After viewing video footage showing an Apache helicopter attack on a group of Iraqi men which left 12 dead – including two Reuters journalists – and two young children wounded (click here to view), two American soldiers have written an open letter of apology to the Iraqi people.
Ethan McCord was on foot patrol nearby when the Apache opened fire. On arriving at the scene, he found a young girl and her brother slumped in the cab of a van that had been targeted by the Apache. He can be seen in the video – running from the van with the girl in his arms trying to get her medical aid.
Having seen the video showing the lead up to the incident of which he played a small part, McCord and another soldier, Josh Steiber have apologised to the Iraqi people and have set up a Trust Fund for the children who lost their father in the attack and who have also now lost their home.
McCord said he enlisted to help the Iraqi people but was disillusioned to find that . . .
“Our job was not to protect the Iraqi people, it was more along the lines to out-terrorise the terrorists.”
