h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

You know, I think I posted that last one to the wrong thread. It was supposed to follow along with some other things on the "what's wrong with Americans thread. But then, it fits here too.

FYI:

http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2003/06/20/pilots_court030620

I am impressed, anhaga, that such steps were taken against these soldiers - other countries (not naming them, I don't need to) should take note!<alienfrown)

An interesting thing about the Shinade Arone case is that no one ended up being terrible satisfied. It was a very difficult prosecution and convictions were only achieved on manslaughter charges. But then, I guess it is something that it ever went to trial.

anhage, the story about the US pilots not being brought before court marshal with the picture of one of the victim's family actually appeared on NZ TV news. I couldn't pick the accent of the voice over.

Interesting reading but I'm still fighting network troubles.

Here's a little something that disappeared quiet quickly:

http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2003/06/20/pilots_court030620

*quiet quickly* I like that...

*Friendly fire* (I truly dispise that term) is a fact of warfare, and with modern techniques it is actually more likely, not less. This particular incident may be more along the lines of incompetence, but we are not the forum to decide that, the courts are. Until the entire incident has been seen as history I doubt any of us can judge the people involved.
That having been said, I am saddened by the lack of media coverage south of the border.

If it was TV3 you saw, it was abc news - the item was very much from the American Point of view - which astounded me because TV3 is (said to be) Canadian owned!

Major Harry Schmidt the U.S. pilot who mistakenly bombed Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan last year has turned down an offer of lesser charges and could face a court martial.

He has decided to risk a life sentence in order to have a chance to clear his name. The story I read says he does not believe he committed a criminal act but does not go into how the bombing happened or why.

It is a very sad situation and my heart goes out to the familys.

Major Harry Schmidt the U.S. pilot who mistakenly bombed Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan last year has turned down an offer of lesser charges and could face a court martial.

He has decided to risk a life sentence in order to have a chance to clear his name. The story I read says he does not believe he committed a criminal act but does not go into how the bombing happened or why.

It is a very sad situation and my heart goes out to the familys.

Thanks again, starbirth.

Here's the CBC story: http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2003/06/25/friendly_fire030625

Something that I haven't seen coming up lately with the question that was in the air a few months ago that there were some systemic problems, particularly in Schmidt's Air National Guard Unit, which encouraged "kills" on every patrol, sort of a quota system. At that time there was a good deal of talk that the military would try very hard to avoid a court-martial so that these problems would not become public.

I welcome the court-martial, if it happens, not out of any desire for vengeance, but because it really is the only way to have justice (and to air the laundry)

A footnote: I found the first statement from Mrs. Schmidt shortly after the incident in Kandahar quite disturbing. She said that her husband "never meant to hurt anyone." I'm sorry, he dropped a 500 pound bomb on people. What was he trying to do, say "hello"?

Of course, then there's the fact that bombing *anyone* hurts them! War in itself is bad enough - 'friendly fire' is no better or worse. (IMHO, which I know many don't share... some people are less extreme.)

Well faced with the massive armed forces and modern infrastructure posessed of Afghanistan...

Nope bomming is pretty bad.

Oh yes, indeed - those terrible Afghanis...

Hi, everybody. How are you this evening?

http://www.cbc.ca/cp/world/030626/w062644.html

http://www.cbc.ca/cp/world/030626/w062616.html

and a follow up to another story offensive to Canadians:

http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2003/06/26/arar_pm030626

The first two links pretty much back up what people against the war have been saying from the start.

The third link... Well all I can say is, I see Canadians have every right to be angry.

http://www.cafeshops.com/americanapology.6120915

I think that has been posted here before, but at least it is a humorous take on all this...

Zoomer, now that they have seen the shirts, the americans I work with are considering buying a gross of them....funniest thing I've seen in weeks