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Friendly fire

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Wonder how much more of this we should expect?

One a day now isn't it?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2877349.stm

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Not to sound unsympathetic but there has always been friendly fire in conflicts. To a good extent it's an occupational hazard.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    you are right...there has always been friendly fire...there has also always been coverups by the US government in an attempt to pretend it wasn't them!!

    It does kind of make a mockery of the US claims about high precision warfare!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by monocrat
    there has always been friendly fire in conflicts.
    especially where the Americans are involved.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru

    Rainbow brite
    quote:
    Originally posted by monocrat
    there has always been friendly fire in conflicts.

    especially where the Americans are involved.


    Seconded!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    It always seems to be the Americans, doesn't it? Remember the Canadian troops who got bombed in Afghanistan. Then there was the accidental bombing of a Chinese embassy.

    In this war so far we have had one ITN reporter and one Tornado jet hit by the yanks. You never hear of British forces hitting the wrong target. Is it because the americans are too trigger happy/nervous and will shoot first and identify the target later?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by rainbow brite

    especially where the Americans are involved.

    Really? How can one know?

    Before smart weapons existed I bet there were more friendly fire incidents.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    And why did that stupid soldier tear down the Iraqi flag and put the American flag up (only to be told to take it down as it sent out the 'wrong' message)

    Its as if they think they have landed on the F*****g moon!!!

    Just another example of the gung-ho empire building tactics of the USA.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by monocrat



    Before smart weapons existed I bet there were more friendly fire incidents.
    maybe here lies the problem. smart weapons but...
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    when my husband was in the army he was on a practice on the FIBUA (fighting in built up areas) range with an american troop. His troop was playing the civilians and the enemy, it was a target recognition exercise and the americans were told not to shoot civilians - clearly marked - the first casualty was the priest!
    trigger happy isnt the word
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    But thats okay Rainbow, dont you understand? We Americans dont kill people, theyre just collateral damage! :rolleyes:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    The friend or foe ID system was falfunctioning on the tornado, or the signal somehow didnt get through the patriot battery, which is 90% automated i believe anyway...

    The american missile battery acted totally properly in firing.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by byny
    And why did that stupid soldier tear down the Iraqi flag and put the American flag up (only to be told to take it down as it sent out the 'wrong' message)

    Morale?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    At a time when the US government is struggling to convince the world this is a war of liberation not of conquest, I'm sure the sight of a US soldier raising the US flag on Iraqi soil went down like a sack of bricks at the White House.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Indeed Al, a faux pas indeed. Whilst the soldier was ordered to remove it immediately, it nevertheless speaks to the underlying reality that obviously these soldiers have come to understand from the commanding officers. I suspect that the military knows full well that Rumsfeld and co intend to control Iraq despite what they are claiming for the viewing public's sake.

    If not i doubt such a stunt would have been pulled in the first place. It truly does reveal what is at play here, like tipping your hand in a poker match whilst trying to maintain the bluff.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Clandestine
    it nevertheless speaks to the underlying reality that obviously these soldiers have come to understand from the commanding officers. I suspect that the military knows full well that Rumsfeld and co intend to control Iraq despite what they are claiming for the viewing public's sake.

    If there is indeed some insidious plot to take over control of Iraq, you can be damn sure that the powers that be wouldnt tell some marine grunt on the front line.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Balddog
    If there is indeed some insidious plot to take over control of Iraq, you can be damn sure that the powers that be wouldnt tell some marine grunt on the front line.
    I think what this incident shows more is the attitude of the American soldiers. They shouldthink, according to Mr Bush & friends, that they are there to help the Iraqi people and to topple a reppressive regeme. What they actually think is that they are there to kill a loada Iraqi Muslim b*stards, become a glorified war hero for destroying the greatest threat to civilisation as we know it, and to claim another victory for the great American Empire.
    You think I'm exaggerating?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Me_and
    You think I'm exaggerating?

    No, i agree with you..

    but it is just that, soldiers acting up.

    Take a look at the makeup of the US marine corps. Almost all of them are straight out of highschool, very young. Many of them had no prospects and so joined the military.

    Many of them do think they are fighting for Americas freedom, they do act very gung ho and the image of marines raising flags is a very strong one. This was just an example of an overly exited kid getting ahead of himself.

    PS, dont think I dont have the utmost respect for US marines, anyone who puts their life on the line for a cause has my respect.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Balddog
    The friend or foe ID system was falfunctioning on the tornado, or the signal somehow didnt get through the patriot battery, which is 90% automated i believe anyway...

    The american missile battery acted totally properly in firing.
    the plane that was shot down was flying in formation with other planes ...so how did the WOMAN mistake it for a bloody missile? it was not a automaton that made the decision or pulled the trigger it was a woman.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by morrocan roll
    the plane that was shot down was flying in formation with other planes ...so how did the WOMAN mistake it for a bloody missile? it was not a automaton that made the decision or pulled the trigger it was a woman.

    The computer identified the plane as a missile. There is no radar image that would identify the shape of the object to the operator. It was an automaton that made the decision that the object flying at extreme speeds and around the same size of a missile, while giving out no friend/foe information, was a missile.

    It was correct proceedure to launch.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Or maybe they had the 'Friend or Foe' box switched to 'Foe' by mistake... :rolleyes:

    I see that an F16 has blown up a Patriot missile battery when it was 'illuminated' by its radar as well.
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