Posted on 01/24/2006 6:02:05 PM PST by voletti
London/Washington: A senior British officer has criticised the U.S. army for its conduct in Iraq, accusing it of institutional racism, moral righteousness, misplaced optimism, and of being ill-suited to engage in counter-militancy operations.
The blistering critique, by Brigadier Nigel Aylwin-Foster, who was the second most senior officer responsible for training Iraqi security forces, reflects criticism and frustration voiced by British commanders about American military tactics.
Startling comments
What is startling is the severity of his comments — and the decision by Military Review, a U.S. army magazine, to publish them.
American soldiers, says Brig. Aylwin-Foster, were ``almost unfailingly courteous and considerate''. But he says ``at times their cultural insensitivity, almost certainly inadvertent, arguably amounted to institutional racism''. The U.S. army, he says, is imbued with an unparalleled sense of patriotism, duty, passion and talent. ``Yet it seemed weighed down by bureaucracy, a stiflingly hierarchical outlook, a predisposition to offensive operations and a sense that duty required all issues to be confronted head-on.''
While U.S. officers in Iraq criticised their allies for being too reluctant to use force, their strategy was ``to kill or capture all terrorists and insurgents: they saw military destruction of the enemy as a strategic goal in its own right''. Such an unsophisticated approach is counter-productive, exacerbating the task the U.S. faced by alienating sections of the population, he argues.
(Excerpt) Read more at hindu.com ...
When will they start conscripting us again?
In short, I believe you'll find that Britain's imperial point-of-no-return happened between 1914-1918. After they passed that point they had neither the military might or moral authority to hold the empire together.
(Culturally speaking, WWI is embedded in the British psyche like WWII is here in the States.)
I realize this response wasn't to me, but I felt the need to correct some issues... Well, here goes...
As for the rest of your post, I recommend switching to decaf. You are among FRiends, after all...
The point being is that the British are the ONLY western country to stem the tide of communism and insurgency, you need to listen to you betters.
Where and when did this happen? Eire? I hope that's not what you're referring to as the Irish (both sides) have had more to do with ending that than the Brits. I do suspect that if we fought the War on Terror by the same rules, or lack thereof, that the SAS used with the Provos, the war would be over in a damn short time. And Amnesty International would be raising more hell...
Anyway, the indians should have known they were on US land. Same goes for the Mexicans (lately, though, they seem to have forgotten).
It's too bad that you seem so angry. Read my posts. I was explaining to the more rash elements here, why the General said what he said.
Anyway as I have said before.
This article was written by a senior British Officer to go into a American MILITARY periodical read by senior American and British officers to DEBATE.
On the ongoing COIN strat and its effect on future operations in both Iraq and other countries.
Anyway as I have said before.
This article was written by a senior British Officer to go into a American MILITARY periodical read by senior American and British officers to DEBATE.
On the ongoing COIN strat and its effect on future operations in both Iraq and other countries.
Anyway as I have said before.
This article was written by a senior British Officer to go into a American MILITARY periodical read by senior American and British officers to DEBATE.
On the ongoing COIN strat and its effect on future operations in both Iraq and other countries.
Or do freepers never read other threads much.
Just wondering since this thread has resurfaced over and over again, with the same peanut head crowd making the same comments.
Instead of posting the Guardian headline why not post the original document header, with the document.
Maybe because none of the tabloid headline loving freepers would read it and make a comment on your thread.
As for those Yanks who think the British army is made of of wussies or what ever other yank slang you use. come over to the UK and make those comments in a garrison town.
Proud to have served and I have even trained up yanks as well.
Actually the Yank soldier is not all that bad and even stands his round in the bar
I'm not thinking of this article only,I'm also thinling of the one posted eleswhere in News/Activism about the gay soldier who is currently married to a woman,but is divorcing her to marry his gay lover(introduced to him by dear old dad through a blind date),who is going to live with said lover in barracks,whatever that means in a British Army context.As I said in that thread,many good honorable soldiers(such as yourself I believe) must be pissed at what's happening to the glorious tradition and legacy of the British Army.
'Say Moron, go over and try this line with our SOF guys who are the WORLDS BEST at Counter Insurgency'
I will put our SAS,SBS,14th Int9(the'Dets'),Royal Marines etc against the US Spec Forces anyday,not to mention the Aussie amd NZ SAS.
The US sp ops units are first class,but Id put the SAS and the Israeli commandos above everyone.
BRITAIN has a first class record of counter-insurgency over six decades since ww2,from Malaya to NI......
'That's okay they can just stay down there in the south away from all that nasty shootin' We'll let 'em know when the fighting is over.'
You ARE aware that British troops have been fighting in the North beside you,most notably the Scots regiments.....
'No wonder they lost an empire.'
Britain DIDNT 'lose an empire',in fact it did a very good job of defeating terrorist/communist uprisings and handing over independence.
Unlike the French,now THEY 'lost an empire',kicked out of Algeria.Vietnam...
'The point being is that the British are the ONLY western country to stem the tide of communism and insurgency, you need to listen to you betters.
Where and when did this happen? Eire?'
Britain:
defeated a Communist insurgency in Malaya
defeated a Communist insurgency in Borneo
defeated a Communist insurgency in Aden
defeated a Communist insurgency in the Radfan
defeated terrorists in Kenya
defeated terrorists in Cyprus
defeated the IRA
defeated an insurgency in Kuwait in 61
...not to mention fighting conventional wars in Korea,Suez,Falklands,two Gulf Wars,Bosnia,Kosovo,Afghanistan...
http://britains-smallwars.com/main/index1.html
'Have a spot of tea mate, and don't mind those loud noises, it is just the Americans taking care of the bad guys.'
How sad that you feel the need to insult you best allies(and if you think the British and Aussies have been doing no fighting,well...)
'A few'? Try a battalion...
And in Afghanistan,who did the Americans REQUEST to be sent to do the job of the 10th Mountain Division:The British Royal Marines...
And I think Britain shows a LOT of backbone,not a little....
Sorry mate,but you come across as the worst kind of patronising arsehole...
Don't worry Tony, most here still back Britain as our #1 Ally. Every military is bound to have an arsehole or two. This guy represents a small percentage of the British military. Hell, this guy is wonderful compared to Traitors like Kerry and Murtha.
Apart from Northern Ireland, which of those countries does Britan still control again?
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