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October 21, 2013

Commander Defends "Collateral Murder" Pilots: "These are Attack Pilots Wearing Gloves of Steel" 
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The commander of the U.S. Apache pilots who were caught on tape firing
on civilians in Iraq in the infamous "Collateral Murder" video has
spoken out about the incident for the first time. Retired Lieutenant
Colonel Chris Walach spoke to the Army Times ahead of the release this
past Friday of "The Fifth Estate," a feature film about Wiki Leaks.
Walach defended the behavior of the pilots, which was seen around the
world after Wiki Leaks posted the video, provided by whistleblower
Chelsea Manning, in 2010. The video, recorded in July 2007, shows U.S.
pilots mocking their victims and celebrating as they carry out an attack
that killed 12 people, including two Reuters employees. Reuters driver
Saeed Chmagh survived an initial strike, but the pilots fired again when
they saw people trying to load the wounded Chmagh into a van.

U.S. SOLDIER 1: "I hear 'em — I lost 'em in the dust."

U.S. SOLDIER 2: "I got 'em."

U.S. SOLDIER 3: "Should have a van in the middle of the road with about
12 to 15 bodies."

U.S. SOLDIER 1: "Oh yeah, look at that. Right through the windshield! Ha
ha!"

Earlier this month, Walach, the pilots' commander, told the Army Times,
"In Iraq, you can't put pink gloves on Apache helicopter pilots and send
them into the Ultimate Fighting ring and ask them to take a knee. These
are attack pilots wearing gloves of steel, and they go into the ring
throwing powerful punches of explosive steel. They are there to win, and
they will win."

 

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