This made me sick.

US troops in sick taunt of Iraqi boys
by SARAH HILLS and TOM PHILLIPS - Wednesday, November 22, 2006

A bottle of water is dangled from the truck to tease the childrenA video showing US soldiers in Iraq taunting thirsty children with a bottle of water has caused outrage.

The footage shows a group of children desperately chasing a truck so they can get a drink.

WATCH THE VIDEO AT THE FOOT OF THE PAGE

Today the US Department of Defense confirmed the video showed US soldiers and said the images were 'unfortunate'.

The faces of the two men in the vehicle are not revealed but they can be heard saying in American sounding accents: 'You want some water? Keep running.'

The children are waving and shouting as the men, dressed in military uniforms, laugh and tease them with it.

Most of the children tire and lag behind until there is just one left.

Then one man throws the bottle out of the truck which results in a scramble as children nearby and the remaining boy try to grab it.

Much of Iraq still suffers from problems with the availability and stability of clean drinking water supplies.

Today George Galloway MP said: 'It is shameful but not really surprising.

'This occupation degrades the occupier as much as it degrades the occupied.'

And a spokesperson for Save the Children said: 'If this is genuine footage then we're shocked that any military force would taunt children in this way.'

US Department of Defense: 'Yes, it appears to be a US Army uniform. It does not depict actions we condone for our forces.

David Wilson, spokesman of the Stop the War Coalition, added: 'If it is true, it doesn't surprise us.

'All war and occupations lead to dehumanisation and occupied people are dehumanised to the extent that they can be killed, tortured and even their children mocked to such an extent.

'It is offensive, tormenting, humiliating and demeaning.'

A spokesman from the US Department of Defense, said: 'Yes, it appears to be a US Army uniform. It does not depict actions we condone for our forces.

'Our greatest probability for success in the global war on terror comes when we display the true side of most Americans -- people willing to help others and share in their sacrifices.

'It is unfortunate that the actions of a few can be held up as an example like this because it can hurt the reputation of the many selfless Americans and men and women of the coalition serving in Iraq.'

The video, named Iraqi Kids Run For Water, was posted on the YouTube website and lasts about one minute. It is filmed from the back of a truck through dusty back streets of an unamed town.

It starts with about a dozen children waving at the men on the truck who are holding out just one bottle of water.

Then the chase begins.

Two voices can be heard saying: 'Are they coming?

'You want some water? Water?

'Hi, keep running

'Come on, you're almost there. Run.

'Run. Hurry up. You want it?

'This kid's running forever.

'Run.

'Look at this kid, he's chasing it man.

'And he still didn't get it.'

Watch the video below

http://www.metro.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=26262&in_page_id=34