those videos are awesome. there is a level in call of duty: modern warfare like that. (that is the best xbox 360game ever made.)
The first shot was a Hellfire it looked like. Not sure the weaponeering really called for a Hellfire missile to take out one individual. In my opinion, that situation called for a rocket and gun attack. Why waste a $75,000 missile on one dude on a road. The only thing that really bothered me about that video was the comms, because they were not using standardized attack communications. "You're clear to go ahead and...shoot", is never something you'd here out of a Marine FACs mouth. Not trying to start a Marines vs. Army pissing match, but it's a clear difference in the way we operate versus the way they operate.
I am with you about not wanting to start a pissing match, but do you think these may have been reservists? I am sure that reservists have different lingo.
I thought the same thing. I can only imagine that they were trying to insure that the IED was destroyed as well. If it saves a million-dollar tank and American lives, we come out ahead.
It's an issue of weapon-to-target match. A Hellfire missile is typically used to take out buildings, personnel inside buildings, armor, etc, not just a single individual out in the open. Red brings up a good point about destroying the IED, though. There are standard comms that are supposed to be used across all the services while conducting Close Air Support. Not everyone abides by them, unfortunately, but they're supposed to.
