via ThinkDefence.
Shit happens in combat, I understand that, but the chest thumping by the Royal Air Force Security Regiment (or whatever they call themselves) had me high and to the right.
This is the danger of coalition warfare and something that the Marine Corps is suppose to be insulated against. YOU DO NOT DEPEND ON ANOTHER UNIT FOR YOUR SECURITY! I don't care who they are!
That's TBS week 1 shit. But looking at the bigger picture, blame is irrelevant. Move on to the next episode and make sure the lessons are learned from this.
Insufficient attention to external assaultThey're late, but I'll take it.
Insufficient attention was given to the fundamental requirement of defending Camp Bastion from external assault. The Committee believes that this was complacent. Given that the attack took place in the British sector of the camp, British commanders must bear a degree of responsibility for these systemic failures and associated reputational damage.
Shit happens in combat, I understand that, but the chest thumping by the Royal Air Force Security Regiment (or whatever they call themselves) had me high and to the right.
This is the danger of coalition warfare and something that the Marine Corps is suppose to be insulated against. YOU DO NOT DEPEND ON ANOTHER UNIT FOR YOUR SECURITY! I don't care who they are!
That's TBS week 1 shit. But looking at the bigger picture, blame is irrelevant. Move on to the next episode and make sure the lessons are learned from this.
Hardly suprising the RAF regiment is a laughing stock among the british armed forces. All the gear and very, very little idea. They like to think of themselves as equal to the Royal Marines or Parachute regiment when in reality they would have trouble being door security at toys r us. They are a luxury that should be got rid of...
ReplyDeletethats the guys!!! the RAF Regiment. those clowns really pissed me off after the attack. one question though.
Deletewhy is the british govt still poking this after so much time has passed. this is really an issue that needs to be studied by historians and tacticians but the need for further public recriminations has long passed.
discipline has been handed out and its time to move on.
This whole even has really shown the paucity of balls in the British chain of command. The self-righteous babble being spouted by the RAF Regiment beggars belief. They really think they are an 'elite' and have been spinning this affair like mad to show how relevent they are. The other elephant in the room is the obstructive attitude displayed by the MOD. For those readers of this blog overseas understanding the MOD is like trying to bottle Scotch mist. It is deeply disfunctional, is incapable of playing with a straight hand and really, I struggle to articulate the strength of animosity towards this monolithic structure felt by most hard-working British service men and women. As for the timing - well, if it had not been for the decisive action of the USMC then you can bet that the mandarins of Whitehall would have liked to have buried this in a 'bad news' day. Make no mistake, there is more to be done here.....
DeleteThe RAF Regiment exists apparently because the British Army can't be trusted to guard airfields. RAF personnel outside of the Regiment and pilots tend to be the most "civilian" in behaviour, dress, and bearing. (The RN is well down that track now too more's the pity.) Suggesting that the RAF (and the RN) need to be a more hard edged across the board is always met with moans about the costs and relevance and general need. That a bunch of USMC techs and mechanics did better than a supposedly elite specialist regiment surely should be a wake up call for the UK? WIll anything change? No.
DeleteYou should see all the morons over at Think Defence making excuses, the same way they have been since the event. The fact is that, yet again, the Brits fucked up. Just like they did in Basra and just like they did in Helmand. They are no longer a reliable ally.
ReplyDeletePains me to say it Hamster, but your right! I have had the pleasure to serve with American forces and I take my hat off to them. If only our politicians would not resort to be panty-wetting Eton educated fops and pederasts we may, just may, have half a chance of finishing the military tasking allocated to us.
DeleteIf there isn't a clear lesson about adequate force levels and being able to provide force protection with your own force without needing to 'outsource' to contractors or foreign forces to be found from this fiasco, I don't know what is. Looking at the layout and how security was divided between different nations, contractors, it is small wonder that an enemy wasn't able to exploit the confusing mosaic. It's good that general got canned because he should have been pissing and moaning from day one about inadequate protection and clear lines of responsibility. Shit, if your security plan depends on switching out which towers are manned and unmanned, you've got an issue.
ReplyDeleteand with the cuts coming, it's only going to get worse.
Hamster
ReplyDeleteFucked up in Helmand? Having served their more than once i struggle to see how we Fucked up.
Explain please
Fucked up in Helmand? Yeah I forgot the Afghan campaign would have been classed as an American victory if it was'nt for Helmand, just like Iraq and Basra.
ReplyDeleteCamp Bastion's implications for disembarked STOVL fighters in general, and F-35B in partcular:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.defense-aerospace.com/article-view/feature/138478/attack-shows-f_35b-%E2%80%98has-no-clothes%E2%80%99.html