Captain Kirk
I stated I wasn't passing judgement, but since you asked:
Q. How about...you are storming a machine-gun post. Somehow...lose. What do you do?
A. Take them prisoner, assuming I have the resources to do so. The fact that they have surrendered suggests I do.
Q. What makes you think that the enemy in the video were no longer combatants?
A. The first guy to be shot was unarmed. He had merely got out of his tractor. The second guy was getting what appeared to be a weapon - a fair kill. The third guy was seriously injured and crawling away from the combat area. Calling in an ARF to secure the area and arrest and treat the third man would have been correct.
I was in theatre at the time of this incident and I know the surrounding circumstances.
Q. Would you stake your life upon it? And your gunner's? And your wingman??!
A. If I was in an Apache and the wounded man was crawling away from the weapon? Yes. The risk could have been mitigated by keeping the injured guy in the sights and, if he made a threatening move, only then opening fire. It takes several seconds to set up a MANPAD - easily enough time to kill the guy, even if he has seen you.
Not really a question but more of a sanctiomonious statement: Don't judge combat from your armchair!
A. I was trying not to, but you asked.