The video released by WikiLeaks of a killing by American gunmen in military helicopters, which included two Reuters employees, is grim watching. The New York Times story is almost as grim reading. Most shocking are the transcripts of the American gunmen discussing the attack. As the Times described it:

“They aim and fire at the group, then revel in their kills.

“Look at those dead bastards,” one pilot says. “Nice,” the other responds.”

The photographer and driver, who apparently walked into a Baghdad street while working on a story about weightlifting, were killed in 2007 along with others.

Would the killing video have been released if not for the Reuters connection?