Tragic error

[Plane]

http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=199512007

SCREAMING over the Iraqi desert at 12,000ft, the two United States A-10 Tankbuster pilots identified a small convoy of unidentified vehicles and radioed their main air controller to ask if any American or British troops were in the area.

Less than six minutes later, a British soldier was dead and a four-year chain of events that would strain transatlantic relations had begun.

[hnumpah]

"BUSH WINS!" the bold red headline screamed from the New York Post.

[sirs]

"BUSH WINS!" the bold red headline screamed from the New York Post.

Damn Constitution & Electoral College

[Lyndon]

Hmmmm, not sure what the first two responses have to do with the article Plane submitted (albeit without commentary). This is a sad case. Mistakes were clearly made. The pilots involved showed remorse. Remorse does not absolve them of blame. It is in the interests of all coalition forces to find out the truth of what happened and to ensure it does not happen again or reduce the chances of it happening again.  Questions: Why the secrecy by both the US and British governments? Why did the US government not release the tape 4 years ago? why did the Brits not insist on the full disclosure of the facts? It was left to a British coroner and the family of the deceased British soldier to fight for disclosure. If American soldiers die in 'blue on blue' incidents (just as marginally distasteful as 'friendly fire'), should the families not be entitled to know the facts of their loved ones death?   

If the US government/military is not willing to disclose full facts without condition then we can only assume the worse. The cover up often proves to be the undoing, to badly paraphrase something or other.

[hnumpah]

Hmmmm, not sure what the first two responses have to do with the article Plane submitted...

Hmmmm, could be that if the American people had not made the tragic error of electing Bush, the tragic error of the US invasion of Iraq might not have occurred, and the tragic error of our pilots attacking a British column might not have occurred.

Think cause and effect.

[sirs]

Hmmmm, not sure what the first two responses have to do with the article Plane submitted...

Hmmmm, could be that if the American people had not made the tragic error of electing Bush, the tragic error of the US invasion of Iraq might not have occurred, and the tragic error of our pilots attacking a British column might not have occurred.

Yea, they could have made an even worse one, with Gore

[Lyndon]

Hmmmm, not sure what the first two responses have to do with the article Plane submitted...

Hmmmm, could be that if the American people had not made the tragic error of electing Bush, the tragic error of the US invasion of Iraq might not have occurred, and the tragic error of our pilots attacking a British column might not have occurred.

Think cause and effect.

True.... I would add 'would not', rather than 'might not'. That is self evident.

Hmmmm, not sure what the first two responses have to do with the article Plane submitted...

Hmmmm, could be that if the American people had not made the tragic error of electing Bush, the tragic error of the US invasion of Iraq might not have occurred, and the tragic error of our pilots attacking a British column might not have occurred
.

Yea, they could have made an even worse one, with Gore

I think a good porportion of the planet would have been prepared to take that chance!

Salut,

Lyndon

[sirs]

Hmmmm, could be that if the American people had not made the tragic error of electing Bush, the tragic error of the US invasion of Iraq might not have occurred, and the tragic error of our pilots attacking a British column might not have occurred

<<Yea, they could have made an even worse one, with Gore>>

I think a good porportion of the planet would have been prepared to take that chance!

Not I.  I cringe at what a Gore would have been like, especially following 911

[Lyndon]

Hmmmm, could be that if the American people had not made the tragic error of electing Bush, the tragic error of the US invasion of Iraq might not have occurred, and the tragic error of our pilots attacking a British column might not have occurred

<<Yea, they could have made an even worse one, with Gore>>

I think a good porportion of the planet would have been prepared to take that chance!

Not I.  I cringe at what a Gore would have been like, especially following 911

Sure, that is understandable. That is your choice. Many of the rest of us think the guy would have been good for the planet.

[sirs]

Not I.  I cringe at what a Gore would have been like, especially following 911

Sure, that is understandable. That is your choice. Many of the rest of us think the guy would have been good for the planet.

Which of course is an opinion I can tolerate, even respect, to a point, though obviously disagree with wholeheartedly.  Just thankful it never came to fruition

[Plane]

http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2007/03/apfriendlyfire070313/

[Michael Tee]

Yeah, that's tragic alright.  All that firepower that could have been put to good use incinerating Iraqi families wasted on a bunch of British invaders who had come thousands of miles to steal other people's oil.  God is there no end to the suffering these good folks must endure?  Almost tries one's faith in the Almighty, doesn't it?

[Plane]

The battlefield is becoming more and more co-ordinated.

The increasing power of our weapons makes it imperative that we aim well.

During WWII pilots operated with much more independance then now , and such mistakes were shrugged off.

Now there is intercommunication between everyone involved in an effort to reduce colateral damage.

It still happens in spite of the best we are able.