I deliberately didn't post anything earlier because I wanted to see what the general reaction was first. My instincts proved me right, the feeling is no longer "well, it's just one of those things we have to accept".
The facts as we know them at the moment are:
1. The AFVs were in the location they were supposed to be in at the time they were supposed to be there.
2. They were flying the Union Flag
3. They had orange ID markers
4. They displayed Allied Cheverons
5. The pilot took 2 passes, shooting on both with civilians close by
6. After the 1st pass British soldiers in British uniforms waved and tried to warn the pilot
7. The optical scope on an A10 can id a target at 1500m. The pilot was flying at no more than 50m on each pass. Visibility has been described as "excellent".
8. The tank crews adjacent fired the colour of the day smoke marker to warn the A10 pilot
9. The pilot had not been engaged or shot at by either British forces, or Iraqis.
10. The pilot was out of his designated Limits of Exploitation.
In spite of all of this, the pilot still engaged, not once, but twice.
I am going to say nothing about what I think. Instead I will leave it for you, the reader of this thread to draw your own conclusion as to whether this incident was caused by the "fog of war", or culpable negligence.
The words of the soldiers are above for all to read. They represent views commonly held within the British army at present. More views of more soldiers can be found here,
please do take a moment to read them:
Military City
When I represented some of these views in another forum I was pilloried as being rabidly anti-American. I was insulted as being a fool and din't know what I was talking about, and not representative of the feelings of the British army. I was told I was a wind-up merchant . I was told my views were held in contempt because I hadn't faced "combat" and as such that my views were irrelevant. I was told that the views of certain contributors on this forum were the norm not only of PPRuNe, but of all right-minded people.
Would those individuals care to read the above and the linked thread, and then step up and say the same thing to me now?