Where angels fear to tread? Updated
Hunting around on my favourite blogs yesterday, the majority of which are from the left hand side of the pond, I was overwhelmed with messages of support & little Union flags gracing my screen wherever I looked. Sadly however, it seems that the USAF doesn’t feel quite the same sense of solidarity with the British public as according to a ‘battle staff directive’ issued on Friday, American servicemen based in the UK have been banned from visiting London because of the continuing terrorist threat.
Cindy Dorfner, a spokeswoman at RAF Mildenhall, said: “The order was made in a battle staff directive from our wing commander. Military members are not allowed to go to London until further notice. They are not being allowed to go anywhere inside the M25.”
Captain Jason McCree, a spokesman at RAF Lakenheath, said: “We are taking prudent measures to ensure the security and safety of our airmen, civilians, their families and our resources.” Captain McCree said that military personnel were still being allowed to drive around the M25 to reach Heathrow or Gatwick.
Well, bless their little cotton socks – if London is too dangerous for the fly fly boys, shudder the thought that they might be ordered to undertake operations where people might shoot back.
What ever you do, please no one tell the powers that be that something like 3,500 people a year die on our roads – or if you like, 10 a day. I fear that if the powers that be round at the USAF get to hear of this, their personnel will be confined to base, permanently.
Update - it seems that the powers that be have had a change of heart! I cant think why ! ! ? !
Comments
It blows my mind when some staff puke rolls out a directive like this. Better to err on the side of being a wuss, than to say what should have been said.
A directive should have been put out that ALL USAF personnel (not currently on duty of course) should report immediately to London and make every effort to ride the double deckers all day long.
Not only was that a bit insulting, but it does nothing for the USAF's image as being, let's just say... not so rough and tumble.
Posted by: Stephen Blythe | July 12, 2005 9:49 PM
With a couple of days hindsight to draw on, it looks as though what transpired was not exactly what the press has portrayed:
1 - AF personnel were directed to stay out of the affected area
unless they had some overriding reason to go there while
recovery operations were ongoing.
2 - At the same time, AF rescue personnel were put on standby,
and offered for U.K. use, as needed.
3 - Once things had pretty much settled down, AF personnel are
told to return to normal practices.
The initial (partial) reportage looked bad, but then it couldn't have been intentional, right.
Posted by: steveH | July 13, 2005 12:42 AM
It sounds like Something the US chair force would do. Which is why I'm joining the Marines.
Posted by: PK | July 13, 2005 3:12 AM
As a former member of the USAF, all I can do is hang my head in shame. There are obvious reasons the Air Farce is attractive to those who'd like to fight a war without ever going where they might be shot at - but do we have to promote these cowards to General???
Posted by: markm | July 13, 2005 4:25 PM