Have have American forces killed 23 British soldiors?!?

Well, it's less British than we killed in the revolutionary war . . .

claudiacake

It happens. Soldiers of the U.S. and other nations have fired on their own troops before, "smart" techno or not. Nothing is flawless.

keith d

Mistakes still happen in a high pressure enviroment such as combat. You have to try and remember that because of the high percentage of forces that the US contributes to NATO operations then almost all friendly fire incidents will include them.
In the forces and worked with the Americans and they are just as serious and professional as we Brits.

jeeper_peeper321

So ? accidents happen, plus your talking from three different wars, over a 17 year period.

6 British soldiers have been killed by British soldiers in Iraq so far.

So if you look at the amount of American forces, compared to the number of British forces,

The British friendly fire rate is about 10 times higher than the American friendly fire rate.

As to why, there are no British friendly fire against American forces.

Simple, all the friendly fire incidents against British forces by American forces, have occurred from air power.

Since Britain doesn't provide air coverage to American units, they have not had the chance.

You might want to read up on British friendly fire incidents, before you start making assumptions.

In the Falklands conflict:

3rd Battalion, Parachute Regiment Companies A and C engaged in an hour long battle with each other, including using heavy artillery.

The SAS and SBS engaged in a deadly fire fight against each other.

The Royal Navy shot down one of their own fighters.

The friendly fire rate in both Iraq and Afghanistan have been so small compared to any past conflicts, as to defy belief.

So maybe you should wait until they find out what happened last week, before you cast aspersions.

Alyssa

Well, it was an accident ... get over it.

Brad V

I don't believe that no American forces have been killed or wounded by allied forces. Friendly fire incidents are not limited to just American forces.

It is unfortunate that 23 British soldiers have been killed in friendly fire incidents, by Americans. We share your grief' in knowing that mishaps are so frequent amongst these well trained and disciplined troops, yet it still happens.

The loss of a family member, friend, parent or spouse is indeed traumatic. Perhaps it is more so, when the executioner is a friend!

E. C.

Sadly, when using this technology there is going to be "friendly fire" incidents. Not only to our allies but to our own soldiers also, while the "Bush Administration tries to smother all these reports, Can't think of the fellows name,(isn't that ashame!) he was a Pro football player that joined-up after9/11 was killed in Afganistan
by friendly fire and smothered for a while. But like anywhere else including Q&A you can't hide the truth forever! Great Question!!!!

lo peazy

never say never. Let me ask you this have you ever been with a joint unit in Afghanistan

jake

I guess two more American pilots wanted to be sent home early, so they let some ordance fly the wrong way on purpose once again!

bgee2001ca

Its not just British, a good number of Canadians, and a couple of Italians were killed as well.

Two of the U.S. pilots were subsequently disciplined, and other incidents are under investigation.

wolf

The Number is 3.
You missed it by 20.
And what Mideast country are you from, honey?

("GI" has a Great Answer for you. Please repeat & memorize.)

EM J

probably. yes, its always a "mistake" - not the fact they are frothing at the mouth and chanting "must kill, must kill"

tap158

It is because they called in fire support to help them out of a tight spot and were hit by friendly fire because we were there to help them when they called

Sean G

First, its spelled Soldiers

Second, British Forces have killed several of their Own in Blue On Blue incidents in the current theaters of war

British Challenger 2 tank came under fire from another British tank in a nighttime firefight, blowing off the turret and killing two crew members, Corporal Stephen John Allbutt and Trooper David Jeffrey Clarke

British Royal Marine Christopher Maddison killed when his river patrol boat was hit by missiles after being wrongly identified as an enemy vessel approaching a Royal Engineers checkpoint on the Al-Faw Peninsula, Iraq.

In 1982;

HMS Cardiff shoots down AAC Gazelle (UK) in the Falklands Islands.

3rd Battalion, Parachute Regiment, British Army (UK) Companies A and C engage each other in an hour-long firefight in the Falkland Islands involving heavy weapons and artillery strikes. At least 8 UK casualties.

United Kingdom UK Special Boat Service Commando killed in firefight with UK Special Air Service Commandos. Falkland Islands

in 1956;

Suez: Attacks from British Royal Navy carrier-borne aircraft caused heavy casualties to UK 45 Commando and HQ

in 1944:
British flotilla attacked by RAF Hawker Typhoons, off Cap d'Antifer, Le Havre. HMS Britomart and HMS Hussar sunk. HMS Salamander damaged beyond repair and scrapped. HMS Jason escaped major damage

Fleet Air Arm torpedo attack on HMS Sheffield during the hunt for the German battleship Bismarck

RAF fighter ace Wing Commander Douglas Bader shot down in what recent research suggests was a friendly fire incident.

1942 - Polish submarine ORP JastrzÄ…b was mistakenly sunk by British destroyer HMS St. Albans and minesweeper HMS Seagull.

its war, mistakes happen, doesnt make it any better, but dont claim the British are Immune from such things

mnbvcxz52773

When a unit, any unit is in small arms range and calls in an airstrike, that means they are Danger Close. That means if the bomb falls off target due to an error, mechanical or human, or even if it hits its target, the friendly unit is still in the danger area. US troops have been hit too. Its easy to armchair things from behind a computer with hindsight, but its something else to do it from the other perspective. Also, the British are not known for reporting thier positions a lot of times.

Robert K

It's the way Americans fight wars now days.
Lots of bombing from high altitutde with high tech gear.
It is meant to minimize US deaths while maximizing destruction. It sanitizes war so It doesn`t appear so messy.

The problem is that a bomb dropped from 2000 feet in the air, or a missile fired from a ship 20 miles away is not a surgical strike, like they claim it is. It will blast anything in the area.
Including allied troops, schools, children and non combatants.
I'm not a fan of it.
War should be dirty and bloody so people do not have the urge to do it so casually and without reason.
Had some bros in the Canadian army who got hit by US bombs back in `02 from some cowboy in a warthog.

Edit: Thomas, You`re thinking of Pat Tillman, the football guy

richmooreuk1988

Because Americans are trigger happy. Have had 3 friends out in Iraq and the Americans seem to shoot anything that moves.

Always seems to be Americans shooting Brits not the other way round.

eldude

There have also been nutso's firing on and tossing grenades into US Army barracks, etc by US Soldiers. It's nothing to do with Brits it's just, some people crack I suspect.

Kris to the rescue!

and yet...britain isnt the one with the friendly fire problem is it?
I think that the American military (the military mind you, not the people :P) have a flagerent disregard for human life that is not an american citizen..even then it doesnt count for much.

Bomb 1,2,20 schools packed with kids? so wot? atleast american kids are safe...

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