British Military Current Events

[daftandbarmy]

Chilcot report: Tony Blair's Iraq War case not justified

Tony Blair overstated the threat posed by Saddam Hussein, sent ill-prepared troops into battle and had "wholly inadequate" plans for the aftermath, the UK's Iraq War inquiry has said.

Chairman Sir John Chilcot said the 2003 invasion was not the "last resort" action presented to MPs and the public.

There was no "imminent threat" from Saddam - and the intelligence case was "not justified", he said.

Mr Blair apologised for any mistakes made but not the decision to go to war.

The report, which has taken seven years, is on the Iraq Inquiry website.

So, just like the Bush administration then? Typical, trying to keep up with the Joneses...

 

[tomahawk6]

At least the left is consistent,we are wrong and Saddam was a victim.Its the same with islamic terrorists,dont blame the religion for the terror.Umm how do you redact Islamic State to remove the reference to religion ? 8)

 

[George Wallace]

Umm how do you redact Islamic State to remove the reference to religion ? 8)

Well....We can do as some Heads of State have done, and call them Daesh; but our PC sensibilities here in North America find that term "offensive'.  What can you do?  :dunno:

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

Umm how do you redact Islamic State to remove the reference to religion ?

Like this: "####### State", or you can just use "The State Formerly Known as Islamic"  :rage:

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Well....We can do as some Heads of State have done, and call them Daesh; but our PC sensibilities here in North America find that term "offensive'.  What can you do?  :dunno:

There was much a-do late 2015/early 2016 about calling them "ISIS" or "ISIL".  We seem to be the only country in the coalition that gets mired down in such stupidity.

Direction came down that the GoC official term was ISIL.  We still didn't have a single fuck to give about the subj.  What we did care about was what looked like a focus on sound bites and appearances while the RCAF was preparing to stand down strike missions.

 

[daftandbarmy]

There was much a-do late 2015/early 2016 about calling them "ISIS" or "ISIL".  We seem to be the only country in the coalition that gets mired down in such stupidity.

Direction came down that the GoC official term was ISIL.  We still didn't have a single frig to give about the subj.  What we did care about was what looked like a focus on sound bites and appearances while the RCAF was preparing to stand down strike missions.

Why don't we just call them the 'Red Force', so all our TEWTs will finally make sense because they are focused on the destruction of a real enemy who is worth evaporating?

 

[daftandbarmy]

'Blair has to take it on the chin': elite soldiers on the Iraq war

The Guardian asks former members of a British squadron who suffered heavy losses in the Iraq invasion to reflect on the conflict

They heard the American guns first – roaring, rattling rounds of 30mm cannon fire sprayed by two A10 Thunderbolts. When the blue-on-blue attack on 28 March 2003 was over, the Household Cavalry counted one soldier dead, four injured (one very seriously) and two armoured reconnaissance vehicles destroyed. Two Iraqi civilians waving white flags were also killed. One soldier, 18-year-old Trooper Chris Finney, went on to receive the George Cross for his bravery in attempting to save colleagues trapped in their blazing vehicle.

The frontline reconnaissance unit – part of 16 Air Assault Brigade – crossed into Iraq on the first day of the invasion, 20 March 2003. Their job was to secure locations before other troops moved in behind them. In Iraq’s southern desert, they came under attack from Iraqi artillery and fought with T55 tanks, but it was under US fire that they took their first casualty.

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jul/08/blair-iraq-soldiers-look-back-invasion-war-elite-squadron

 

[CougarKing]

Let's hope she isn't beset by the same problems that plagued her sisters recently:

Naval Technology

UK Royal Navy rededicates HMS Dragon
12 July 2016
The UK Royal Navy's Daring-class Type 45 air-defence destroyer, HMS Dragon, has been rededicated after successfully completing a major upgrade programme. After being inactive for a year, the vessel was again commissioned into service during a ceremony held at Portsmouth Naval Base. HMS Dragon commanding officer captain Craig Wood said "An upgraded and more capable HMS Dragon has emerged from the upkeep period the result of a tremendous amount of work from across the Portsmouth enterprise."
(...SNIPPED)

 

[daftandbarmy]

Thrown to the wolves: Two former British Army paratroopers face prosecution over shooting of IRA hitman after 44 years

Ex-soldiers were twice told they would not be hauled before the courts
They gunned down Republican hitman Joe McCann at height of Troubles
They were told by investigators after 2000 review that matter was closed
But they were informed in May that files had been passed to prosecutors


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3694626/Thrown-wolves-Two-former-British-Army-paratroopers-face-prosecution-shooting-IRA-hitman-44-years.html#ixzz4EtjHCRSW
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

 

[jollyjacktar]

BREAKING NEWS: British airman is attacked by knife-wielding assailants outside the RAF base from where raids are launched against ISIS 'in possible terror attack'
Serviceman was threatened with a knife outside RAF Marham in Norfolk
Two suspects are on the run after fleeing the scene in Ford Galaxy
Police would not comment on whether the incident was terror related


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3700306/British-airman-attacked-knife-wielding-assailants-outside-RAF-base-raids-launched-against-ISIS-possible-terror-attack.html#ixzz4Ezc5v9u4
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

 

[jollyjacktar]

British nuclear submarine is forced to dock in Gibraltar after crashing into a merchant vessel 'during a training mission in the Med'
HMS Ambush was submerged and carrying out a training exercise
Managed to collide with the merchant vessel on Wednesday afternoon
Suffered external damage but there are no issues regarding nuclear plant


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3700175/British-nuclear-submarine-forced-dock-Gibraltar-crashing-merchant-vessel-training-mission-Med.html#ixzz4EzcgiMIt
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

 

[Kirkhill]

BREAKING NEWS: British airman is attacked by knife-wielding assailants outside the RAF base from where raids are launched against ISIS 'in possible terror attack'
Serviceman was threatened with a knife outside RAF Marham in Norfolk
Two suspects are on the run after fleeing the scene in Ford Galaxy
Police would not comment on whether the incident was terror related


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3700306/British-airman-attacked-knife-wielding-assailants-outside-RAF-base-raids-launched-against-ISIS-possible-terror-attack.html#ixzz4Ezc5v9u4
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Picking on the RAF?  How about trying somebody their own size instead? 

 

[jollyjacktar]

Thankfully it wasn't another Lee Rigby terrorist attack.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Soldier C for the shaft....

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3715451/A-bloody-outrage-decorated-Para-facing-prosecution-44-years-shooting-dead-IRA-killer-blood-soaked-men-terror-know-ll-never-face-justice-thanks-Blair-s-squalid-peace-deal.html

 

[daftandbarmy]

Man arrested over 1976 Kingsmills murders

Fifty-nine-year-old held on suspicion of killing 10 Protestant workmen in County Armagh after forensic breakthrough

A fresh police investigation into one of the most notorious sectarian mass killings of the Northern Ireland Troubles has led to the arrest of a 59-year-old man.
The arrest on Friday follows a breakthrough by the Police Service of Northern Ireland in their historical inquiry into the Kingsmills massacre in which 10 Protestant workmen were shot dead in 1976.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/aug/05/man-arrested-1976-kingsmill-murders-county-armagh-northern-ireland

 

[Kirkhill]

Interesting site with Northern Ireland stats:

http://www.wesleyjohnston.com/users/ireland/past/troubles/troubles_stats.html

The table at the bottom presents some interesting observations and I took the liberty of reorganizing them into the spreadsheet attached

Republicans and Loyalists fairly evenly matched in the league tables - Republicans killed 863 Loyalists and the Loyalists killed 704 Republicans.

The Republicans were well ahead in killing Brits - 615 to 52 by the Loyalists

The Republicans were also responsible for more Republican (Catholic) deaths than the Brits and the RUC combined -  408 to 302

And yet the Republicans were granted an amnesty while the Brits, acting under orders, are prosecuted.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Interesting site with Northern Ireland stats:

http://www.wesleyjohnston.com/users/ireland/past/troubles/troubles_stats.html

The table at the bottom presents some interesting observations and I took the liberty of reorganizing them into the spreadsheet attached

Republicans and Loyalists fairly evenly matched in the league tables - Republicans killed 863 Loyalists and the Loyalists killed 704 Republicans.

The Republicans were well ahead in killing Brits - 615 to 52 by the Loyalists

The Republicans were also responsible for more Republican (Catholic) deaths than the Brits and the RUC combined -  408 to 302

And yet the Republicans were granted an amnesty while the Brits, acting under orders, are prosecuted.

I would use caution in believing some of the 'death stats' thrown around about this campaign. I have my doubts about anyone who can be sure about the political/ religious orientations re: who killed whom. Having said that, PIRA are clearly top of the heap in the 'bad guy' category.

The only death stats that are more certain are probably those related to people killed by the Army and Police.

 

[jollyjacktar]

Ignore terror attack fears and wear your uniforms on the street with pride, armed forces minister tells UK troops
-Mike Penning said: 'The public love seeing our armed forces in uniform.'
-Ex-Grenadier Guardsman vowed 'mistakes' of the 1970s would not be made
-Comes after attempted abduction of a servicemen at RAF Marham, Norfolk


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3726612/Armed-forces-wear-uniforms-outside-bases-despite-terror-fears-minister-urges.html#ixzz4GZsNoKNM
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

 

[RocketRichard]

Ignore terror attack fears and wear your uniforms on the street with pride, armed forces minister tells UK troops
-Mike Penning said: 'The public love seeing our armed forces in uniform.'
-Ex-Grenadier Guardsman vowed 'mistakes' of the 1970s would not be made
-Comes after attempted abduction of a servicemen at RAF Marham, Norfolk


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3726612/Armed-forces-wear-uniforms-outside-bases-despite-terror-fears-minister-urges.html#ixzz4GZsNoKNM
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Agreed.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Kirkhill]

I would use caution in believing some of the 'death stats' thrown around about this campaign. I have my doubts about anyone who can be sure about the political/ religious orientations re: who killed whom. Having said that, PIRA are clearly top of the heap in the 'bad guy' category.

The only death stats that are more certain are probably those related to people killed by the Army and Police.

Accepted, not all Catholics are Republicans (for example) - but: