(UK) Troops stranded in Iraq by grounded planes

[Barrett808]

Troops stranded in Iraq by grounded planes
By Thomas Harding, Defence Correspondent

Hundreds of British troops were stranded in Iraq yesterday after all the RAF's specialised aircraft were grounded with mechanical faults.

Soldiers who have completed their six-month tours or are due to go on leave have had to wait for a week as technicians try to repair the three RAF Tristars, which can carry up to 260 troops.

Two and a half years of constant operations have taken their toll on the ageing aircraft and the situation has become so serious that defence chiefs have ordered the RAF's four massive C17 air transporters to be used to ferry troops out of the operational theatre.

But the aircraft, designed to carry heavy military equipment including tanks, can only carry 102 troops, leading to a huge backlog.

Michael Ancram, the shadow defence secretary, said he would be demanding an immediate investigation.

"This is disgraceful and a further sign of defence overstretch. I will be writing to the Secretary of State asking for urgent action," he said.

"This is an example of what happens when you are trying to conduct operations on a hand-to-mouth existence without the right amount of spending available."

(more)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/10/07/wirq07.xml&sSheet=/portal/2005/10/07/ixportal.html

[Oversea Visitor]

1. How do you expect

the military to run a war on a peacetime budget.

[Roy]

2. Well, just a guess....

By not making up lies to start one?