Terms of Reference-1939-1945

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Bill, in fairness, the RAF bombed our lads in Normandy as well, it's well-documented. However, it's just too damned easy to blame the one power which HAS the power because "they're supposed to know better". But mistakes happen in war, and they always have... and I'm not going to go off the wall at the perpetrators. It's just a shame that these days, they always seem - or mostly anyways - to be the responsibility of U.S. air-based assets (as per Steve's 1944 example). I feel this is the natural result of a military culture which - probably rightly - puts firepower ahead of human assets, at least in terms of risk... better to blow it up remotely rather than risk lives taking it locally.

In terms of modern war, that's not a bad culture, but it does have its drawbacks as we've all seen; but I think that in the greater scheme of things, and in the context of Western Society, it's probably correct. My only real question is... why does this seem to keep happening to Americans, and not to others? Is it simply a proportionate thing?

I hasten to say this is NOT a criticism, real or implied, just a question. I DO recognize you've hit your OWN people too, in both Gulf wars. It just seems to be a recurring theme... can we rationalize this in any way, or is it simply an offshoot of the huge majority of hardware and forces which your guys provide?