[Yaron]

I saw the cockpit footage from this recently. One of the most dramatic piece of actuality I've seen for a long time.

Unfortunately for the pilot, it is also very clear. The controller clearly tells them not to engage because they are friendly. The pilot insists they are firing and he is going in in self defence. After the bombs have fallen the pilot and navigator make several contrite commons to the effect that they hope they have done the right thing.

This is a difficult one all the same, clearly on one level the pilot was at fault, but then there must also have been some breakdown in intelligence if the positions of friendlies was not clearly known.

All the same the video is pretty damning.

[The Duke]

Three words..."Fog - of - War".

And we'd better get accustomed to it.

[Rokke]

"The controller clearly tells them not to engage because they are friendly."

That is not accurate. There was no indication by anyone that there were friendlies in the area until after the wingman had dropped his bomb. As a matter of fact, the controller actually cleared the wingman to drop "in self-defense". Mind you, I'm not defending all of the actions of the pilots involved. I'm just clarifying an important point.

[cynicom]

Don't forget that drugs were involved here. That creates an entirely new ballgame.