Does anyone else notice how it seems the US answer to everything is blow the **** out of and flatten everything and ask questions later, whilst the Brits take a more "softly softly" approach? An article from "The Week" was interesting: It was one of the greatest wartime speeches in history, said Adam Nicolson in The Daily Telegraph. On the eve of the war against Iraq, Lt-Col. Tim Collins adressed the 800 men of the 1st Bn Royal Irish Regiment in Kuwait. His speech was so moving it brought tears to his troops' eyes, and has since been compared to Churchill's wartime rhetoric. [excerpts] "Don't treat them as refugees, for they are in their own country. If there are caulties of war, then remember, when they woke up and got dressed in the morning they did not plan to die this day. Allow them dignity in death... You will be shunned unless your conduct is of the highest, for your deeds will follow you down in history" It was an amazing speech, said Peter Hitchens in The Mail, especially compared with the crude pep-talks delivered to the US military. Addressing the crew of the aircraft carrier USS Constellation, for instance, Vice-Admiral Timothy Keating shouted to his men: "When the president says 'Go', look out - its hammer time", before blasting the Queen song We Will Rock You. When you see US soldiers on TV you get the sense that they think its all just one big game they are playing. I mean look at them, mouthing off and shouting about how they are "kicking ass" smoking their big cigars. They are like a bunch of kids playing war. I also read another article where people in Basra were interviewed after the Royal Marines took over from the US military stationed there. The Iraqis stayed in their homes while the US were there, numerous people saying they disliked the US, who smashed down their doors, smashed their TV's, came in with all guns blazing and not a kind word to say to them. There was a great contrast to the way the Royal Marines handled things - the Iraqis say they like the Brits, who were kind, befriended them and talked to them, gave them food and water and after a few days all the city were out, now feeling safe the Brits were there. This war is all about winning the hearts and minds of the people of Iraq, not terrorising them. The US obviously still have a lot to learn about wars and that going in with all guns blazing is not neccessarily the best way to go about things - they could do a lot worse than taking some tips from the British. But then Looking at past US miliatry events they have hardly had great success. Whilst the Brits have had FAR much more experience on the battle field - they have learnt from their successes as well as their failures. Saying this, I have always backed the war and am behind both the US and British soldiers and think they are doing a great job out there. Just wanted to point out how the Brits and US are still very different in their attitudes towards things, and are not one and the same as people often make out
I agree with you HarshToke. It's no secret that the US is still fighting the problems of being so young and so powerfull. It's like going to a family and giving the 5 year old all the power. How do you think he will grow up? "Absolute power corrupts, absolutely." Although I'm quite sure not all Americans think this way, politicians are the most pure example of this. Of course there are always exceptions to the rule, but the rule was not based on exceptions. The other reason we are so aggressive in our military ways, has to do with public opinion that American lives lost are worth more than civilian lives lost. It's easy to be apathetic to people's misery on the other side of the world. We have countless TV shows dedicated to misery and disaster. How could we not be de-sensitized to it. Sometimes I really hate living in the US, and sometimes I love it. We accept the bad, because the good is so good and our ignorance of the rest of the world is complete.
