US pilots

[NOSLEEP]

Whats up with the hearing on the US pilots<br />friendly fire on the 4 Canadians killed in<br />Afghanistan. Is the air-force trying to make<br />them scape goats for their intelligence failure.?<br />Do you think they are the responsible parties?<br />or should the blame land some were else.?

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: US pilots

NOSLEEP, that is what they are doing sounds like to me.<br />Burn them for someone else's mistake.<br />Thats a shame too.<br />Over there trying not to get killed themselves and then something like this happens to them<br />That is part of any war.<br />Friendly fire kills to many but can't be helped all the time.

 

[JB]

Re: US pilots

I think the Court Martial is to satisfy our Canadian friends that we take the incident seriously.<br /><br />I expect acquittal.<br /><br />Let's hope I am right.

 

[OBJ]

Re: US pilots

It's hard to believe that with all the modern technology around someone hasn't come up with an IFF transponder for gorund vehicles or troups. Military Aircraft carry them. This happened in Desert Storm also if you recall. <br /><br />OBJim

 

[Beaux]

Re: US pilots

Its a shame...<br /><br />Although I read the people of Illinois are supporting those two pilots with fundraisers,etc. Good to know everyone except the top brass in the air force knows right from wrong. I feel sadness for the canadian troops families but this court trial is for political purposes only.

 

[OBJ]

Re: US pilots

Ditto on Beaux's remarks...<br /><br />I watched the news this morning and they showed a short clip of the officers going into the court room. They didn't look real happy. Like doom was just over the horizon. I hope along with everybody else this comes to some sort of a happy ending.

 

[plywoody]

Re: US pilots

I don't think we know all the facts in this case, and no doubt they will come out in the court martial, and hopefully justice will prevail.<br />It troubles me to some degree that the military seems to be pushing amphetamines on these pilots like M & M's to keep them alert.<br /><br />I also think if the roles were reversed, and somehow it was Canadian pilots and American troops killed, there would be an outcry from us for justice.<br /><br />I do hope the truth comes out so that hopefully this will not happen again.<br /><br />John

 

[NOSLEEP]

Re: US pilots

I guess we will have to wait, and follow the<br />progress of the hearing.

 

[GF]

Re: US pilots

I'm sure the two pilots would give anything to be able to turn back time and have a second chance.<br /> J.B. surely you don't believe that this investigation is just to satisfy us canadians. I expect the US would want to find out what happened to prevent it from happening again.<br /> I have worked with the US military many times over the years and they are all very professional in their duties. This was an unfortunate accident.

 

[Fishbusters]

Re: US pilots

An investigation is in order to find out what went wrong and why in order to prevent it from hapening agina regardless of nationality of those involved. This has happened in almost every armed conflict and while there is no way to 100% prevent it from occuring because we are all human I feel it will be found out that the pilots and the Canadians are not to blame as much as miscommunication and perhaps wrong place wrong time. This is the case in most incidents like this.

 

[JB]

Re: US pilots

No, GF, I don't believe that it is "just" to satisfy our friends.<br /><br />While an "investigation" can whitewash or coverup a stupid mistake, a Court Martial puts all cards on the table and holds the pilots accountable, if in fact that is what needs to happen.

 

[Greasie]

Re: US pilots

Da## lawyers & bleeding hearts. Casualties form friendly fire have unfortunately always been a possibility in any "war" or battle. These days they seem to be less as we get better at inventing "smart"??? weapons.

 

[OBJ]

Re: US pilots

Although I beleive that part of the situation is politically driven, I also beleive that hearings like this are a neccessary evil if future wars are to be waged. It's a hellu'va thing to say I know but if you look at it through a military type mind, what we know about war today, we have learned from past wars. Just like fishing, you learn by doing and try to make it better. So it is with war. I don't like war any better than anyone else. But if these hearings saves the lives of troops in the future, then some "good" will have come from it. And I'm still hoping for a happy ending.