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British Military Current Events

Armed forces 'smug about ability'a

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The comments were made in an
interview with the Economist magazine

UK armed forces have been "complacent" about their abilities in overseas
counter-insurgency operations, the head of the military has suggested. Air
Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, said there had been a tendency to "rest on
their laurels" due to lengthy experience in Northern Ireland.

There are around 4,100 British troops in Iraq and 7,800 in Afghanistan. The
Ministry of Defence said the armed forces had consistently won tactical
battles in the two countries.

The comments were made in an interview with The Economist magazine,
to be published on Friday.

'Bit too smug'

Air Chief Marshal Stirrup said: "I think that we were a bit too complacent about
our experiences in Northern Ireland and certainly, on occasion, we were a bit
too smug about those experiences. "You are only as good as your next success
not your last one. You can never rest on your laurels and I think we may have
done that."

He also acknowledged British forces had faced criticism from some Americans
over their performance in Afghanistan. "If you go around and ask enough
Americans you will find some who are critical to a degree or other of the way
that the British do things and the approach that the British take," he said.

There were some "inevitable differences" in how the countries approached tasks
due to differences in military and social structures, he said. "I see nothing wrong
in that provided that they do not become issues that, frankly, fracture and
disintegrate the cohesion of your overall approach," he said.

He warned there was a limit to what the UK could do in Afghanistan and other
European allies would need to provide more forces in order to achieve a strategic
breakthrough. "Both the UK government and the US government are going to be
looking in particular at seeing whether there isn't some more of that burden that
can be assumed by other members of the alliance," he said.

The Ministry of Defence said that Air Chief Marshal Stirrup's remarks over
complacency had been intended to refer to the early days of British operations
in Iraq rather than Afghanistan. "The British armed forces have consistently won
tactical battles in Iraq and Afghanistan in a complex and continually evolving
environment," a spokesman said. "The chief of defence staff was making the
point that initially in Iraq our traditional counter-insurgency strategies, developed
on successes in Northern Ireland, needed to evolve to meet the changing threat.

"They did and this ensured the overall military success in Iraq."
 
A Memorable Tandem Jump

A first-time tandem skydiver was forced to parachute to the ground on his own after his instructor died of a heart attack in the air. The learner, who is a soldier, managed to land safely while strapped to his teacher before trying to revive him following the six-minute jump.Tragically, too much time had elapsed during the 13,000ft-high dive to effectively carry out CPR treatment on victim George ‘Chip’ Steele, 49.

For photo and full article see: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1134203/Novice-skydiver-steers-safety-tandem-instructor-dies-mid-air-heart-attack.html

 
Well... that'll be a jump he'll remember for the rest of his life....
 
Pub refuses to serve two Marines who fought on Afghanistan frontline... because they only had their military ID
Daily Mail, 3 Feb 09
Article link

Two Royal Marines tried to go for a homecoming drink a day after fighting on the front line in Afghanistan - but were refused entry to a pub because they only had military ID.

Dan Buchanan and Kelvin Billings were stunned when doormen at the J D Wetherspoons in Guildhall Walk, Portsmouth, Hants, refused them entry.

They showed their military ID which included their dates of birth. But Wetherspoons said the cards were not acceptable as evidence of proof of age.

(....)

A spokesman for JD Wetherspoon said the company only accepts three forms of ID to combat fraud - a passport, driving licence or UK citizen card.

He added: 'We have a really good relationship with the armed forces and welcome them into our pubs. 

'In fact, we are currently running a promotion, which offers discount to armed forces personnel.

'We apologise if the person was disappointed that he was not allowed in but we only accept a handful of forms of ID.'

More on link
 
milnews.ca said:
Pub refuses to serve two Marines who fought on Afghanistan frontline... because they only had their military ID
Daily Mail, 3 Feb 09
Article link

Two Royal Marines tried to go for a homecoming drink a day after fighting on the front line in Afghanistan - but were refused entry to a pub because they only had military ID.

Dan Buchanan and Kelvin Billings were stunned when doormen at the J D Wetherspoons in Guildhall Walk, Portsmouth, Hants, refused them entry.

They showed their military ID which included their dates of birth. But Wetherspoons said the cards were not acceptable as evidence of proof of age.

(....)

A spokesman for JD Wetherspoon said the company only accepts three forms of ID to combat fraud - a passport, driving licence or UK citizen card.

He added: 'We have a really good relationship with the armed forces and welcome them into our pubs. 

'In fact, we are currently running a promotion, which offers discount to armed forces personnel.

'We apologise if the person was disappointed that he was not allowed in but we only accept a handful of forms of ID.'

More on link

If that were to happen here in Canada, I would strongly encourage my soldier to not frequent that particular establishment.
 
That has happened in Canada.

A friend of mine wanted to cash a cheque in Toronto.  He went to his bank, but not his Branch (Oromocto), and the cashier would not accept his military ID.  He eventually asked her to call the Manager.  I wasn't in the Branch, but I think the Manager slapped her off the back the head.  ;D

I have also had the significant other refused admission to the Hilltop Pub in Fredericton, because she didn't have a NB Liquor Commission ID, just her German Passport. 

Yes it does happen here.
 
I can see why the bar's head office wants only reasonably secure ID, but I would also think that a Brit military ID is pretty damned secure too, no?  We're not talking flashing a library card filled in in longhand here....
 
milnews.ca said:
I can see why the bar's head office wants only reasonably secure ID, but I would also think that a Brit military ID is pretty damned secure too, no?  We're not talking flashing a library card filled in in longhand here....

I've seen this happen before.

The military ID cards in the UK used to look very cheesy and almost 'home made' in a shabby sort of way. After about 6 months they even get 'dog eared' and shabby despite being plastic coated. They also only print the minimum of information on them (unlike my Canadian ID card, which will even give you my regiment, if you look close enough, and my signature) so that if the soldier becomes a PW, they don't give away too much to the detaining power. The DOB is there, but there's not much more on them, apart from an MoD form #, that would give an ill informed bouncer the confidence to accept it.
 
While its been a while since I had first hand experience at being carded. I've seen this too Mil ID, Passports etc not accepted by some knuckledragger at the bar door, or bank window ::)

BTW anyone besides me wondering why GW wanted his D9er to go to the Hilltop or has the place changed since my day? 8)
 
Loose lips.....

Colonel 'leaked war secrets to woman'
John Kay & Tom Newton Dunn, The Sun (UK), 4 Feb 09
Article link

A BRITISH Colonel is alleged to have leaked highly sensitive civilian casualty figures after being befriended by a woman from a human rights group.  A senior source told The Sun that Lt Col Owen McNally started passing details to her when the pair became “close” in Afghanistan.  The figures are controversial because critics question official estimates, claiming they play down the full horror.  Col McNally had access to them as part of a group working for NATO’s International Security Assistance Force, which masterminds operations in the country.
(....)
Col McNally, 48 — on a one-year posting from the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers — was seized by Royal Military Police and will now be flown back to the UK. Scotland Yard detectives will then take over the investigation from the Red Caps because of the serious nature of the allegations.  Col McNally is accused of breaching section one of the Official Secrets Act (link to UK OSA section).  If he is charged he will appear in the dock at the Old Bailey, which hears all such cases.  If convicted he could be jailed for up to 14 years....

More on link
 
Anyone else think that Air Chief Marshal Stirrup looks a hell of a lot like John Cleese ?

Hard to be taken seriously when your lookalike is a comic :)
 
geo said:
Anyone else think that Air Chief Marshal Stirrup looks a hell of a lot like John Cleese ?

Hard to be taken seriously when your lookalike is a comic :)

ACM_Sir_Jock_Stirrup.jpg


yup  ;D

john_cleese.jpg
 
HA! ;D


http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/afp/argentina_britain_falklands_royals_william

Argentina upset at Prince William's deployment to Falklands

Tue Feb 3, 6:02 AM

BUENOS AIRES (AFP) - Prince William's military deployment to the Falkland Islands has reignited the festering issue of the archipelago's sovereignty, Argentina said Monday.


"This circumstance only serves to once again highlight Britain's ongoing military presence in land and sea areas that are part of the Argentine Republic's national territories," an aide to Foreign Minister Jorge Taina said.


Argentina claims ownership of the islands it calls the Malvinas.


Prince William, second in line to the throne, will be sent to the Falklands by the Royal Air Force to serve as a search and rescue pilot for a period of three months, after he completes his 18-month RAF course in 2009, Britain's Daily Telegraph said Sunday, quoting RAF News.


Britain and Argentina fought over the Falkland islands in 1982, when Argentine forces invaded the islands, prompting then-British prime minister Margaret Thatcher to deploy naval forces to retake the territory.


After a near-three month conflict in which 649 Argentines and 255 Britons were killed, Buenos Aires surrendered on June 14 but maintained its claim to the archipelago.


Prince William's uncle, Prince Andrew, took part in the military operation while serving as a helicopter pilot in the Royal Navy.
 
Well, they shouldn't have lost the war then, should they? And for the record, they lost more than 649 troops. They didn't keep very accurate records of their ''conscript casualties apparently. But all my info is only 2nd hand.
 
Heh.... considering that the Argentines lost a total of 323 sailors during the sinking of the Admiral Belgrano, I think their total losses for the war to be somewhat higher
 
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