British Tanks Attacked in Basra
 

Just been sitting watching Sky News as they showed footage of a tank being attacked in what appears to be an organised effort. Crowd used at least 6 petrol bombs which forced the crew to exit the tank. I saw one guy being forced to the ground with large rocks hitting him before he is set upon by the crowd.

Does anybody know if the crew are ok i.e are they back in safe hands? Horrific scenes, not what you would expect in Basra.

Trouble seems to have started as Iraqi Police arrested two plain clothed British Soldiers who had shot at several other policemen (sketchy info). Photos of the two Brits have been released by the Iraqi authorities, very clever.

the video footage looks horrendous and i only hope that the guys in the tank survived the mob attack.

It perhaps seems that they were afraid/wary to use force to stop themselves being attacked and ultimately injured.

I just wonder how much damage the recent trials of soldiers who have been accused of using too much force, (and then leading to murder charges) has played on their minds...

The guys on the ground are doing a stressful job, and it seems basra is getting worse now, more than ever before. good luck fellas.

On another point, if the local authorities arent working hand in hand with our troops when it comes to policing then we have to question our role. It is their country, and the iraqi police seem to have been involved in arresting the two guys..... and somewhere along the line the troops were sent in to get them back out. All of this happening near the police station itself, so where were the police, and where was the backup for the troops???

Just seen the footage on the BBC's website, not good.

Thoughts, as ever, with all those out there.

Truckiebloke,

Your para 3 probably says what most of us are thinking, and you can bet it crossed those guys minds. If they've been killed because they didn't dare open fire, then there's more blood on Blair's hands with his lots eagerness to put squaddies on the stand.

Thoughts with the families of all those involved today.

Just heard on channel 5 news that Brit tanks have broken through the walls of the police station and freed the two captives. Still unsubstanciated as yet and no links on the net. Hope its true. Good drills.

Leaving the horrific scenes concerning the soldiers aside, how does a fire stop a Warrior?

I would have assumed (being a layman) that they were designed with a cold war fight in mind i.e. NBC capable, EMP hardened etc etc so how does a petrol bomb disable it?

There have been losses of M1A1 main battle tanks and the question applies to them as well.

Any information gratefully received.

Cheers

PT6ER

PT6Er.. dont take this the wrong way but I would hope no information is given on the public domain regarding this. (Despite it being beamed all over the world).

Not taken the wrong way at all.

After the post I wondered if it would be giving away the farm!

Too much information is, or appears to be, given away by our press / media people anyway.

Do as my wife does and totally ignore my previous contribution



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PT6ER - the usual way is for a petrol bomb on the engine decking to burn up all the available oxygen around the engine air-intakes. No oxygen, your diesel stops and you're stuck. Not a happy prospect even if they can't get in they now have time to think about the problem while you stayed buttoned up, praying that your mates are coming to rescue you - which, this being the British Army, they definitely will be.

glad to see they got the guys out, which guessing who they are(an educated guess) is probably a good thing.

Still, there isnt too much point in speculating as it will never reach the press!! although they will do their best to hype it up!!

if the iraqi police are doing such a good job, get our boys out of iraq i think.......

Well, if the stories are true, I'm loving the fact that we just rammed a few tanks through the walls and shouted, "Taxi for 2!". You can only imagine the faces on the jail guards as soldiers 1 & 2 hitched a lift back to camp via a Challenger II, class act.

Perhaps the minority in Basra who coordinated todays efforts will sit back and realise that even the British Army's patience has an elastic limit!

Good effort peeps, shaken but not stirred... :cool:

Agree wholeheartedly, Brit55.

If true, the local commander who ordered the operation and those who carried it out would get a tick VG from me at least.

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Job Well done on getting the lads out of the nick. What suprises me is that these so called high ranking policemen knew these guys were british soldiers and didn't ask for the local Commander to come down to get his guys. Our guys are there to provide assistance to their country, but yet again they seem to s:mad:t on us given the first opportunity.

I just hope the magnificent way that the guys were 'broken out' may have wiped the smile of some smug insurgent coppers face!

Just seen on the news that reinforcements pitched up, slotted two and winged 15. Crowd seemed to thin out a little after that. Tick VG for showing such restraint.

My first thoughts watching the early evening footage was why the **** not select first gear and just drive on through the petrol bombing bastards.

However as truckie bloke states:-

"I just wonder how much damage the recent trials of soldiers who have been accused of using too much force, (and then leading to murder charges) has played on their minds..."

For me I just remember those two unfortunate police Cpl's in Belfast who suffered the ultimate mob/terrorist fate and know that faced with todays scenario I would shoot to kill and worry about the court case later...........

Which is a pretty sad indictment of our lords and masters who have placed folks in harms way without the required "backup"

all spelling mistakes are "df" alcohol induced

Do you mean the two Signallers who panicked and pulled their pistols when an IRA funeral march was going past and were then beaten to death by the crowd?

Stacker,

That's not quite how I recall watching it on TV! More along the lines of ABIW.

Probably not an apt or relevant subject to compare at the moment.

....he said from the warm fluffy comfort of a desk.

Fully agree, good effort all round, both the initial restraint by the Warrior crew and the eventual ar$e kicking at the Nick. PLEASE tell me they parked some tracked heavy armour in the local Chief Inspector's parking spot... :p
"I'll see your Toyota crew-cab pick up and raise you a Chally 2"

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