U.S.S Liberty ?? what happend there ?

According to the US, nothing. According to Israel, you don't need to know. According to the USS Liberty and the crew that were attacked and killed by Israeli forces, lots. Another "Israeli accident" - despite 8 hours of surveillance. Napalm, rockets, torpedo runs, strafing lifeboats and medical/firefighting crew - just another day in the life of the IDF.

I always thought the "D" meant "Defence"....

Google USS Liberty, and you will see.

Have a read of some of the reader's comments made in response to the Telegraph's article " Deplorable dilatoriness over Beirut evacuation" here.

Seems that quite a few people are not too impressed with the evacuees' gripes about HMG's speed of response.

It's all over on ARRSE as well concerning the moaners. Many of which seem to have dual nationality and surprisingly middle eastern surnames!

Doesn't help that the journo concerned has been very lazy with his reporting - but no change there then!

I hope it's more than just Diplomacy! I hope the 2 new carriers will offer more than that!

Sorry - couldn't resist. Even though I'm a crab, I actually think that article was off-side!

Didn't take you long to go for the bait though did it! ;)

Great to see that three ships I've served on are currently doing the business. Got an email from a mate on one mighty vessel this morning informing me that it's all running along nicely. Also nice to see the RN being raised in the national conscience after T200, which, IMHO, was blatantly disregarded by just about the entire nation other than those involved in the frankly ballbreaking process of carrying it out! It gets one SO tetchy when large hydrographic vessels anchor in one's own preplanned position.

Without playing down the part the RN are playing in this, are any of the other light blue out there a bit frustrated at the moment with the lack of coverage. It does get a bit annoying to have our 'Nooks referred to as Army helicopters, or there subsequently being no mention of how they got to Cyprus within 24 hours of being asked 'could you?'. Then to see the RN steam in to the rescue to act as very expensive ferries (was it the French that just hired a ferry and took off 2500 in one go?).

Why are we so bad at marketing ourselves. I am sure this whole op will be a key point in the ongoing justification for capital ships of the future, meanwhile our SH world is stretched beyond imagination and we can't get any more for love nor money. It was good to see HMS G alongside, but will they risk HMS I or use the 'Nooks to ferry the pseudo-British out to her? Will that still be an RN rescue?

Like I said, not a dig at the Navy, fellas, just frustrated...:ugh:

BBC News, Thursday 20th July: ....Four more Royal Navy ships, including the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious and the commando assault ship HMS Bulwark, will arrive off the Lebanese coast on Thursday. Further evacuations begin at 09.30am local time....

Foreign Office Minister Lord Triesman is going Cyprus to review the pullout. Lord Triesman said: "Our priority continues to be to get those most in need out first, as safely as possible."

Spooky... :uhoh: How do you do that......

We all get frustrated being called "the Army" whenever we do any form of Joint Ops. Whenever possible, we get an Ensign on display so that it leaves people in as little doubt as possible - whether they are full on CVS battle ensigns or little laminated ones in car windows, etc.

Hiring ferries is great, but when you have (ostensibly) free ships out there, and the chance to push the Grey Funnel Line into public awareness, which route do you think HMG will be taking? The Yanks hired a luxury liner and cruised their people away with free cocktails - which, although was nice for the evacs, made them look like everyone else's richer cousins and appeared arrogant (according to people on the ground out there).

Don't know about airtaxi at the moment, they seem concerned about rocket attacks on any air movement whereas the sea route appears safer for all concerned.

Don't know. Must be listening to too many phone calls again.....:oh:

Did he say what I thought he said ?
 

Live on BBC TV.... Captain of HMS Bulwark being interviewed, describing the operation. I just can,t believe what he just said!!! Serious opsec concerns so I will not repeat it. Unbelievable.

Oh go on, tell us, if he has said something on BBC then it is already in the public domain!

It is in the public domain, however it was exceptionally ill-advised of him to say it, and it will/should not be repeated. He will not be repeating it, and hopefully the BBC will be passing the comments to the editing suite.

He repeated something that was said in a popular red-top yesterday, but owing to serious OPSEC issues, it does not need re-highlighting.

Was it the same comment that was in the Torygraph editorial? If so he is a Berk!

Yes. And in the Sun and the Express, but they were guessing, not stating as fact, which appears to be what he has done. Never mind, it will hopefully all be lost in the background noise.

Back to the task in hand.

H.M.S Bulwark and a type 42 are docked in beruit taking on evacuees, going to be there till night fall. Chinook helicopters are shuttleing people out to the Lusty of the coast.

Ahh, the thanks of a grateful nation, not. The Australian-Lebanese don´t sound happy - Australian govt accused of racism over bungled Lebanon evacuation.

From recent news reports....unless the Australian Lebos found themselves delivered from Oz to the beach at Beirut they should not have much to complain about.:E

But SB! They are 'Army' helicopters aren't they? seeing as you are under JHC command and all that;) . Just jostling. Good point made in your post.

A few Jungly friends of mine have been called in at 12 hrs NTM and getting sent to Cyprus.

Question is: What's the SK4's/6c's going to get done there? Surely they can't reach Lebanon from there, so presumably they will be ferrying people from the ships to shore? Furthermore, why do they need extra maintainers on Cyprus if they haven't got cabs? And if they have cabs on Bulwark, then they must have Maintainers on Bulwark so why do they need more? It's not making sense at moment because too many missing pieces of the puzzle - anyone shed any light on this?

A Civilian Bell 412 routinely ran from Cyprus to Beirut for the US Embassy during the Civil War....why should the SeaKings not be able to do the same?