Actually, a lot of the footage I saw came from F-111s. Targeting pods are greatly improved since Vietnam and getting better. They have a lot of automation. In a really tense action, a WSO might help. In this case, the pilots had all the time in the world, but had a trigger finger. BTW - I'm an aging WSO, so I'm somewhat biased. I also work enough with F-16s to know the wingman are pretty silent nowadays. It is hard not to get task-saturated in a modern fighter.
Poohbah - I was going to make a point-by-point response, but you nailed it.
I can't argue with any of your posts. Including your comments concerning the time not taken by the pilots in this case. They would have been better served by departing the area and assessing their situation at range. But they didn't, and that was a poor tactical decision. Having made a poor tactical decision, they then had to respond to the circumstances they forced themselves into. Within those circumstances, they operated within the ROE of self-defense. The board will determine whether a court martial is warranted, but it is going to have to be based on errors in tactical airmanship rather than disobeying orders or violating ROE. Court martialing someone for a legal, tactical decision is a dangerous precedent. But what do I know. I am certainly not a lawyer.
On a related but very small point, I believe the only aircraft to operate over Bahgdad during the Gulf War were F-117's. That notwithstanding, some of the best bar stories I've heard from the Gulf War have come from 111 crews talking about dodging SAM's at 300'.