Why would these contractors (?) post this video on their website if it was untoward. What...they want to be charged with a crime ? I don't think so.

Anyway, most people haven't even adressed that in this thread, kinda disappointing.

As I've said before, it's impossible to make a judgement about what happened with just a few minutes of video. It's a shame, how people who will never experience a warzone like Iraq are quick to rush to judgement. But hey that's life on ATS

Originally posted by deltaboy
- and somehow they felt that they shoot the car because it was speeding down on them, which the car was a Mercedes.

They don't feel..

Please describe the emotions in the video...!!
Can someone please describe the emotions in the video - Cause i can't reconize what they might feel...

And by the way it seems to be an american gun... M4 type gun..



But please describe what they feel...Or if your capeable...What YOU feel..

anyone..

Originally posted by Ram

They don't feel..

If they dont feel, then they dont feel the need to shoot right? No feelings means no fear, no hate, nada.

Please describe the emotions in the video...!!

I aint a psychologist so dont expect me to be an expert, its base on my gut.

Can someone please describe the emotions in the video - Cause i can't reconize what they might feel...

I thought you say you believe they have no feelings. So no questions on that subject.

And by the way it seems to be an american gun... M4 type gun..

It is. The sound of it.

But please describe what they feel...Or if your capeable...What YOU feel..

anyone..

I see that they are at war. And that the enemy could be anybody where the enemy has no uniforms and uses civilian cars to get close to target someone, like military contractors. I could post some videos of the insurgents view of how they target contractors. But Im sure that be a little too much for you. Since you seem to be a little too sensitive. If a car is bearing down at you at a checkpoint, how would you react? You may never answer that question.

Originally posted by Ram


And by the way it seems to be an american gun... M4 type gun..

That means little





They are not that hard to get a hold of. Heck I can find pictures of Arabs with the Israeli made Uzi

yea - Im sorry
Im just feed up with all this murder going on...
your right - it could be anyone..

Sorry - people... It's a sick world.
I get carried away sometimes...

I worry to much..About our planet..
I should stay out of these discussions.

And DeltaBoy - Yea..Im too sensitive.. In future i will stay out of these discussions...Post any videos you like...
It's allright...

It dosn't matter...now. im out of here
cu around

I would never be near a checkpoint... You right im wrong.

[edit on 28-11-2005 by Ram]