Modern Warfare 2 - A game too far?

Leaked footage from Activision Blizzard's upcoming Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is causing quite a bit of a stir.

The footage (you can take a look at it here or here, the bit I'm talking about starts at 1:50) is controversial because it shows the player killing civilians along with terrorists.

The footage is not faked, and Activision Blizzard have confirmed that the scene is in the game:

"Yes it is. The scene establishes the depth of evil and the cold bloodedness of a rogue Russian villain and his unit. By establishing that evil, it adds to the urgency of the player’s mission to stop them.

“Players have the option of skipping over the scene. At the beginning of the game, there are two ‘checkpoints’ where the player is advised that some people may find an upcoming segment disturbing. These checkpoints can’t be disabled.

"Modern Warfare 2 is a fantasy action game designed for intense, realistic game play that mirrors real life conflicts, much like epic, action movies. It is appropriately rated 18 for violent scenes, which means it is intended for those who are 18 and older."

Thoughts? Visceral and realistic or bad taste?