So what you're saying seems to be:
1. An exercise was designed called Saif Sareea II. It was supposed to show how the UK could respond quickly to an out of area committment.
2. On 11 Sep, a mad idiot called bin-Laden incited a terrorist outrage on the USA. Unable to compete on miltary terms, his murderers attacked innocent civilians.
3. The decison was made to mount OP VERITAS in support of the US. Coincidentally it was possible to co-locate assets with the exercise SSII players.
4. This caused huge pressure on the barely adequate tent accommodation - which now had to cope with far more people for far longer than originally intended. But the Brits who were involved got on with the job as best they could, as they were eager to do whatever was needed to help those who had adequately capable aircraft to sort out the terrorists in Afghanistan.
5. Saif Sareea II ended, the journos took all their pictures of 'our chaps in the desert' and went home. But the wretched tents stayed.
6. Contrary to all normal Flight Safety, air and groundcrews are still being kept in conditions hitherto unencountered since the Allied TAF pushed through Europe over 50 years ago. Purely due to the MoD beancounters' unwillingness to spend money on adequate creature comforts - which are both plentiful and locally available.
7. But now those who were sent have had enough. They know that they're being ignored and that they're being shafted by their Squirearchy. They also know that it won't be long before the airlines start picking up again; many would like to continue to serve in the RAF, but are utterly and completely disillusioned with the treatment they are receiving for no reasonable military need.
Have I understood what you've been saying correctly, chaps?
[ 02 December 2001: Message edited by: BEagle ]