Yesterday, in Basra, we were reminded. Our soldiers conducted themselves with courage, patience, discipline and, when necessary, appropriately directed violence. They were splendid.
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…as they advanced through Basra’s suburbs, our Servicemen had to rely on older attributes: unit cohesiveness, steadiness under fire, controlled aggression, trust in each other. Strip away all the artefacts of modern war and we are left with an undeniable truth: man for man, our soldiers are better, braver and deadlier than theirs.
By yesterday afternoon, American commentators were hailing the pacification of Basra as a model for what should happen in Baghdad. To have occupied a city of 1.2 million people with negligible casualties to the attacker is extraordinary; to have done so without incurring the hatred of the inhabitants is little short of providential.
Britain’s standing in the United States is as high as it has ever been, and with good reason.
As a former prime minister once put it: “Rejoice – just rejoice!”
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Our magnificent menApril 7th, 2003 |
 17 comments to Our magnificent men |
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I hope so, but it might be a little premature to rejoice.
I agree that the British forces are doing splendid work in Basra. But I do want to make the (perhaps obvious) argument that they are greatly facilitated in doing so by the vast support they are receiving from the various U.S. forces working to suppress Iraqi resistance (missiles, air cover, supply, information, etc.).
Similarly, if the U.S. forces are able to achieve any similar success in Baghdad, it will only be because of the various U.K. forces who have been facilitating it (flank protection, supply, rearguard actions and extremely effective efforts at penning up, and then penetrating, Basra).
All of which is to say that efforts in the two cities of Basra and Baghdad are inextricably linked, where the successes in one have a positive impact upon the successes in the other, recursively.
Clearly, despite our mistakes and cultural and ideological differences at times, when push comes to shove, we make a really good team.
With all dues respect Geo, other than the USMC gunship support, the most of the aircover and all and supply and logistics for the British efforts in Basra are… British. My cousin is out there with the UK Logistics effort and this is not an adjuct to the US logistics system, it is quite seperate. Sure the US is being of assistance and this is not a competition betwen the US and UK but in the British sector, it is overwhelmingly a British effort, with British troops and British command and control… the main direct US support that the UK forces are benefiting from is the fact the USAF/USN has wiped out the Iraqi airforce, taking them out of the calculation.
Our family has always honored the memory of my Uncle John, who was an American volunteer in the RAF beginning in 1939. We knew him as a kind, gentle man, who somehow left home as a young man and went to another country just to fly in tiny airplanes to drop bombs on Hitler (He flew in Hudsons–the pathfinders) It enough for me to know now that our countries are once again united to fight tyranny.
No need for a pissing contests. You chaps simply rock. We Yanks could definately learn a little from your urban tactics. Of course, there is still a lot of hard work ahead. How ’bout this: “Rejoice – then on to the next task.”
As a Yank, I think we should just take this time (this instance, this post, you know what I mean) simply to express our sincere gratitude for our UK allies. It doesn’t hurt us to focus on their triumph for once (preferably more than once!).
It would also be very nice for us to concentrate on blowing them up with “friendly fire” less. It doesn’t make us terrible people, nor does it diminish us in any way to acknowledge error and take steps to correct it. (Okay, that was a holdover from a previous day’s topic, but still relevant, I think.)
Thank you, Britain.
As a Yank, I think we should just take this time (this instance, this post, you know what I mean) simply to express our sincere gratitude for our UK allies. It doesn’t hurt us to focus on their triumph for once (preferably more than once!).
It would also be very nice for us to concentrate on blowing them up with “friendly fire” less. It doesn’t make us terrible people, nor does it diminish us in any way to acknowledge error and take steps to correct it. (Okay, that was a holdover from a previous day’s topic, but still relevant, I think.)
Thank you, Britain.
sorry about that! not quite sure why that double post happened. glitch.
CRL, I understand the idea of letting the victors have their moment in the sun. Especially just after they’ve shown an exceptional effort. I accord them all of that.
However, it is useful to remember (or be reminded), even in the very moment of celebration, that one of the reasons that an extremely skilled and talented player is able to put in a good performance is because he is part of a good team.
An excellent striker will not lose his share of the glory after the game. He will seldom have to scrape together the dregs of laud or craft his own laurels of public acclaim, simply because it is in our nature to revere heroes. But it’s the team that will deserves the final credit for the victory.
And Bulldog, I appreciate your point that much of the immediate support for the British in Basra are British. But your response is exactly why my post was relevant. I don’t think the lack of an Iraqi air force is a trivial thing in their success there, nor is the fact that Iraq is not able to field reinforcement divisions to come to the relief of a besieged Basra. These things are quite significant factors in the coalition success in Basra, strategically speaking.
To view the combat in Iraq with a larger picture in mind and suggest that the U.K. and the U.S. are helping each other to be successful throughout the country is, IMHO, a strategically important observation and an entirely appropriate one to make at this point.
All of that said, though, the Brits totally rock (if I may borrow from the vernacular). If I ever needed someone to liberate me from France, I might be tempted to call the British before putting in a call to the Americans. Not that you Brits are better than us, of course! Just that you liberate with such panache! I mean, really, the footie game with the Iraqi kids was positively golden!
Plus, there’s that whole blue-on-blue thing that the Yanks simply must get under control.
The British armed forces have been an exemplary, professional partner in the fight to rid Iraq of the current regime. Yes, Britian’s standing in the US is as high as its ever been.
Put simply – BRITS ROCK!
From the heart of red neck country, a hearty yeeehaaa! You blokes really rock. Maybe the best fighters ever.
go bulldogs
you watch our back and we will watch yours
a yank
Thanks for all the comments. There is no better team than one based on mutual respect…
A Canadian’s perspective: you both rock! I’m blown away by the skill, professionalism, and courage of both the U.S. and British forces. Simply awe-inspiring.
I fully expected the U.S. to produce a stunning display of superior technology. But I didn’t expect such innovative tactics, and I’m massively impressed. The armchair generals are reeling. Even our own MGen (ret’d) Lewis Mackenzie–generally a sound and reliable analyst–missed the mark on the Baghdad campaign.
I expected damned clever tactics from the Brits, and you did not disappoint. But I’m especially pleased to see that you can hold your own technologically, too. I admit I was–clearly out of ignorance–a bit worried that the British military might have suffered a decline much like Canada’s has in the past couple of decades. Clearly, you haven’t, and I’m damned glad to see it.
If the political leadership in Canada had any schmucks, they’d (a) massively kick-start a reinvigoration of our own military, and (b) grovel on over to Washington and London, tail between legs, and ask for forgiveness. Don’t hold your breath on either count, though.
could it be possible that we are not recieving ALL the news regarding ‘our BRAVE boys in Iraq’? Seems to me it might be wise to bear in mind the possibility that the news we are recieving might be ‘censored'(shock!! horror!!) – what if our boys are behaving much the same as ANY army in war time – BBC aren’t very likely to carry THAT are they? Remember all the details that came out about Security Forces Illegal Ops in Northern Ireland? ‘Truth is the first casualty ‘ said ol Winnie, and he knew a thing or two –
could it be possible that we are not recieving ALL the news regarding ‘our BRAVE boys in Iraq’? Seems to me it might be wise to bear in mind the possibility that the news we are recieving might be ‘censored'(shock!! horror!!) – what if our boys are behaving much the same as ANY army in war time – BBC aren’t very likely to carry THAT are they? Remember all the details that came out about Security Forces Illegal Ops in Northern Ireland? ‘Truth is the first casualty ‘ said ol Winnie, and he knew a thing or two –