Alexander,
As mentioned on the other thread; it happens in all wars and it happens far less in wars involving the USA and the UK than it does in wars involving any other nation you care to mention. It only makes the news because a. The USA and UK carry journos into battle as a matter of routine these days and b. Casualties caused by enemy action are so light that accidents of war become news.
As to 'trigger happy Americans' - yes, the troops are angry, as they always are in such events. However, these things are always whipped up by the Anti-American Brigade out of all proportion. As have already asked on the other thread - where was the RAF and CAF Close Air Support for American troops in Iraq in 91, Afghanistan in 2001/2 and more recently, Iraq in 2003? Perhaps the USAF's eternal critics can tell me?
It is undeniably tragic for all concerned (including the pilot, who must want to die for what he has done), but has to be set against the sheer quantity of successful strikes carried out by the aircrews. It is doubly interesting that in much of the British press, the case of the Challenger engaging another one was hardly mentioned, but the case of the A10 has brought howls of self-righteous indignation from people with absolutely zero military experience.
Cheers,
Mark
PS As for the British pulling out of the war; there is a time-honoured British saying, which I think is applicable here:
"BOLLOCKS!"
