Hostility between British and American military leaders revealed

[IndianaGreen]

Hostility between British and American military leaders revealed

The deep hostility of Britain’s senior military commanders in Iraq towards their American allies has been revealed in classified Government documents leaked to the Daily Telegraph.

Andrew Gilligan
Published: 10:00PM GMT 22 Nov 2009

In the papers, the British chief of staff in Iraq, Colonel J.K.Tanner, described his US military counterparts as “a group of Martians” for whom “dialogue is alien,” saying: “Despite our so-called ‘special relationship,’ I reckon we were treated no differently to the Portuguese.”

Col Tanner’s boss, the top British commander in the country, Major General Andrew Stewart, told how he spent “a significant amount of my time” “evading” and “refusing” orders from his US superiors.

At least once, say the documents, General Stewart’s refusal to obey an order resulted in Britain’s ambassador to Washington, Sir David Manning, being summoned to the State Department for a diplomatic reprimand - of the kind more often delivered to “rogue states” such as Zimbabwe or the Sudan.

The frank statements were made in official interviews conducted by the Ministry of Defence with Army commanders who had just returned from Operations Telic 2 and 3 – the first, crucial year of “peacekeeping” operations in Iraq, from May 2003 to May 2004.

A set of classified transcripts of the interviews, along with “post-operational reports” by British commanders, has been leaked to the Daily Telegraph.

The disclosures come the day before the Chilcot inquiry is due to begin public hearings into Britain’s involvement in Iraq. Among the issues it will investigate is the UK-US relationship.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/defence/6631239/Hostility-between-British-and-American-military-leaders-revealed.html

[provis99]

1. American military leaders acting like imperialists? Who woulda thunk it?

Is there no country on earth we have not pissed off? I sincerely believe America is more hated now than any nation in history has ever been hated; and with good reason.

[vadawg]

2. differences in military cultures, no different than anytime in the past 100 years

two totally different cultures trying to work together.

[mulsh]

3. Britian has a long history of failure in Iraq pity our guys ignored them

They have an even longer and more fruitless history of failure in Afghanistan.

[IndianaGreen]

4. And we are so eager to outdo them in failure!

As we failed in Vietnam when we replaced the French.

[mulsh]

5. Our adventures in this area mirror the UK's actions of the 1920's.

Right down to ignoring good advice from folks on the ground.