What stupid idiot gave the UK soldiers vehicles in Iraq identifying markings that can be mistaken for missiles

Answer 1

Why are you trying to deflect the blame on the British army, these markings would have been agreed upon by all allied forces. The US pilots were not given authority to fire but did so even though they had identified orange panels. If they weren't sure they should have rechecked, one of the pilots even went in for another go when this was coupled with red distress flares but was stopped by the ground crew
I would ask what stupid idiot authorised US pilots to be high on drugs during these missions, type go pills into your search engine for proof of that statement

Answer 2

At the start of the invasion a British Tornado was mistaken for a scud missile and shot down by US ground troops even though allied ground to air forces were using Three different ways of confirming identity!
This happened just after a US troop went a bit mad with a few granades on his superiors so it can be understood!
Bearing in mind the three ways to confirm identity
I have seen the footage and herd the US pilots!
This guy checked and confirmed with his base for the possibility of friendlies!
The blame is not with the Brits on the ground or the Yanks in the air!
The blame lies somewhere between the pilots base and the sharing of information between the two forces!
This was a management error not the front line workforce!

Answer 3

I oppose the war and everything it stands for. I think war is wrong and never the answer. But I can see past that and support the troops. Not blindly though, there are some phsycos in our armed forces and a night out in any town with barracks will prove that. I don't buy into this whole hero worship. People have a choice whether to join the armed forces or not - no one is forced to sign up. But nonetheless they are fighting on our behalf wheteher we like it or not and the day might come it will be for a cause we are passionate about. I don't think anyone has a right to shout abuse at anyone. Are you the type of person that phones up his banks call centre and blames the person at the end of the phone for all their wrongs? Me - supporting the troops but not the cause.

Answer 4

What stupid Gung Ho American pilot didn't wait for confirmation from ground control before opening fire on friendly vehicles, what idiotic navigator told ground control they were in a different area than they actually were, and if they were being fired upon with missiles, surely the equipment the aircraft had would have alerted them to that fact, rather than using they're eyes for confirmation.... Don't blame the British, if it wasn't for friendly fire like this from American's they wouldn't have to put identifying stickers on their vehicles in the first place.

Answer 5

The markings were called for in the first Gulf war after an A-10 accidentally destroyed one of our British Scorpion APC's thinking it was Iraqi. Ever since then, all NATO/UN vehicles have had infra-red and all light visible markings to prevent this tragedy happening again.

I don't care who was to blame, I just want Blue on Blue incidents to stop.

Oh, and Sean G, there are plenty of Blue on Blue incidents in which the USA was to blame too, don't single us out. Everyone has done it!

Answer 6

It is what happens in War People die, how many die for friendly fire is normally kept quit and tried to get straightened out. you don't air your mistakes over the air for your combatants to learn they can use them against you. When you mix many nations into doing something like this it's surprising how few people get killed. In a peace time army their are many people injured or killed in vehicle accidents or gun shot wounds from guns assumed unloaded. You know stupid things like car accident's think how many people are out their lets say 125,000 of or soldiers and 125,00 of the British soldiers 500,000 Iraq soldiers that's one million people right there with guns not try to give them ALl guns radios and talk to each other at the same time and don't make any mistakes, Just a city that size is going to get people killed in auto accident's or people ran over by cars. You have to really think of the magnitude of what they are doing how bout feeding that many people for a day 3 times a day theirs no McDonald's you stop by and order 125,000 happy meals to go in ten minutes. Life happens, two governments can over look small things that get people killed.

Answer 7

You should be asking why the American pilot didn't verify his target instead of blasting away like in some kind of video game. The answer is Americans are trigger happy maniacs, unthinking of the consequences of their actions and refusing to accept responsibility afterwards. This is not a new thing.
In the 91 Gulf War I was at the scene after American A-10s had taken out some British armoured vehicles killing 9 men. We were more scared of the Yanks than the Iraqis after that.
In WW2 an uncle of mine joined the Navy in 1945 and was only fired on once. By an American ship in the North Sea!
Now I can accept these things happen in war, quite often if it's anything involving the Yanks. . What really annoys me though is the way they bang down the shutters and refuse to co-operate with any kind of investigation afterwards.

Answer 8

I think you will find that the U.S. A-10 pilots needed to differenciate between the yellow defence logo and a rocket launcher hold. Firstly they should have flown lower to confirm identity Then after that if they still couldnt tell the difference they should have asked for permission to open fire based on the rules of engagement in operation.
An inpedendant inquest has been held in the U.K. where the judge ruled the killing was "unlawful" and resulted in "a criminal act"In delivering his verdict, Mr Walker said: "The attack on the convoy amounted to an assault.
"It was unlawful because there was no lawful reason for it and in that respect it was criminal."
No American evidence was given at the trial, No American witnesses gave evidence at the inquest and the coroner was critical of the failure of the US authorities to co-operate.
To be honest we must all admit that the lack of U.S co-operation was and is disappointing but it will all come out in the wash eventually.
The U.S. defence ministry claimed there was no evidence to claim the A-10 pilots opened fire without permissionuntil the pilots cockpit tape fellinto the wrongs hands,ie. a british newspaper which blew the whole "accident"theory out of the water. The pilots can be clearly swearing and panicing after realising what they had done without receiving permission to open fire."what have we done?" "We are in jail Dude" enough said dont you tyhink??
It is blatently clear that key information was blacked out of a US Friendly Fire Investigation Board Report given to the coroner investigating the death of this British Army soldier. Only for this tape being uncovered by the Sun newpaper this would undoubtedly have been swept under the carpet or stuck in a papr folder in a dusty office with a big red "unsolved" stamp on it.
Even a direct appeal to President Bush to reveal the information has hit a brick wall. I sthis the way to treat your biggest allies in Iraq, by trying to hide a huge accident, can we call it an accident surely its manslaughter??
Hey we are all entitled to our own opinons and I for one commend anyone who goes to war but to try and cover something like this up or to pass the buck is very low.

Answer 9

The theory of the orange square is good.

However, what they didn't count on was trigger happy yanks who even when they serew up (Wasn't totally sure WHAT it was, did not check the position of other troops, lack of training) blame everyone else but themselves.

Defies logic - but like the concept of having a war that you cannot win, is really unpopular and is a total mess and then sending MORE troops in to sort it out.

Answer 10

It takes a special kind of idiot to mistake a metre square splat of orange for a missile tip.....
The stupid effing yanks screwed up yet again and then decide to cover it up, then they are so arrogant and pig headed that they then try and bullsh1t their way out of it.
All american military personnel should be forced to have an eye examination before they are given any form of weapon.
Isn't it time for bush to apologise for the grave error and the lies? isn't it time for the american military to say sorry? Isn't it time that the americans start to realise why most countries hate them?