Comments on: Friendly Fire?

By: Car Rent Israel

Car Rent Israel — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 14:24:23 +0000

yeah, friendly fire. It’s amazing what euphemisms can bring to manipulative speech

By: Marie

Marie — Sun, 10 Sep 2006 18:19:57 +0000

As an American I apologize for the loss of your brave soldiers.

Friendly fire is not uncommon. It is my understanding that war and battlefield conditions are usually chaos and almost impossible to control. We had a professional football player from around here, Pat Tillman, who gave up a promising and lucrative career to join the Rangers. He was killed by friendly fire, very tragic. I’m sure we Americans kill more of each other via friendly fire than we kill soldiers from other countries.

By: on the Rock

on the Rock — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 17:00:09 +0000

Oh! Happy Birthday too!

By: Michelle

Michelle — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 13:19:13 +0000

You’re absolutely right to be angry about this. The term “friendly fire” makes no sense at all and it sounds like it’s being used to downplay the incident.

By: Don Radlauer

Don Radlauer — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 09:01:05 +0000

Oops! That should have been “foul-ups”, not “fowl-ups”. I would never dare to call a soldier – American, Canadian, or Israeli – a chicken!

By: Don Radlauer

Don Radlauer — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 08:59:26 +0000

“Friendly fire” incidents are a sad but normal part of modern warfare – particularly when you’re dealing with modern weaponry such as long-range artillery, missiles, and aerial weapons. In all these cases, the person with his/her finger on the trigger can’t really see the target – and so, if there are any fowl-ups in communications or information-flow, the wrong people can get hurt or killed.

The problem isn’t unique to multinational operations, either: In Israel’s recent campaign in Lebanon, a number of Israeli soldiers were killed and injured by “friendly fire”.

Obviously, f_ck-ups like this need to be investigated. The causes need to be identified, and measures need to be taken to prevent future occurrences. But the most that can be accomplished, realistically, is to minimize “friendly fire” incidents; they’ll never be entirely eliminated.

By: Candy Minx

Candy Minx — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 06:15:07 +0000

Hi Tricia,

All of the events coming out of Afghanistan and Iraq I think are bringing people down…I read a lot of thoughts about how this just doesn’t make sense anymore…or if it ever did.

Something has to give…I have no idea what that would be.

I am sorry i didn’t call you in last couple of weeks. Or been around. I have been overwhelmed and traveling, am in chicago again right now, but glad to be here. A comfy computer an desk. Catching up.

I also posted about Steve Irwin, it really is a loss especially a consevationist and environmental educator in these times we need people like him more than ever.

By: Sue

Sue — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 22:33:40 +0000

Making fun of anyone’s death is just wrong imho.

As for the “friendly fire” I guess what is most distressing is this is not the first time Americans have accidently killed Canadians in Afghanistan. And I believe the first time those involved barely got a slap on the wrist. Very sad…

Cheers from T.O. …

By: Mr. Fabulous

Mr. Fabulous — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 22:17:20 +0000

Have people been making fun of him? I haven’t seen that, but I agree with you, shame on them.

Friendly fire always burns me up too. As if war wasnt’ senseless enough!

By: mike

mike — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 13:35:10 +0000

Friendly fire was very common in past conflicts. Definitely sounds like some wires were crossed here.