CNN

Cliff May: "What would Ernie Pyle of any other great, war correspondent of the past think of CNN’s decision to air video showing snipers targeting U.S. troops in Iraq?"

If you're wondering what the outrage is about, here's the story:

CNN's decision to air a video showing snipers targeting U.S. troops in Iraq provoked both rage and praise yesterday, with some calling it a brave move by the cable network and others labeling it a propaganda coup for terrorists.

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CNN said it obtained the video through contacts with the Islamic Army of Iraq, a Sunni-led insurgent group that has carried out numerous suicide bombings and kidnappings.

The tape provides a sniper's-eye view of the protracted war. During one portion, an enemy sniper and a spotter target a U.S. soldier standing atop a parked Humvee along a crowded street.

A crack is heard and the televised image goes black.

A second later, the soldier is shown slumping in the Humvee's turret, apparently taken down by a single bullet from a rifle. The footage is so murky that it's unclear who the soldier is or which branch of the armed forces he is with.

CNN said it did not know exactly when or where the gruesome tape was made, but that its experts had determined it was not a fake.

The video's airing comes at a time of growing concern over enemy snipers in Baghdad. U.S. military officials say snipers are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their tactics.

On the video, male Arabic voices can be heard as the sniper and spotter talk off-camera.

“Allahu Akbar (God is Great)!” one of the voices exclaims after the soldier in the Humvee is shot. A vehicle carrying the sniper then slips away.