Friendly Fire always seems to be American

Sean Reilly

Doug Goulden wrote: ... although I am considered quite handsome "Mirror, mirror on the wall ..." doesn't count. :| And I don't recall saying that you had referred to yourself as the offspring of a deity ... I was merely "taking the sense" as Maggie was wont to say.

Richard Stringer

Won't need to - McDonalds-CNN-Levis-the net - they have already 'americanized' you. However I don't think that there is a cure for the illness that you have. It seems to be particularly European. Oh what the hell - we'll own the whole damn place anyway if a short time so why sweat the small stuff. Richard In Italy for thirty years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder and bloodshed but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and the Renaissance. In Switzerland, they had brotherly love; they had five hundred years of democracy and peace and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock. Orson Welles

Jeremy Falcon

Sean Reilly wrote: So, there is nothing that anyone can fairly criticise the US about then? I never said that. And there is a difference between constructive criticism and a blithe troll. Sean Reilly wrote: Somone makes a fair criticism of the US Refer to my previous statement. Sean Reilly wrote: You were talking about looking asinine ... Yes I was. :) Jeremy Falcon

Paul Belikian

Well, the object of the war is not to take control of the country; it's to free the Iraqi people. ;P It's very interesting that France wants a huge part in rebuilding Iraq. I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that they will be losing billions in oil contracts if Saddam is out and the US/UK are in?

Doug Goulden

Didn't mean to imply that it was the same thing, just aggrevated that everything in here is anti-American. Seriously though, and a lot more on topic, I think that there is probably no greater chance of an individual American soldier being killed by friendly fire than there is for anyone else. With body armor and a lot of the training these guys get, the incidence is probably less. I think you cn probably attribute most of the friendly fire incidents into 2 categories. 1. Technical failure - A supposedly high tech automated weapon, like a smart bomb, or Patriot missle going off course. 2. Mistaken identity - Shooting at the wrong person, or being in the wrong place. I seriously doubt the Iraqis have to much problem with smart weapons malfunctioning. And infantrymen don't have to be worried about being involved in vehicle accidents. So I think it really boils down to the reality that the US has had many more troops in the field than most any country with a free media. Do you think that Saddam Hussein or the Taliban would allow there media to report on a "friendly fire" episode? I think friendly fire has probably been around since cavemen started chucking spears at one another, the difference is now we hear about it. Uptight Ex-Military Republican married to a Commie Lib - How weird is that?

Doug Goulden

Sean Reilly wrote: I was merely "taking the sense" as Maggie was wont to say I'm afraid I'm not familiar with the phrase, not to be ignorant .... Maggie ? Thatcher, Margaret Thatcher?:confused: Is this some kinda stump the American game?;) Uptight Ex-Military Republican married to a Commie Lib - How weird is that?

Doug Goulden

Karl I'm starting to think you are a war groupie, if I could read your website :wtf: I might be able to tell.:-D Uptight Ex-Military Republican married to a Commie Lib - How weird is that?

Doug Goulden

Money, self interest, betrayal? Surely not the French? :laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh: Uptight Ex-Military Republican married to a Commie Lib - How weird is that?

JoeSox

Sean Reilly wrote: Is this trend due to the sheer prevalence of US forces and arms or due to a wider degree of incompetance? Looks like its technology that is a main factor. http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1048313137225[^] Sean Reilly wrote: Even rated on a proportional basis, the Americans do seem to screw up a lot. I am sure you never screw up. Just imagine screwing up when you are in a multi-million dollar aircraft, and mainly because the instruments you trust are wrong.:eek::mad: besides it is just not Americans, looks like the British have fired on there own troops. Later,
JoeSox
www.joeswammi.com
USN Veteran 94-98[^]

Lost User

KaЯl wrote: ground forces are needed to occupy the field We may be going on the assumption (right or wrong) that once liberated the Iraqis won't need to be occupied. Whip some aid on them, help them rebuild and let them go. Mike Mullikin :beer:

"I'm not calling you a liar but....I can't think of a way to finish that sentence." - Bart Simpson

Sean Reilly

LOL! Yes - Thatcher. Most of the "work" of British Government happens in committee meetings. Maggie would always chair the most important ones. It was a well know fact that at the end of the meeting, the Chair would "take the sense" of the meeting and this summarisation would essentially equate to policy moving forward. It was equally well known that Maggie's "sense" of the meeting was whatever she wanted it to be, regardless of what had really transpired. Of course, when I took the "sense" it was in a non-Maggie like manner, being a true Republican that I am (no - not a US Replublican, a Plato Republican actually [that should stump those who accuse me of "communism"]).

JoeSox

Sean Reilly wrote: the overwhelming majority of "freindly fire" incidents have been perpetrated by US forces. Who has the most troops over there?:wtf: Man, this happens in war, show me a war this hasn't happened in, and I will show you a cover-up. If you think the Americans are doing it on purpose, your looney. Later,
JoeSox
www.joeswammi.com
USN Veteran 94-98[^]

Doug Goulden

Sean Reilly wrote: that should stump those who accuse me of "communism"]). I got it...... Not bad for a dumb American heh? So the question,if I have this right is where do you fall in the caste? I wanna be a philosopher-king, but I'm afraid I fall into the commoner caste. Plato the Republican Plato's Republic postulated a perfect aristocracy. It is divided into three castes; the commoners, the guardians, and the philosopher-kings. Their economics and ideologies fit their condition. The commoners compete in a Darwinian free-market environment, and thus provide the economic surplus needed to support the other two castes. The guardians are those who took, but did not pass, a ruling-class exam; they have police, army, and executive duties. The philosopher-kings are the best and the brightest; they run the system, and profit from it. Uptight Ex-Military Republican married to a Commie Lib - How weird is that?

Paul Belikian

Of course not...they just want a peace of the pie! ;P:-D:(:-D;):)

Marc Clifton

No, no, no. It's not the American firing the missile that's screwing up. It's the geek the Army hired to write the software that GUIDES the missile that's screwing up. Users will always be dumb. That's why we spend most of our time writing software that protects them from themselves. It's just harder to protect yourself from the software engineer and HIS/HER mistakes. Marc Help! I'm an AI running around in someone's f*cked up universe simulator.
Sensitivity and ethnic diversity means celebrating difference, not hiding from it. - Christian Graus
Every line of code is a liability - Taka Muraoka
Microsoft deliberately adds arbitrary layers of complexity to make it difficult to deliver Windows features on non-Windows platforms--Microsoft's "Halloween files"

Richard Stringer

KaЯl wrote: So I wonder how many troops the US really use. Even 300 000 men seem pretty a pretty low number to take and control such a big country Last estimate I heard was of about 325000 troops on the ground about 120000 are actual front line combat troops. Another interesting fact that must be worring Saddam just a bit ( if the despot is still capable of worring about anything ) is that our two elite army units - the 101'st Cav and the 82'd Airborne ( My old unit - and my fathers - and my sons ) are not yet , at least as far as published reports are concerned , fully deployeed. Maybe they are being held in reserve for the final push into Baghdad but who knows. Richard In Italy for thirty years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder and bloodshed but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and the Renaissance. In Switzerland, they had brotherly love; they had five hundred years of democracy and peace and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock. Orson Welles

Brad Jennings

Sean Reilly wrote: Is this trend due to the sheer prevalence of US forces and arms or due to a wider degree of incompetance? Yeah, that's it, all Americans are retards. We're so stupid we have trouble feeding ourselves. Oh, by the way, thanks for spreading around the hate, we really needed it.:| Brad Jennings "if the golden arches shut shop, where else are the VB people going to get work." - Colin Davies

jan larsen

Sorry in advance, but I.. just... can't... ARGH.. RESIST!...: More communist scared bullshit from Jason the nazi. ;P "After all it's just text at the end of the day. - Colin Davies "For example, when a VB programmer comes to my house, they may say 'does your pool need cleaning, sir ?' " - Christian Graus

Roger Wright

Sean Reilly wrote: this trend due to the sheer prevalence of US forces and arms Yes. If 90% of the activity is being performed by Americans, 90% of the errors will be attributable to American forces. The other participants will eventually make thier fair share of mistakes, and we'll hear about them in due time... Ancient man conquered his rivals with the jawbone of an ass; modern man uses the jawbone of a politician.

KaRl

Paul Belikian wrote: Well, the object of the war is not to take control of the country; it's to free the Iraqi people Yes, of course. It's famously known that if Iraq had no resource in Oil and Water, the US would have act the same as they did with NK China Pakistan Cuba...euh, could you give me a sample please? ;P Paul Belikian wrote: I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that they will be losing billions in oil contracts if Saddam is out and the US/UK are in? I think that french oil companies invest in Irak since the 20's, much before the installation of the Baath party by the CIA at the head of the iraqi state. so I don't see why they would have to stop, except by being ousted by american companies.

Angels banished from heaven have no choice but to become demons Cowboy Bebop