Not relevant to the "Where after Chad?" thread in Overseas

[timhorgan]

Dude, I did not say he was white as snow, I said he was never reprimanded... the period surrounding the mission to Somalia was a dark one for us, with governments who did not care about the CF and a bunch of carreerists running the Military. Everybody in the upper C of C had some blame in this. The liberal government of the time shut the inquiry down when they began to feel the heat. The guy who fell on his sword regarding the Somalia inquiry was (CDS) Jean Boyle, De Chastelain's successor, for altering documents that pertained to the Somalia affair and embarrassing the MND.

The CF (like the Irish DF today) had been in peacekeeping mode for decades when Somalia came up, and we were not ready, as an Armed Forces and as a country, for the type of robust mission that was being sent to that country. Despite all this, the CAR was commended on numerous occasions for the excellent work they did in the Belet Huen area.
No Armed Forces is immune to this kind of event happening, especially when going through a change in the type of missions they are conducting, going from decades of relatively stable peacekeeping missions to taking part in hostilities.

Now you can keep posting references to the Somalia Affair and inquiry all you want; I never read the entire thing but I lived through that period, met the players (including Gen De Chastelain and Judge Létourneau) and put all this behind me a long time ago.

Hahaha !!! You're taking yourself too seriously... !!

D'après ce que je lis sur ce forum, tu sembles seul dans ton opinion du Canada; tu peux continuer à faire le guignol, mais je vais désormais t'ignorer.

Tant pis pour vous!!

Tim

Any int. on that Irish Invasion of Canada.

[Vanguard]

I'm saying why take the risk? Unless it's needs must. If you had enough suitable applicants without criminal convictions then why in Gods name would you recruit a criminal instead of a non criminal. You recruit them because you have to, not because you choose to.

Funny I knew you'd mention the Falklands and that goes to the essence of you problem. It's a different world now. The opposition isn't some terrified conscript, in another uniform where you can cut off their ears and keep them as souvenirs. It's not 1982 anymore, the modern world requires more sophisticated soldiering and less brute force and ignorance. More the RM ethos and less the Para ethos.

I didn't mention intellectual prowess as a determinant of combat effectiveness. Even a complete thicko can have moral fibre and he's a better option than a smart thug. But there's the same point again. It's much more complex now than 'combat' skills and that goes the whole way down to the Pte soldier.

Just a bit more on the paras and 16AAbde's "unsophisticated soldiering".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Aod2pMcdPo&feature=related

The Brigade is an air-mobile force with the capability to deploy around the world at short notice. 16 AA Bde has the ability to put 3 battalions of air assault infantry on the ground, supported by up to 18 105mm howitzer guns.

Amongst other tasks, the Brigade might be used to quickly protect another ground force's flank, capture key installations such as enemy-held airfields, or insert behind an enemy to stop their retreat.

16 Air Assault Brigade is based around core component of the 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the Parachute Regiment, together with other infantry units, specialized artillery, combat engineers, signalers and other supporting units, all of which are parachute trained. Air transport and close air support are provided by helicopters from the Joint Helicopter Force.

http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?79249-British-para-s-fight-in-Baghdad-using-American-gear-and-weapons-and-they-love-it&p=1619874&viewfull=1

British paratroopers secretly operating in support of the SAS in Iraq are using American uniforms, weapons and vehicles as part of their cover, The Daily Telegraph has learned.

Although John Reid, the Defence Secretary, only announced this week that the Special Forces Support Group (SFSG) had become operational, a company of more than 100 paratroopers has been working for six months in Baghdad. They have reportedly become so successful that American special forces have called on their help.

The SFSG was formed mainly because it was found that small groups of highly trained SAS troopers did not have enough firepower to take on large groups of Iraqi and Afghan terrorists. The unit has already seen a substantial amount of action in Baghdad.

Whenever the SAS goes on raids to apprehend terrorists in highly dangerous areas of Baghdad, the Paras are used to provide perimeter security.

Arriving in US Humvees, dressed in American army fatigues and armed with C7 Diemaco guns - a Canadian made version of the M16, the men have fought several battles with insurgents while protecting SAS colleagues.

"The SAS are doing the smash and grab but all the contacts are happening on the perimeter and there are a serious amount of rounds going down the range," a Parachute Regiment source said.

"They are making a really good name for themselves with the Hereford blokes and the Americans. If the **** hits the fan and the SAS need them, the boys are there as a quick reaction force."

The troops were also believed to have been used to provide a security cordon as part of Task Force Maroon when the SAS rescued the peace campaigner Norman Kember and two other hostages.

The troops deployed to Baghdad at the end of last year after undergoing specialist training at the SAS headquarters in Hereford, including the use of American weapons and equipment.

"They wear US uniforms so they can blend in in Baghdad where a British paratrooper would stick out and draw unwanted attention," an intelligence source said.

"But they don't have their hair cuts 'high and tight', don't strut around like Americans and are certainly not trying to speak with American accents. They are loving it with all the American kit, and you can't keep them out of the PX shop [US military duty-free shops]."

The SFSG is mainly based on the 500 men of the 1 Bn The Parachute Regiment supplemented by a company of about 100 Royal Marines and a similar number of men from the RAF Regiment.

[DeV]

MOD: Thread closed because there is about a million threads here