Why don't our troops in Iraq defend themselves every time American aircraft attack them?

Question

Weve got missiles,shoot them down.

Answer 1

my husband is doing a job in iraq for the nxt 6 months,the british army is undoutable the best in the world,they have a saying out there,if the british fire the iraqis duck,if the iraqis fire the british duck,but if the yanks fire they all f*****g duck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
all the gear but no idea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 2

Friendly-fire incidents are nothing new in war. I know of incidents where Blenheim bombers of the RAF were attacked by RAF fighters in WW2, because the Blenheim had a resemblence in silhouette to the German JU88. Israeli Centurion tanks have fired on other Israeli Centurion tanks in the belief that they were Jordanian tanks. Egyptians tried to shoot down Libyan Mirage IIIs because they did not recognise ther insignia, and thought that they were South African Mirages that the Afrikaaners has loaned to Israel. The RAF was given credence for the destruction of Egyptian aircraft in the 1967 six-day war because some observers confused the shape of the Mirage III for Gloster Javelins operated by the RAF in Cyprus.

Us Britons are not that well organised all the time. Again, historical precedence gives us examples. How did Rommel manage to slit us up so well in the Gazala battles in 1942, when we had numerical land superiority and air parity in the theatre.

All these incidents are due to the fog of war. Any soldier will tell you of this. In today's wars, speed determines averything and split-second decisions have to be made. In the adrenaline-rich environment of modern combat, where armaments are of pinpoint accuracy and where a hesitant trigger-finger can mean your own death, the tendency will be to fire.

This environment cannot be simulated in a courtroom, and any trial wil simply reduce the confidence that allied troops have in each other. Questions need to be asked, and answers given, but replying to friendly fire by shooting off Rapier missiles as soon as an F16 appears will not help.

Neither will Yank-bashing. The Americans are not militarily incompetent. Any serious analysis taken or read of the first Gulf War will indicate how the likes of Gen Buster Glosson and Col Dave Deptula worked very hard to avoid friendly fire incidents. General Sir Peter de la Billieres' account of this war will indicate this, if you are not inclined to believe the accounts written by Gen Norman Schwarzkopf and independent observers.

War is not gung-ho fun, nor is it a case of organising the parking at a car boot sale. Tragedy will occur in war; war itself is a tragedy, but criticising allies is simply not on. There is every chance that as SA80 bullet will lodge in an American, or that a Rapier will take out and F16. An accidentally thrown egg will stick to any face.

Answer 3

The conflict on Terrorism should be fought on a international element. regrettably, with each and each and every of the muck being positioned out through the Liberal Press agencies no human being is in a position to make certain the sturdy being performed in this operation. the unhappy note is terrorism can under no circumstances be defeated, perhaps managed or directed can be a extra perfect time period. Their conception equipment is so solid that if a pacesetter is killed or captured, the subsequent one in line takes over an no human being is popular with of the change in administration. i appreciate the theory of The conflict on Terrorism, yet ask your self if we may be able to extremely accomplish our targets. Please do not take this the incorrect way. i'm veteran of desolate tract typhoon a million with Bush Sr. and develop into in a position to make certain our purpose carried out. The Liberation of Kuwait develop into our significant purpose.

Answer 4

I bet they wanted to but unlike the Americans the British army don't treat war like a video game which means they can't kill the Americans however much they want to.

Answer 5

The Americans should know but now that ORANGE is friendly/British. They are cr@p at going to war, they just think lets get some kills in. They need to get the all clear first before they decided to fire. Its really getting to me with the Americans as they dont think before they fire. Oh and they dont see what they have done as wrong. They say Oh dam God bless them. And how is that going to help another dead British Soldier?

Answer 6

I find your attitude to be somewhat juvenile. Mistakes happen in war. "Your" history is replete with them: the Battle of Towton, the Battle of Barnet, the Battle of Waterloo, the sinking of the HMS Oxley, etc. Why don't your troops shoot themselves every time they attack each other by accident? This is a silly question.

Answer 7

Why do the British keep telling the US pilots that there are no friendly forces in the area their troops are?

Why did the British government refuse to buy fratricide-avoidance gear that we offered them at a discount?

Why do the British forces _constantly_ ignore Graphical Control Measures?

Answer 8

unlike the yanks, the british are organised and would know from the operations centre who is where. although i should think that in light of recent events they should start treating the americans as hostile forces. also i should imagine the british do not have reservists flying war planes.

Answer 9

probably by the time the yanks had attack it was probably to late as the were not expecting it, god knows why the yanks are always cocking up.

Answer 10

with all the technology you'd think they could make out the difference between good and bad.