🚀 go-pugleaf

On Fri, 19 Apr 2002 06:42:02 +0100, Ace
<agincourt1.don't@spam.btinternet.com> wrote:

>Hi - Vox Populi �, 
>
>On Thu, 18 Apr 2002 21:38:00 -0600, in us.military.army 
>- Vox Populi � put fingers to keyboard and tapped away writing... 
>
>Message ID:- <mfMv8.1604$Xz.270528@news.uswest.net>
>
>
>> Here's what happens when poorly trained, cowardly, murderous
>> US military pilots are allowed in the air ...
>> 
>
>
>I suspect these airmen go into the air with the sole ambition of
>dropping some of their toys.  They don't really care who they drop
>their bombs on, so long as they can kill at least someone.  They sleep
>in their beds at night, safe in the knowledge that the US military
>will do all in their power to cover up for the incompetence of their
>pilots.
>
>
>> 
>> U.S.: Killer pilot reported being fired upon
>> 
>> Initial permission to drop bomb was denied, officials say
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> April 18, 2002 Posted: 7:32 PM EDT (2332 GMT)
>> 
>> 
>> KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (CNN) -- A U.S. fighter pilot involved in a "stupid fire" incident
>> that killed four Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan dropped a laser-guided bomb after his
>> commanders denied permission to do so, U.S. officials said Thursday.
>> 
>> Another eight Canadians were wounded in the incident early Thursday near Kandahar when the
>> U.S. jet dropped a 500-pound bomb on them during a training mission, U.S. and Canadian
>> military officials said.
>> 
>> U.S. officials said the F-16 pilot made an initial report to his commanders that he and
>> another F-16 had taken enemy ground fire, and he was given permission to mark the target
>> and return for a second look.
>> 
>> During the subsequent fly-over, the pilot requested permission to drop his weapon. A
>> Pentagon official said his superiors denied permission unless the pilot felt he would be
>> acting in self-defense. At that point, the pilot again reported ground fire, invoked his
>> right of self-defense and dropped the laser-guided bomb, military officials said.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>  Canadian fatalities
>> 
>> Four members of the Canadian armed forces were killed in a "US stupid fire" incident nine
>> miles south of Kandahar.
>> 
>> 
>> Sgt. Marc D. Leger, 29, of Lancaster, Ontario
>> 
>> 
>> Cpl. Ainsworth Dyer, 25, of Montreal, Quebec
>> 
>> 
>> Pvt. Richard A. Green, 22, of Edmonton, Alberta
>> 
>> 
>> Pvt. Nathan Smith, 27, of Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> In a statement Thursday, U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said he had discussed the
>> incident with Canadian Defense Minister Art Eggleton and "assured him that Gen. Tommy
>> Franks and his Central Command staff will work closely with the Canadian representatives
>> in Tampa to investigate the causes of this tragic accident."
>> 
>> At a news conference in Ottawa, Canadian chief of staff Gen. Ray Henault said details of
>> the incident remained to be determined. "But certainly, my understanding is that there was
>> no hostile activity in the area that would have created this incident," he said.
>> 
>> Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien offered a statement of regret to the House of
>> Commons on Thursday.
>> 
>> "If words cannot console this loss, they also cannot fully express the pride that all
>> Canadians have felt on the exemplary way (Canadian forces) have carried out their duty,"
>> Chretien said. "There are so many questions. ... How has this happened? I want to assure
>> the families and the people of Canada that these questions will be answered."
>> 
>> The Canadian soldiers were part of the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light
>> Infantry Battle Group. They have been in Afghanistan since late January as part of
>> Operation Apollo, Canada's military commitment to the campaign against terrorism,
>> according to the Canadian Defense Ministry.
>> 
>> In a written statement, President Bush said he had expressed his "deepest sorrow and
>> sympathy" to Chretien.
>> 
>> "Canada's fallen heroes and their families are in our hearts and prayers," the statement
>> said. "Canada is a vital member of the coalition against terrorism and hatred. It is
>> shouldering a great burden and making tremendous sacrifices to make the world a safer
>> place for all people."
>> 
>> Canadians were conducting training exercise
>> The bombing happened at about 1:55 a.m. in Afghanistan. The Canadian soldiers were
>> conducting a live-fire training exercise in an area about nine miles (14 kilometers) south
>> of the Kandahar airfield, Canadian officials said.
>> 
>> The soldiers were firing at inert targets in a "recognized training area," according to
>> Maj. Jamie Robertson, a spokesman for the Canadian Joint Task Force. Henault said the
>> American fighter pilot could not visually identify the troops because the exercise took
>> place in the middle of the night.
>> 
>> "Without a doubt, there was a misidentification of the Canadians and what they were doing
>> on the ground and that was obviously the cause of this accident," Henault said.
>> 
>> Six Canadian soldiers wounded in the incident are being treated at the U.S. medical
>> facility at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, Canadian officials said. Two others who suffered
>> minor injuries remained in Kandahar.
>> 
>> "The immediate response of this battle group has been outstanding, and their
>> professionalism has been unparalleled," Henault said. "Every soldier in the theater of
>> operations is a credit to the Canadian forces and certainly a symbol of strength in this
>> country."
>> 
>> U.S. forces in the region echoed these sentiments.
>> 
>> "This loss is shared by our entire task force. Our hearts ache with yours as we continue
>> to stand shoulder-to-shoulder against terrorism," said Col. Frank Wiercinski, a U.S. Army
>> spokesman in Afghanistan. "The cost of this fight has been great, but our commitment
>> remains greater."
>> 
>> Third U.S. 'friendly fire' incident in Afghanistan
>> The incident marks the third time that U.S. forces have been involved in friendly fire
>> accidents during the conflict in Afghanistan.
>> 
>> Friendly fire incidents late last year left three Americans and five Afghan fighters dead
>> and more than 40 people injured -- including slight injuries to Hamid Karzai, who now
>> heads Afghanistan's interim government.
>> 
>> All eight deaths came in a December 5 incident north of Kandahar. In that incident, and
>> another nine days earlier near Mazar-e Sharif, a B-52 bomber dropped a 2,000-pound
>> (980-kilogram) guided bomb on positions manned by ground troops who were directing air
>> strikes against nearby Taliban targets.
>> 
>> In both those accidents, preliminary findings indicate that confused communications
>> between the ground and air crews resulted in the bombs being programmed to hit friendly
>> ground troops.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> after his commanders denied permission to do so,
>> 
>> after his commanders denied permission to do so,
>> 
>> after his commanders denied permission to do so,
>> 
>> after his commanders denied permission to do so,
>> 
>> after his commanders denied permission to do so,
>> 
>> after his commanders denied permission to do so,
>> 
>> after his commanders denied permission to do so,
>> 
>> after his commanders denied permission to do so,
>> 
>> after his commanders denied permission to do so,
>> 
>> after his commanders denied permission to do so,
>> 
>> after his commanders denied permission to do so,
>> 
>> after his commanders denied permission to do so,
>> 
>> after his commanders denied permission to do so,
>
>

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