ITN News

[idle-centralise]

I was just wondering if anybody else had seen the ITN news this evening, specifically the interview with the neighbour of the A-10 pilot involved in the blue-on-blue.

His attitude was disgusting, exactly the sort of thing that gives the USA a bad press. I can't remember exactly what was said word for word, so I won't quote. It won't do it justice.

I-C

:mad:

[kokpit]

Something along the lines of "The Brits and Europeans are just sat there sucking their thumbs, as they were in the Second World War, until we came to bail them out"

:mad:

[lurkposition]

I am beginning to find the media shallow, ignorant and intrusive. They obviously feel that they need to appeal to the growing numbers of unintelligent viewers but they have ceased to report news; purely their own self importance, whatever the facts, is presented.

It is clear that a mistake has been made by the A10 crews and their FAC but it was not a deliberate attack on British forces. Blue on Blue, sadly, has happened throughout history and will happen again.

In my time an F4E crew launched a Maverick at us which, fortunately, misbehaved and meandered off to destroy itself. Late 1970s when a lot of Mavericks were found to be unreliable.

I have also been targeted by a Harrier although at the last minute he identified me as friendly.

I will take the press more seriously when they also interview the next door neighbours of the Taliban killers that attack our British guys in Afganistan.

Don't worry, I'm not holding my breath....

[Melchett01]

Was wondering how long it would take for this to surface here. I didn't see it all, but I did catch a snippet of his comments.

Without getting in to the rights and wrongs of the situation (or his very dubious version of history) and without wishing to be seen to be having a go at all our colonial bretheren, some of whom are very good personal friends:

What an asolute first rate backwater hillbilly cock. The sooner he stops giving us the benfets of his wisdom and gets back to sucking his thumb with his head up his arse along with all the other do-gooding know-nothing arm chair generals that have the balls to criticize but not quite enough balls to fight, the better.

Rant over :mad:

[Rakshasa]

It wasn't the dreaded 'Dogface' of ARRSE fame was it? :}

[idle-centralise]

I hope anyone that hasn't seen it will watch it on the late news. Well said Melchett, I totally agree...

:D

[GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU]

I saw it. I just wanted to punch his God fearing lights out! I have had a bad day, though.

I also noted that the, now, "full bird" Colonel didn't come across as particularly remorseful; unless that bit was edited out.

[wg13_dummy]

"You guys had better get on board in that whole damn country of yours and along with the rest of Europe" "You gonna go merrily sucking your thumb like you did in WWII" "We dont need your danm help, we need your co-operation. We know its hard to get that. We know you guys cant shoot, move and communicate"

A 'Vietnam Vet' to boot.

And the USA wonders why people don't like them? Allies, let alone enemies.


F'kin hick.

[mutleyfour]

Sucking your thumbs!

How dare he, how bloody dare he, what he needs is a five fingered boarding party.

Mind you, what on earth are ITN up to? I really don't care to see the Town, Airfield, A10's or even either of the pilots, and especially not a narrow minded fool like that.

Come on ITN, get a grip. :ugh:

[Fg Off Max Stout]

There are a great many good yanks out there. This one was a f*****g c**k. Ho hum. Also amazing what a bit of editing of a HUD video can do to convey a media company's own agenda!

[wg13_dummy]

Exactly what I thought.

ITN drumming up the usual Daily Mail type of hysteria.

[Melchett01]

A 'Vietnam Vet' to boot.

Didn't watch it on ITN, too busy sucking my thumb and trying to find cooperation in the dictionary.

How can somebody who was on the LOSING side in Vietnam lecture us about Iraq ? And as for not needing our help, well git-features, I think you do, because as with 'Nam, you're losing in Iraq too. Only both your and your President's heads are so far up their own arses you can't see that.

If you honestly believe what you are saying, get on a plane, come over here and say if to our faces. Oh no, you won't will you because you're just another pussy happy to sit on the sidelines with the fat wheezy boys and a note from matron - Cnut! Bloody hell, I haven't been this riled for, well since the last time someone took a potshot at me.

[hobie]

I just wonder how long it took ITN to find a suitable 'Nutcase' and if they (ITN) realize just how much harm they do in putting out such rubbish on a National news channel .......

ITN, a channel that in the days of Andrew Gardner and Reggie Bosanquet etc was a leader in the world of television News ....... they should be ashamed of themselves ..... :(

[Melchett01]

Oh dear sasless and his merry band of Vietnam vets will be along to tell you off soon After all it was a great success.

Because failing to bomb a bunch of peasants into submission over a 10 year period followed by a somewhat ignominious exit from theatre with a bunfight on the embassy roof for the last cab out, whilst being chased by said peasants is so obvisouly a victory :E

[Wycombe]

I just saw this tw@t on the late ITV news.

Just another parochial yank (unfortunately, the Country is full of them).

This idiot probably doesn't even know where Iraqistan is :mad:

But we should easy on the guy - Boise, Idaho is a long way from civilisation.

And they wonder why they are hated.....

[idle-centralise]

Speaking of journalists...... and reporting stuff they shouldn't......

I liked the BBC's so called "expert" claiming that the HUD tape had "obviously been censored" when in fact it was just the standard visualisation of a trigger press. Please employ people who know what they are talking about or at least get them to consult people that do before they go spouting utter cr*p!!!

That was yesterday by the way... and slightly unrelated......

:ugh:

[Rakshasa]

Don't be too hard on them. For every moron there's twenty good'uns. It's just that with the media being like it is, it's the n*bbers who get airtime. Jade Goody anyone? :hmm:

should probably add I'm talking about Americans not, journos! (Though respect to Jacko! :ok: )

[brickhistory]

American here, don't get ITN obviously, so didn't see the interview.

Sounds like they got the typical guy they interview after a tornado strike "Well, 'hit sounded lak a freight train......"

So, apologies to those insulted by his comments.

BUT, how is that different to the UK-based barbs regarding the US "being late to the fray in WWI and II?" Some of those from erudite ppruners, not just a British equivalent of a hillbilly.

Or what about those British citizens who blame the US and/or GWB for getting the British into the current garden spots? The UK joined of its own accord. I'm gratefully accepting the comraderie, but the choice was your government's, not the fault of the US.

Trying to tie in Vietnam to this seems a stretch, but giving you that, seems a quick look back at some of the British exits from various spots around the world in the 1940s, '50s, '60s and '70s were not exactly truimphal marches either.

It was vampire journalism for the reporters to stake out his house and interview neighbors, etc. That, unfortunately, seems to be a trait shared by journos/media on both side of the Atlantic.

[Rakshasa]

Depends Brick, are we talking banter or serious insults? Yes some people on both sides are opinionated ignorant toss*rs. But do we really want to add fuel to a fire that is really only a sport for the stupid?

Those of us who know better, know better and shouldn't drop our standards to a moron's level wether said subperson is american, british or other.

[brickhistory]

....Yes some people on both sides are opinionated ignorant toss*rs.

Those of us who know better, know better and shouldn't drop our standards to a moron's level wether said subperson is american, british or other.

Rakshasa, absolutely my point. Well said!

[chrisbl]

It is the taking of things out of context and micheviously reinterpreting the facts.

I can understand that the US has an abhorrance for ethnic cleansing, hopefully borne out of regret for what happened to the Native american indians.

[haughtney1]

Saw the interview....and laughed for 5 mins:p
Complete media stereotype played out for our amusement...I could imagine the producer and editor rubbing their hands gleefully as they made the final cut.

For what its worth, the guy represents all thats wrong with certain small pockets of parochial sh*tkicker USA....having said that, on a saturday (here in the UK) go onto various football terraces and apart from the accent, try and spot the difference:hmm:

[Washington_Irving]

For what its worth, the guy represents all thats wrong with certain small pockets of parochial sh*tkicker USA....having said that, on a saturday (here in the UK) go onto various football terraces and apart from the accent, try and spot the difference
The difference is that Americans like the moron inquestion vote... in prodigious numbers. Hence our larger problem. They see a swaggering, drawling, mouth-breather who can't string a coherent sentence together and they see one of their own (despite him being a Connecticut born, Andover-Yale-Harvard educated, millionnaire son of a millionaire President and grandson of a millionnaire Senator) and due to some primitive cognitive process I cannot begin to fathom, they decide it'd be a good idea to make him President. :ugh:
He's in a minority in the US, the majority are a great bunch. But hicks like him are a powerful force within "The Base". (What's the Arabic phrase for that again?)

[Two's in]

Mind you, what on earth are ITN up to?

1. Increasing viewers and hence advertising revenue.
2. Trying to create a story where none exists.
3. Appealing to the baser instincts of every neanderthal out there.
4. Going for some very easy Yank bashing votes.
5. Exploiting the memory of those who died or were injured.
6. Demonstrating what the true spirit of gutter journalism is about.
7. Showing why introducing an AIDS ridden crack-whore as your new partner is less embarrassing than saying you know a Journalist.

But the good news is at least most of you got it.

[Roadster280]

FWIW, my colleagues (American) said words to the effect of "have you seen the news - footage of British soldiers being attacked by A-10s. Holy $hit, I'm so sorry".

So not all bad here. Haven't seen the ITN piece, but "ordinary" Americans truly appalled by this.

[mutleyfour]

Did he also say we couldnt shoot straight anyway?

[Doctor Cruces]

I'm not surprised that our allies keep killing us.

I worked at Holbeach for a while and well remember the A-10 that accidentally bombed the pilot cutter going out from Sutton Bridge and the F-111 that was quite happily doing a hot run laser self designated attack on a moving ship target going up the channel before we called him off. And that in peace time, no hostiles and known to be NO moving targets on the range. Switch c*ck ups causing the whole BRU to come off when the pickle was pressed and many others. Never saw the Brits/Germans/Canadians/French/Belgies do that on the range.

I recall the almost hysterical excitement of many US pilots visiting us when the A10s straffed or bombs were dropped. I remember thinking at the time that I hoped I was never in harms way with these guys.

Thats just the printable stuff.

Fog of War incidents are always going to happen and I know fighter pilots are not recruited for their warm sensitive natures and lack of agression, but the things I saw on the range bordered on childish.

Surprised? No. Amazed? No, just very sad that it keeps happening on both sides of the "allied" divide.

Doc C

[Widger]

It was the very worst in journalism. There was absolutely no reason to put this guy on the news other than to deliberately stir up anti-American feeling.


For those talking about how great we brits are, just remember that one of the few aircraft shot down by the RAF fighter force since WWII was a Jaguar downed by an F4.

It is regretable, as has been said in other threads, mistakes happen and when you have a force several times larger than ours, the statistical likelihood of mistakes grow. What is obscene, is the apparent cover up and lack of honesty. I also think it was obscene to plaster the pilot's face all over the front page like some inhuman fiend.

My thoughts go out to both the family of Motty and also the family of the pilot involved.
Americans are not all bad, yes they can be quite insular but hey, they have brought us the delights of Paris Hilton, Britney Spears and Murphy, Madonna and Anna Nicole Smith (RIP).
Oh and while I remember it, the Harrier that bombed a certain UK Carrier some years back!

[Kitbag]

For those talking about how great we brits are, just remember that one of the few aircraft shot down by the RAF fighter force since WWII was a Jaguar downed by an F4

Ahh, an American designed missile launched by an American designed (well mostly) aircraft shooting down a good guy... seems inevitable :ok:

Sorry if my sense of humour is misplaced, perhaps we could wait on the inquest when it is resumed in 6 weeks time.

[mutleyfour]

ITN News is now banned in the Muttley house.

I am no longer going to watch that supposedly unbiassed twaddle!

[Flagon]

I suspect ITV may well have acted quite deliberately in order to display the ignorance of these people. It worked. Unfortunately as someone else has said they vote and elect presidents, are allowed to carry sidearms (in some states HAVE TO:eek:) and are sent to war. God help us!

A dreadfully sad error in the course of a war. I do not wish to judge, but action should be taken. It has to be recognised that as long as the US do not publicise details of any disciplinary action taken the 'media' will continue the witch-hunt.

[BellEndBob]

Idaho resident K***y E***s appeared on the American version of Do You Want To Be a Millionaire.

Her $100.00 question was: What is the biggest and she had 4 options. She asked for a 50/50 and it came down to Elephant or The Moon.
She Phoned a Friend and spent the first 15 seconds of her 30 saying she was on TV. She then asked the question and her friend said The Moon. She disagreed and told the presenter 'My friend is not very bright'. She then used up her last life line by asking the audience. 98% said 'The Moon'.

She chose 'Elephant'.:eek:

I wonder if she is related to the fella who was interviewed.

That was very funny and I bet ITV had to hunt high and low to find him.......or did they?

[Wrathmonk]

Sorry to but in and let the truth get in the way of a good story but BellEnd (and Mike) you may wish to look here (http://www.snopes.com/radiotv/gameshows/millionaire.asp). :p

And lets not get started on "the USAF can't bomb you ought to have seen what they've done on the weapon ranges". That's a whole can of (RAF) worms you really don't want to open. Jaguars mis-identifying Garvey Island and dropping a live 1000lb-er some distance away (10nm and 50 degrees of LOA or something like that). Tornado jettisoning a fuel tank rather than a shoulder mounted 1000lb bomb. If there is one place (other than the sim) that cock-ups can/may be made it is on a range - thats why we have an RSO in place to call a stop to it if its all going wrong. Deci range - you go home!

[brickhistory]

are allowed to carry sidearms (in some states HAVE TO) and are sent to war.

Your honor, I rest my case.



Name ONE state where residents have to carry sidearms.

[BellEndBob]

My apologies to the good folk of Idaho.:O

Off to stand in the corner.:(

[Wader2]

Never saw the Brits/Germans/Canadians/French/Belgies do that on the range.

Sorry Doctor, you may be perfectly correct about not seeing such attacks on the range. Clearly the Buccanneer attack on a cockle boat (1971) was not visible from the range. The Tornado attack on a wreck some miles off the range (2002) was also not seen. The same wreck had been attacked on 2 successive passed by a Canberra in the 50s.

Then there was the Victor attack at China Rock and Song Song, successive attacks), with 1000lb HES - both heard but not seen (1964). Then the Vulcan attack on the NAAFI at El Adem (1965) and a similar attack on an Army landing craft at Episkopi (1972). There was also a Red Top in a new hole at St Andrews (1970s?).

Of course our cousins also attacked and hit the range quadrant at Wainfleet (2000) and more recently Holme on Spalding Moor with 500lb bombs (2005/6). And more recently Grantham with boxes of flares.

It is not confined to the air forces either:

The RN Wasp that dropped his AS12(?) and carriers on the beach at Larnacca (1972) or the USS Winston Churchill that shelled Cornwall (2002ish).

[midsomerjambo]

At the risk of second guessing him/her Brickhistory, I suspect that Flagon was alluding (not all that) humourously to the carrying of sidearms as a means of ensuring personal safety in some of the less salubrious areas of the US. But I stand to be corrected.

[brickhistory]

I understand there are some areas in the UK where that might be a good idea as well, but you don't have the option..........................
My point, again, is that stupidity seems to be a fairly universal trait.

[Wader2]

MSJ, I think you may be right. Down the Keys one year we were feeling our way and clearly upset a local. He pulled alongside and I could see him talking to me. Lowered the electric window and then wished I hadn't. The clue was the multi-coloured Jackson Pollock paint scheme.

Same state, next year, BinL was cut up and gave the universal British symbol of disapproval. In response the other driver followed him to his hotel, said 'we know ehre you are dude' and pointed a cocked finger at him. He checked out and moved to a different town.

Now had we had 9mm would we have been quick enough to fire in self-defence but not too quick to be quilty of firing first?

Again, same state, few years ago, two drunken Brits lost and looking for their hotel. They knocked on someone's door and immediately got wasted - no question of asking what they wanted.

[mutleyfour]

Brick History

I do so help to God that you never see a village idiot representing the UK (Albeit apart from Tony Blair as there isnt much we can do about him it seems) like the one that represented good old Uncle sam last night. A more pompous, arrogant, loathsome, and narrow minded person you just wouldn't want to meet, unless of course it was in a dark alley somewhere quiet!

[Jackonicko]

"Mind you, what on earth are ITN up to?

1. Increasing viewers and hence advertising revenue.
2. Trying to create a story where none exists.
3. Appealing to the baser instincts of every neanderthal out there.
4. Going for some very easy Yank bashing votes.
5. Exploiting the memory of those who died or were injured.
6. Demonstrating what the true spirit of gutter journalism is about.
7. Showing why introducing an AIDS ridden crack-whore as your new partner is less embarrassing than saying you know a Journalist.

But the good news is at least most of you got it."

Of course! It’s all the fault of the journalists and the broadcaster.

This is reprehensible journalism, and we should all boycott ITN, presumably because they’re supposed to be serving up a story that we all find unpalateable.

Because of course:

1) It’s nothing to do with telling an important story, because the British general public don’t give a stuff about their servicemen and women, and so don’t care when or how they die.
2) There is no story, because a British soldier did not die, entirely unnecessarily, and his death was not caused by the reckless incompetence of a pair of A-10 pilots. (Members of a community that killed more Brits in the first Gulf War than the Iraqis managed to).
3) It’s base and stupid to care about casualties, and to criticise our allies when they **** up in spades. And it’s especially base to be shocked when those responsible for killing one of our finest do not have to answer for their actions, and are, indeed, found to have been promoted.
4) It’s all about anti-Americanism, because the slack-jawed, knuckle dragging tw@t interviewed by ITN, who expressed the view that "You guys had better get on board in that whole damn country of yours and along with the rest of Europe" and "You gonna go merrily sucking your thumb like you did in WWII" and "We dont need your danm help, we need your co-operation. We know its hard to get that. We know you guys can't shoot, move and communicate" was entirely unrepresentative, and the British public have no right to know that that is how large numbers of Americans see us.
5) We should use the fact that a soldier died to cover up this appalling piece of incompetence, and to pretend that everything in the Anglo-American garden is rosy.
6) Telling the truth (however uncomfortable), about a story that matters, and that people care about, is ‘gutter journalism’.
7) Because journalists are of course lower than the scum who insult their allies, and who demean and belittle the hundreds of thousands of Europeans who have died in the name of freedom, many of them in the early parts of two World Wars where European nations stood up against tyranny and totalitarianism (against their narrow self interests) while America continued with business as usual, making a profit out of our struggle for survival.

Two’s In, you are a complete and utter waste of oxygen, like the inbred half wit who ITN interviewed. Are you perhaps related, or do you merely share the same views as that numbskulled knob?

[mutleyfour]

Sorry Jackonicko,

Try as you might you simply won't change my mind. In my view it was crass journalism whereby ITN tried as they might to justify a very unfruitful trip to Idaho by showing what was probably the only negative interview they had.

Hide as much as you like behind your fellow journo's logic for such tripe but its just not cricket in my book.

[brickhistory]

Thanks for reinforcing my point, jacko.........

[Roadster280]

Your honor, I rest my case.
Name ONE state where residents have to carry sidearms.

Not the whole state, granted, but I live In Kennesaw, GA, and we have a city ordinance requiring that all residents own a firearm and ammunition. Apparently a political gimmick a few years back by a politician trying to be seen to do something about the rising crime rate. He got the law through, and it has never been repealed.

Google 'Kennesaw gun law'.

[brickhistory]

r280,

I'm familiar with the Kennesaw ordinance. It is silly, but you covered its motivation.

But, that's one tiny Georgia town, not a state. And the Kennesaw ordinance does not require anyone to CARRY a sidearm.

This is not a gun debate thread; it is about the sliminess of some reporters 'outing' a serving member of the military. If an American reporter has done that to a British citizen, it is just as reprehensible.

I did not see the interview, however, as I've said I can well imagine the type that spoke. For some here to think that is a representative of every American is silly. Same as it is for us to think that every British is a member of the Ascot set....or a chav.

[notaflier]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKDzTHvKRgw

always planned to remain a lurker, but could not resist letting our cousins know what the guy said

[Pontius Navigator]

Brick, PM please .

[SkyHawk-N]

Apparently on the ITV News tonight at 10:30pm they are going to put all the complaints received about what that guy said to him for HIS comments.
Should be a laugh.

[Archimedes]

I gather that Mr Anderson has apologised after receiving 'numerous angry phonecalls' telling him that he'd caused offence.

It appears that it is quite easy to find someone's telephone number via Google these days (particularly if they have a distinctive name and their geographic location has been broadcast on the news) and that a large number of people availed themselves of this facility to pass on their regards when they became aware of it...

[Smile!!!]

Well he is apologizing tonight for (Just seen on whats on the news tonight)

'Insulting all English servicemen'

So basically he has still offended Welsh, Scots, and from N.I

Some more angry calls to ITN then :( His face mind when he says it, thay have too show it because its such a laugh!

Just another of the many American retards!

[brickhistory]

sm qoute: That is no way to speak about your President.


Cute, but I can assure you I wasn't referring to the President. As I was raised in the American South, I probably have more of the accent than I am aware.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------



PN - copy all.

[Toxteth O'Grady]

Didn't watch ITN last night but heard the apology was gonna be shown tonight. Having read this thread I was expecting to see some trailerpark trash redneck. Was quite surprised to see it was a guy in an affluent neighborhood who was reportedly a helo pilot in Nam rather than just a grunt.

:cool:

TOG

[Two's in]

Don't be fooled, ignorance knows no social barriers.

[XH536]

Quote "i bet he don't know where iraqistan is"


follow the link for an interesting insight to the minds of the American people in regards to world peace and it's control - you just gotta love these guys, they even have the right to vote!!!!





http://www.boreme.com/boreme/funny-2005/usa-invade-p1.php

[anotherthing]

C'mon guys, less of the Yank bashing - you just need to watch TV in the crewroom during the week to see we in the UK have more than our fair share of morons (check out Jeremy Kyles show - just another in the long line of car crash tv in the style of Trisha et al).

JackoNicko

Despite your journalistic protestations, it seems fairly obvious that ITN were very cynical in their choice of interviewee.
They interview him with his gobsh1te, ignorant views, air it on TV, then go back the next day and berate him by letting him know what the UK public have said in response.....

We all know that every country has its share of assholes - for ITN to line someone up like that just to have him shot down, then pretend to take the moral high ground by confronting him with the indignation of the UK public is lazy, moronic journalism.

[Tigs2]

Thanks Notaflier

Saw the link, wondered what all the fuss was about, and now i know. The guy is an utter retard. I was further amazed that ITN, name the Col, show his photo and then say 'This is the man BELIEVED to be the pilot who shot the British convoy etc etc'. My point being they only believe, they are not 100% sure, yet they name and shame. I would love to see the unedited version of that news clip.

How was the apology, i didnt see it.

[Doctor Cruces]

Wader2,

I have to agree with you there. There have been incidents such as you tell.

However, having spoken to people who have been in the NAAFI at El Adem I can understand why it was bombed by a Vulcan and believe it wasn't an accident but a "DH"

Doc C

[lukeylad]

Evening all found a link of the interview on another site.:


http://www.youtube.com/p.swf?video_id=XKDzTHvKRgw&eurl=http%3A//www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php%3Ft%3D103967%26page%3D21&iurl=http%3A//sjl-static14.sjl.youtube.com/vi/XKDzTHvKRgw/2.jpg&t=OEgsToPDskLqxrVDVP0mv7OiINRtwNs6

[rab-k]

"Idahoans apologize for man's remarks"

http://www.idahostatesman.com/235/story/71226.html

[TEEEJ]

If it hasn't already been published. He apologised to 'England'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3rEykLZLGo