Black Watch senior officers question No 10 Iraq strategy (crying in their beer)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/10/29/nirq29.xml ^ | 10/29/04 | Michael Smith

[dinok]

Senior officers with the Black Watch battle group sent north to replace American soldiers believe that the Government agreed to send them there without properly understanding the risks the troops face.

They said the United States marines they were replacing had suffered more than 200 casualties, including nine dead, since July.

"We expect every lunatic terrorist from miles around to descend on us like bees to honey," a high-ranking officer said in an e-mail home this week.

Speaking at Basra before boarding an aircraft, 19-year-old Pte Manny Lynch, from Fife, admitted that he was nervous.

"We have controlled the situation down here while the Americans seem to have ruined it up there."

[crz]

Translation=Send us some Whisky!

[dinok]

"Speculation/opinions is like lower sphincters - everybody has one."

Party pooper...you had to spoil the fun.

[LibertarianInExile]

After exiting an aircraft, 19-year-old Pte Manny Lynch, from Fife, said, after cleaning up the puddle in his BVDs, "$#!#! They're Sunnis here--and these $#@$#@s fire BACK! Guess I better call me mum and tell her the U.S. armed forces will still put anything HRM throws at them to shame. Operation Colony Reconquest is ruled out this year, eh Leftnant?"

[Bobibutu]

Party pooper...you had to spoil the fun.

Your pun is well taken.

[TheCrusader]

"We expect every lunatic terrorist from miles around to descend on us like bees to honey," a high-ranking officer said in an e-mail home this week."

Uhuh, take a single line from a entire email for effect and drop it like bait on their readers. For all we know the next line said, "...and I can't wait to get a chance to take some of them out".

[Chode]

it's painful admitting they aren't as good as the USMC i guess

[Marine_Uncle]

"They should have told everyone that they were glad to go to the Triangle so they can do some legal killing. Guerrilla war is 80% psychology."

Yea, you think the Black Watch would adopt a US Marine
saying.............GET SOME! Then go after the creeps.

[traviskicks]

I don't get why the Brit media degrades their troops. If it were the opposite I'd like to see our media (lol well, I should clarify, the conservative media) talk about how our troops kick ass and are ready for anything and will represent us well and pehaps even some good natured digs at the brits.

Instead the Brit media is treating their troops like their a fragile bunch of boyscouts.

I have no doubt the Brits are every bit as tough and ready as our troops and I would be a little ticked if I were a soldier in the Brit unit...

[Khurkris]

""We expect every lunatic terrorist from miles around to descend on us like bees to honey,"

Dear Sir...this is what is known as a target rich environment. Aim for center mass and fire your weapons.

[Bobibutu]

If a party requires bringing guns - gimmie some Devil Dogs to go along with.

Brains, (lots of MENSA members) Training, and Attitude.

They are, for the most part, Boydians.

Machines don't fight wars. People do, and they use their minds. - Col John R. Boyd

http://www.d-n-i.net/

s/f

[GMMAC]

First Bayonet Charge since the Falklands War

British troops in Iraq perform their first bayonet charge since the Falklands War. 35 insurgents were killed, while only 3 British troops were wounded. Isn't it ironic that only a few days after Nick Berg was beheaded, that the same terrorist scum feel cold steel themselves. Turn about is fair play.

http://www.not5150.com/blog/

From Scotland on Sunday Paper

Sun 16 May 2004
Argylls fight hand to hand in Iraq
BRIAN BRADY - WESTMINSTER EDITOR

SCOTTISH troops fixed bayonets and fought hand to hand with a Shi’ite militia in southern Iraq in one of their fiercest clashes since the war was declared more than a year ago, it was reported last night.
Soldiers from the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders mounted what were described as "classic infantry assaults" on firing and mortar positions held by more than 100 fighters loyal to the outlawed cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, according to military sources.
At least 20 men from al-Sadr’s army were believed killed in more than three hours of fighting - the highest toll reported in any single incident involving British forces in the past 12 months.
Nine fighters were captured and three British soldiers injured, none seriously.
"It was very bloody and it was difficult to count all their dead," one source was quoted as saying. "There were bodies floating in the river."
The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders were drawn into the fighting when soldiers in two Land-Rovers were ambushed on Friday afternoon about 15 miles east of the city of Amara. The soldiers escaped, only to be ambushed a second time by a larger group of militia, armed with machine-guns, rocket-propelled grenades and mortars.
Reinforcements were summoned from the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment at a base nearby. "There was some pretty fierce hand-to-hand fighting with bayonets fixed," the source added. "There were some classic assaults on mortar positions held by the al-Sadr forces."
Official spokesman Major Ian Clooney confirmed the Mehdi army "took a pretty heavy knocking", but refused to specify tactics. "This was certainly an intense engagement," he added.

.... snipped ...

http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=559592004

[Bobibutu]

a US Marine saying.............GET SOME!

Then there is the experience of "Get Some"

Few of us (posters) have had it - sacred sh*t. Ya gotta have gotten it to know what it is.

And that is why I have such respect and awe for the forward deployed in harms way - it brings a whole new level of understanding and love of all our troops - over there and returned home. And special feelings to the Swifties - POWs - and Nam Vets who had their Honor stolen.

s/f

[opbuzz]

I wonder how many of the 191 casualties that DIDN"T die returned to duty.

The 200 weren't casualties; they are Marines.

[Marine_Uncle]

YW: "Then there is the experience of "Get Some"

Few of us (posters) have had it - sacred sh*t. Ya gotta have gotten it to know what it is.

And that is why I have such respect and awe for the forward deployed in harms way - it brings a whole new level of understanding and love of all our troops - over there and returned home. And special feelings to the Swifties - POWs - and Nam Vets who had their Honor stolen."

Amen! Guess I will shortly know if my nephew Cpl Steve ... 2/2 HQ S2 got some, when he was in a quite brutal fire fight in late Sept. in Lafitiya. I do know he was about a hundred feet from one of the trucks that blew up as some 600 Marines from 2/2 and some 300 Iraqi Army/Police went into that town for a cordon and search. The object was to totally clear the town, from any IED's, mortars, other weapons, and of course insurgents. Nephew said after the truck(s) where triggered (blew up), he and his buddies received direct small arms fire. Of course they had to return fire. Results was after our guys where finished that at least a 100 baddies where flying with their harps and fiddling around with virgins. Lafitiaya was totally searched for any baddies and bad stuff. Lafitaiya is about four miles or so down the road from where the 2/2' camp is located, Camp Mahmudiya. Out of all the squimishes my nephew was in, it appears this one was the worst. He being in S2 (Intel) often had to drive lead humvee and man a 240G light machine gun in the "gun hole". Steve said the Lafitiya battle gave him one hell of a cardiac work out.
Damn I am so proud of them! The best, the tested, the proven, the faithful. And thankful the good Lord permitted 99% of 2/2 to return alive.

Semper Fi to you sir.