Americans abandoned my men, says 42 Cdo CO

[may18]

I dont think we have cornered the market on outrageous statements. We are just responding to the 6 or 7 threads that have been started on this forum for the sole purpose of making our military look bad. Notice none of us started threads that were meant to talk trash about the Brits. Some U.S. soldiers probably made some mistakes but that doesnt mean ya'll are perfect. No one is perfect. Not that you said you were perfect but I just dont see the point in turning the whole board into a trash Americans forum, it may cause Americans on here to make outrageous statements. If it is requested by the mods I will go ahead and leave the board as Im not looking for trouble. I assume my foolish American comrades will do the same. If our departure is not desired why dont we foucs on some other aspects of conversation.

Your quite right that we dont know the facts about what happened babe.

WRT to anti brit comments, i have to say ive read a lot of anti brit stuff on american forums. From critisism of the handling of basra (too damn slow etc ). The handling of looters (brits are crap as peacekeepers was a typical comment). Suggestions the uk have "done the easy work". All things ive read frequently in the last few days.

So it does go both ways babe

[jonboy]

Never mind (sorry post edited by myself as i cant reply without being abusive at the moment, so i will keep my comments to myself for now concerning our american "friends" ).

[USARMY_]

Andy O'Pray, if my remarks are inaccurate then you better get on the horn with CNN, ABC, MSNBC, FOX News, BBC America.

Sven, I'm not looking for a civilized discussion about the diffrences between US / British Tactics. In fact I come on here just to see what the other half is up to. But it gets me mad when people talk smack about my country then get all sensitive when I defend it. Something I'll never understand about some Europeans and Canadians, they think they can say what ever they want with impunity.

[TexasRanger]

I see your point. I think our media has been pretty decent about the Brits though. I havent heard much of American military making any complaints either.

[Guest]

US, I must apologise, I forgot the USA is the master race now

[TheCount]

I agree bootneck, like German tourists, the stupid are everywhere.

[El Prez]

I find POTUS's "Because we can, we will" attitude offensive. It overides decency and the talking shops of old. It is the reaction of a bear stung by a bee, "I'm gonna rip hell out of this tree, until I find the bee that stung me."
Unless you talk you lose. Repellant as it is to give into terrorism or any form of anarchy, just occasionally you need to look at the other guys perspective.
I have many good long term friends in America, they don't necessarily agree with me, but they do allow me to make my point, knowing that I will listen politely, without abuse to theirs.

[Sven]

Conceded USARMY, I too would be swift to leap to the defence of MY country and British Forces. However, I`d prefer it if you kept your comments :
a.) Accurate
b.) Tactful.

And :

Something I'll never understand about some Europeans and Canadians, they think they can say what ever they want with impunity

Pot calling the kettle black, anyone

[gash-hand]

[The JaCkAl]

The thing about tthe Brits and the Yanks is the massive cultural differences. The wars/conflicts we have both fought in have needed completly different tactics. For example the uk forces have had hundreds of thousands of man hours peace keeping, only shooting when being shot at. And only shooting at targets that are a diffinate hits. Americains however have never to my knowledge done any peace keeping and have always been the instigators of war. So in the end, result in totally different ways in which the forces have been trained. The Americains appear to be trigger happy cretins intent on killing anything that moves, but you have to think they can't all be that moronic it must be a training issue. How can that pilot who hit the news crew with that maverick mistake there convoy for a Iraqi tank???? It beggers belief...wrong co-ordinates, clearly marked vehicles. Was it monkey in the cockpit? Sorry to all you americains out there who's military pride is dented due to what i'm saying, but your forces killed alot of innocents through carless mistakes which shouldn't have been made. These are lives of fine men who's lives are being taken by your guys for reasons unknown. your government covers up the mistakes made by your troops and air force, and in affect there guilty of murder. This isn't the only war where this has happened GW1 we took heavey loses from your air force. If it was the other way round the americains would be up in arms................I feel better for saying that.

[USARMY_]

The Jackal, I'm glad you feel better, however US troops have lots of peacekeeping experience, Korea, Kosovo, Bosnia, Germany, Japan, Philippines, Italy, Kuwait, and Afghanistan.

El Prez, you wrote, "It overrides decency and the talking shops of old." Well we've been indecent and offending shops of old since the 1770's. It's in our blood, seems to be working nicely too.

bootneck,I'm glad to see you came to your senses!

Oh ya, watched any "tele" lately? the Iraqi's seem to be pretty happy with what the Coalition forces have been up to in the last three weeks.

I think the USA and the Britt's/Aussie's are like oil and vinegar, go nicely on an Italian sandwhich, but don't mix well.

[MarkE]

USARMY

I like your signature: First to fire.

First, because the people you are firing at are probably friendly and would not think of firing on you!

Checking newspaper reports of the conflict, almost all 'blue on blue' incidents seem to have been perpetrated by your forces!

Mark.

[The JaCkAl]

we're not trying to be rude, but what is your honest opinion to why this happens so much from your forces USARMY? You must admit it's a bit odd.

[El Prez]

I know this is old hat from another forum but...........

It is true to say that the US Forces have killed more British and coalition forces than the Iraqis.

I rest my case, with a feeling of deep sadness for those whose husbands, sons and lovers will only be a memory.

[USARMY_]

Well, not that anybody cares but in my honest opinion the problem with our military in the area of Blue on Blue is as follows.

Ground Forces

1. The majority of our ground forces are young, uneducated kids and in all honesty, not trained very well. In my experience, the cadre/NCO's at training centers are more concerned with "hazing" the green horns and showing them who's in charge then making sure they know their job. There is basically no "quality control". Unfortunately you hear to many troops leaving their schools saying "all I learned was how to do PT, Iron, and polish my boots". The thinking is the troop will learn his job when he gets to his unit. Unfortunately most troops are treated like a burden until he becomes an NCO. The problem with this is he never learned his job so he is neither technically nor tactically proficient, a ruined solider who in turn ruins the soldiers in his charge. So the problem perpetuates itself. Officers are all to worried about their careers in most cases to be bothered with what's going on with their troops or to weak to stand up to the Senior NCO's. In other words, nobody wants to rock the boat. Now there are a lot of good troops, NCO's, and officers throughout our military but they are all too uncommon. There is also a tremendous amount of politics’ involved. So the majority of those in charge (NCOs & CO's) have no business in charge of anything. I could go on and on about this, but I think you get the idea.

2. Retention is not an easy sell. The best NCOs and Officers usually don't stick around because their skills are very desired in the civilian world. Pay and quality of life has a lot to do with this.

3. The best NCOs and Officers that stick around usually seek the more "elite" units. Because it nice to work with professionals.

Air Assets

1. A lot of our equipment is simply too old. So it falls out of the sky. A lot of our equipment doesn't work well, but can you say special interest?

2. Proper parts and proper equipment/tools aren't always available due to money constraints. And nobody listens to us lowly technicians/mechanics. Necessary maintenance is often put on the back burner. The mission must go on syndrome.

3. Our pilots are pushed to hard. They are expected to perform at an amazing level for insane periods of time.

This is as candid as I could be. Hope this answers some questions.