Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

Sealobo · Mar 23, 2003, 11:55 AM

What is going on?

S Monkey · Mar 23, 2003, 12:01 PM

Originally posted by sealobo:
What is going on?

I don't know. But I would add :
- 3 helicopter accidents
- Terror attack by an American soldier on other American soldiers

BlackGriffen · Mar 23, 2003, 12:29 PM

Originally posted by sealobo:
What is going on?

It was a US patriot missile battery. Theories include: malfunction in the battery (wasn't listening for friend or foe signal like it should), malfunction in the friend or foe hardware on the plane. Either way there could have been human error.

It is unrealistic to expect there to be no accidents. I regret the loss of life, and an apology is in order, but I must add, "Yeah, **** like this happens." War is not a safe business. I would like to see statistics that compare time in combat with driving as far as accident rate (for some time). For instance, flying in a commercial airliner and driving a car are both equally dangerous hour for hour. Mile for mile, though, flying is safer because you travel faster.

A regrettable and avoidable loss. Hopefully it won't happen again, but I don't expect that will be the case.

Camelot · Mar 23, 2003, 04:54 PM

Yeah, but shouldn't the US be totally embarrassed that US forces have killed more coalition forces than the Iraqi's have?

At this rate, all Iraq has to do is wait it out and the US will knock itself out.

Peter · Mar 23, 2003, 04:58 PM

Originally posted by Camelot:
Yeah, but shouldn't the US be totally embarrassed that US forces have killed more coalition forces than the Iraqi's have?

At this rate, all Iraq has to do is wait it out and the US will knock itself out.

heh. Sad but true

Zimphire · Mar 23, 2003, 05:04 PM

You guys would keel over at war past war statistics. No sorry folks, this just doesn't happen to the US.

villalobos · Mar 23, 2003, 07:08 PM

Originally posted by Zimphire:
You guys would keel over at war past war statistics. No sorry folks, this just doesn't happen to the US.

Nobody suggested that Zimph', no need to get so defensive.

But yeah, that's regrettable although not totally unexpected. The Patriot missile technology is not yet totally reliable, and as suggested above, the stress of the situation might have triggered a human error. This is war boys. It ain't pretty. (notmithstanding the fast that it was probably useless in this case but that's for another thread

)

villa

Zimphire · Mar 23, 2003, 07:12 PM

Originally posted by villalobos:
Nobody suggested that Zimph', no need to get so defensive.

People are acting shocked that this is going on. I was just mentioning that it has went on in every war I can think of, Most even worse. That isn't being defensive. Just pointing out to the people who might not have known that.

MindFad · Mar 23, 2003, 07:16 PM

"Hey, Jim, ain't that one o' them there Iraqian planes?"

"Yyyyyuuup."

"Mmmmm'kay."

mikerally · Mar 23, 2003, 07:54 PM

"Hey, Jim, ain't that one o' them there Iraqian planes?"

"Yyyyyuuup."

"Mmmmm'kay."

Hehehe.

BlackGriffen · Mar 23, 2003, 09:05 PM

Originally posted by Camelot:
Yeah, but shouldn't the US be totally embarrassed that US forces have killed more coalition forces than the Iraqi's have?

At this rate, all Iraq has to do is wait it out and the US will knock itself out.

Same was true of Gulf 1. Things look like they're "picking up," though.

BlackGriffen

:XI: · Mar 23, 2003, 09:10 PM

Originally posted by Camelot:
At this rate, all Iraq has to do is wait it out and the US will knock itself out.

Don't forget us Brits please. They'll knock us out too. (I'm not picking any fights here. ok?)

Originally posted by MindFad:
"Hey, Jim, ain't that one o' them there Iraqian planes?"

"Yyyyyuuup."

"Mmmmm'kay."

reminded me of the bomber captain from Dr. Strangelove.

voodoo · Mar 23, 2003, 09:22 PM

Originally posted by MindFad:
"Hey, Jim, ain't that one o' them there Iraqian planes?"

"Yyyyyuuup."

"Mmmmm'kay."

rofl

3gg3 · Mar 23, 2003, 09:24 PM

Never mind - thought better of dumb comment.

Very, very, very sad and conflicted times!

t6hawk · Mar 23, 2003, 09:30 PM

Now this is deja vu. Seems like it was only a year ago that the americans bombed a group of canadian soldiers in Afghanistan. The americans have a very bad track record for friendly fire incidents. I believe the total number of injured and killed american allies was over 250,000 since WW1.

Spliffdaddy · Mar 24, 2003, 04:25 AM

When you're basically the only country doing any fighting - it stands to reason that you'll be making all the mistakes.

For example, the French haven't made many mistakes in this war....

Zimphire · Mar 24, 2003, 04:44 AM

Originally posted by t6hawk:
Now this is deja vu. Seems like it was only a year ago that the americans bombed a group of canadian soldiers in Afghanistan. The americans have a very bad track record for friendly fire incidents. I believe the total number of injured and killed american allies was over 250,000 since WW1.

*sigh* It's just not a American thing. Germany, England, etc was the same way.

People seem to have selective memory.

villalobos · Mar 24, 2003, 10:24 AM

Originally posted by Spliffdaddy:
For example, the French haven't made many mistakes in this war....

Yeah they knew better than going in there.

villa

dav · Mar 24, 2003, 11:17 AM

Originally posted by villalobos:
Yeah they knew better than going in there.

villa

shmerek · Mar 24, 2003, 11:28 AM

I heard an expert in the patriot weapons system on the CBC talking about this incident and he said that the interface of the system clearly defines the difference between missiles and aircraft. He speculated that perhaps the fighter was not returning through the proper flight corridor so that might of been a deciding factor in the downing of the plane. In his opinion the system should not of been set to target aircraft considering Iraqs lack of fighter jets

shmerek · 04:11 PM

Originally posted by WarTopicsRule:
OH MY GOD KEEP US UPDATED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nothing cooler than a obnoxious wank who hides behind a new identity