do'nt know about now ( i suspect the equipment ...world/ata/and others ...used to transport troops to iraq is the same as any other plane these days...but , when i grew up trans atlantic carrier seaboard and western who transported american servicemen and women to / from germany had to the best of my recollection seats facing backwards...on the basis i suppose that on sudden maximum deceleration , you were better of having the seat to protect you than being thrown against your seatbelt causing possible internal injuries....
but then at the speed that superconnies travelled more accidents were surviveable anyway compared to to-days speeds.
experience has shown that the travelling public do not like to travel backwards.
i did it once in..i think it was a bac 111. there were a few club seats as far as i recall...and i did'nt like it...
i do'nt even like it on a train..
seems something disorientating about focusing your eyes on an object the is going away
as opposed to towards you...
agree with jgossett...very much a matter of luck and the method of impact. time and time again we have seen maybe an entire aircraft destroyed..all killed with one or two unbelieveable exceptions..why..??
go figure...
the dean.