You're right. Inaction couuld lead to innocent civilians dying.

I was hoping someone would have addressed it sooner. It has to do with who is willing to accept responsibility for the engagement although with a caveat. The caveat in this case is that attack aviation is always operating in somebody else's area. They are an asset, ground units own and control the area. Attack aviation is going to need permission from the "real estate owner" before engaging anything other than an immediate threat to themselves for a number of reasons. The key terminology, and something that is often not done correctly, is Positively Identify or PID. If the observer can say that they PID hostile intent then permission should be given. When I was the "clod" I would ask simple, fact finding, questions such as "Can you PID hostile intent?" or "What does the ground commander suggest?" If you can PID hostile intent and the fire is deconflicted then go for it. If the ground commander is asking me permission when he has eyes on and isn't willing then I'm not going to allow a questionable action to get pinned on me with "Battalion told us to engage."