Is anyone else slightly sickened that the immediate thoughts of the pilots who killed Matty Hull were focused on their own future?

Nick Tate, Beijing, China

My husband was at Monte Casino during the last war,and although he liked our Ameican Allies,there was a saying amongst all the soldiers that when the Germans bombed the English "got down";when the English bombed the Germans "got down".When the Americans bombed every one " got down".There may have been some excuse in those far off days as instruments were less sophisticated

Margaret Roper, Daventry, England

We can hypothesize whether the pilots were "gung-ho" (nice job, Times) or whether a had a horrible error was made but the fact is that unless you have been in these situations you cannot begin to understand how the situation occurred. We all know about pilot error in the aviation industry. Here's a question; What is the rate of friendly fire of any of the other forces other than the US and is it even reported? And if the US has 50000 troops in Iraq and Italy 15000 then do you measure them equally? I do not have any doubt that the pilots are sick with regret and nobody wants to commit any harm to their own, but this is war. Most of you and I are armchair generals. My condolences to the brave families that were affected by these avoidable (so I think) tragedies.

Warren, Cincinnati, OH

An F-15 flying from a carrier? I think not.
This kind of inaccuracy casts doubt upon the accuracy of the rest of the report.

Jim , Manchester,

First things first. F-15s are not carrier borne. Check your facts. I am not denying what happened to you, but it detracts from your credibility.
Additionally, friendly fire isn't, and it happens. It's not always excusable, but it will never cease to happen. I have neither seen nor heard of a military organization that is, was, or will be immune. It is tragic, but it happens. Reading and listening to British media sources, however, one would think that the U.S. military invented freindly fire as an alternate form of target practice in the instance no enemy targets are available.
Alas, I have to remind myself that the media is little different wheter in the U.S., the U.K., Germany, France, or wherever: objectivity, factuality, decency , and in many cases the truth (especially the whole truth) be damned so long as its sells.

Jamie, Charleston, U.S. / West Virginia

What happens if say Prince Harry is the target of US air support. Afterall Harry will be doing the same job as Matty Hull in the same type of vehicles. Would the US or MoD do anything then? Probably not.

A good way of preventing fratricide from US Close Air Support aircraft would be to have British units take with them their own air defence assets specifically to keep US aircraft off their backs. And give them the same orders as the US aircraft seem to obey - shoot first and ask questions later. That's about the only way to get the US pilots minds focused on the problem.

Bry Barnes, Somerset, UK

I think technology has improved a little since 1917 James and these days if you put a gung ho individual with no accountability behind the controls of a $20 million killing machine you will expect mistakes, of course. But thats exactly the point. Accidents do happen but with the training and technology that i would hope is available to US forces, it's alarming how many times these 'accidents' happen. If you belive your military being the most effective military on Earth then do you also believe Napalm being the most effective way of cutting grass. Victory by any means and any consequences is far from victorious...i think it is you that doesn't understand

Adam, London, UK

The US Navy does not have F-15s. As a reporter you should get even the most minute facts straight. The end result of the incident is truly tragic, but only those who were there and "pulled the trigger" really know for sure what happened. And in the end, no matter what we (collectively) think, or would like to do, they have to live with it, and are their own tormentor.

Gunner, West Point, Mississippi

Are these Blue on Blue "accidents" the real reason America wants nothing to do with ICC

kinnear Ios Greece, ios, greece

Another excuse to bash the Amerucans. Dinner parties around London will be abuzz with accusations of US military incompetence - "Of course this never happens in the British army."

Friendly fire incidents have been with us since time immemorial. It happens and it happens with the armed services of all nations. I have just been reading a history of the Batle of Loos in 1915 - and poorly trained British infantry opened fire on other British troops again and again. And of course in the Falklands a British helicopter was shot down by an RN destroyer.

The problem with Europe's anti-US hate and hysteria is that it has become completely impossible to conduct any sort of rational discussion.

Hugh, London,

Yes, human beings do make mistakes and some are unavoidable. These mistakes on the other hand were completely avoidable. I don't like the 'gung ho' tag that many correspondents place on our American allies, it makes them sound like amateurs which we know they are not. But at the same time the attitude that comes across is a lack of professionalism, which is reinforced by the US governments attitude as well. I'm sure that the US airman involved in this friendly fire are totally gutted at what they have done. No doubt lessons have been taught and hands wrung, let us just hope that the lesson taught has been learnt as well.

Kirk, Rotherham, UK

I have served in the Uk army in various regiments for 10 years in both regular and special forces. On numerous occaisions I have worked alongside US FAC's who were attached to my units.
Fortunately I only worked with these units on exercise. On two completely different exercises involving two different FAC teams I witnessed these units routinely bringing in indirect fire without any coordination to the units they were attached to. They disregarded briefings and instructions. The consequence had, real bombs fallen ,would have been catastrophic. In one case a whole company of 1 Para would have been decimated.
Exercises however are just that, practice, where lessons can be learnt. Unfortunately I never saw the units or their commanders accept that mistakes had been made nor question individual competence or procedure. They seemed not to care. John Simpson's observations and conclusions are spot on.

Oliver Waugh, London,

"You obviously don't understand war, so you probably should not report on it. "

He was there mate, entrenched, when he had a bomb dropped on him - I'd say that qualifys him to report on it.

No one is knocking the USA, it's the fact that you guys have a huge reputation for blue on blue - friendly fires! alot of your own soldiers have been killed by their american colleagues too!

As for your military being the most 'effectiveon earth' hahahah, they have the biggest and most advanced firepower but are probaly one of the least INEFFECIENT as demonstrated by the above incident.
Learn how to fight.

Dan Hutch, LEEDS,

You obviously don't understand war, so you probably should not report on it.

War is waged to force the enemy to capitualate to your terms and is done so by using the fiercest means possible.
That means that human beings are involved at both ends of the killing. These human beings can make mistakes. Obviously the results of those mistakes are immense.

"Any British soldier, any British war correspondent, will tell you that the Americans are perennially one of the chief threats on the modern battlefield."

Of course they are. They are the most effective military on Earth. They should scare even themselves. But, they do not take this lightly, as you suggest.

The British military has critisized the US since WWI, even when they were sending tens of thousands of their troops to death by storming German lines. Let's keep some perspective here.

James Troscinski, Grosse Pointe Park, USA