Failed procedures = friendly fire = loss of life

[Cyclefrance]

Sad sequence of events - right up to the coroner's inquest

The inquest covered the friendly fire incident when a British patrol vehicle was fired upon by a US-manned tank-buster aircarft. Result one dead British soldier.

The coroner had requested footage and audio frrom an on-board recording of the event made in the tank-buster. He eventually got it but as it was 'classified information' he was not allowed to disclose the details to the inquest.

The coroner walked out of the proceedings in disgust and then a UK newspaper - The Sun - somehow obtained a copy of the video and published its details. The ausio has been widely heard on British news programmes as a result - plus the US have confirmed that the video is now de-classified

Overall, a sorry mess. The crew were clearly extremely distraught as soon as they discovered that they had fired on a British vehicle, but two lapses in procedures caused this event - first they were advised by ground intelligence that there were no friendly vehicles in the area where this vehicle had been spotted, second the crew of the tank-buster fired on the vehicle without obtaining the necessary clearance to do so.

That the crew had believed this to be a rocket-launching vehicle from its colouration goes some way to understanding why they may have gone for a 'fire first, ask questions later' approach, perhaps as a protective measure (fearing a rocket assault upon their aircraft), but perhaps of equal concern is the reluctance and instransigence of the authorities therefater, in their refusal to de-classify the video - until embarassed into the act of having to do so. Let's face it, exposure of ones faults is generally the best catalyst to ensuring they are remedied.

Let's hope for the improvements on the ground, in the air and in the bureacracy that this sorry tale demands take place.