well, lets see, there was the american revolution, where we defeated the british, and oh yes, the war of 1812 where we defeated the british, and, oh yes the Spanish American war where we defeated Spain, and lets see, the Boxer rebellion where we defeated the Chinese--need I go on? And there was the Second world war Pacific theater where the British abandoned their colonies (all of them )to their fate, including Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong--Britain had only a token presence anywhere in asia during this time. And do not forget the pilots that flew the Hump over China Burma India that supplied not only US and Chinese troops, but oh yes, the BRITISH, who at the time could not supply themselves. You had better study a little more world history---

John Vaughn, Cookeville, TN/USA

I really wish the UK would just leave Afghanistan and Iraq and stop blaming America for everything. I would rather my countrymen fight with fewer troops than with a nation like the UK. How dare you put up all the friendly-fire incident's and not even mention all the successful close-air-support sorties flown by Americans??!! The ratio would be 100 to 1 in favor of successful missions.

Cash, Dayton, USA

The history goes back further than that; what of the Australian soldiers during the Vietnam war? Its not surprising that many British, Australian and Canadian soldiers have the brains to not want to fight with the Americans; it is to difficult to differentiate whether you fighting with or against them.

Carla, Brisbane, Australia

Today I heard the news on BBC radio of another "friendly fire" incident; this time in Afghanistan. Before the newscaster said whom killed the British soldiers I had instinctively concluded that it was most probably US forces that had committed the killing.

It was disturbing to hear that the incident "will be investigated fully". This is typical of the bureaucratic and diplomatic sentiment and language portrayed in "Yes Minister". The inevitable outcome will either be to apportion or to conceal blame, dependent on one's viewpoint, but I doubt that the forces involved collectively will truly learn and thus avoid similar incidents from happening again.

Mark Smith, Portsmouth, UK

conveniently left out the British tank which fired on its own people and killed them. Listen this happens in war. The US Military is much bigger than ours, fly more missions and will statisticly be involved in more incidents. If we had a real Air Force we could fly our own Close Support missions and wouldnt have to rely on them.

Mike, Edinburgh,

1982
HMS Cardiff shoots down AAC Gazelle (UK) in the Falklands Islands.
3rd Battalion, Parachute Regiment, British Army (UK) Companies A and C engage each other in an hour-long firefight in the Falkland Islands involving heavy weapons and artillery strikes. At least 8 UK casualties.
United Kingdom UK Special Boat Service Commando killed in firefight with UK Special Air Service Commandos. Falkland Islands.

2003

British Royal Marine Christopher Maddison killed when his river patrol boat was hit by missiles after being wrongly identified as an enemy vessel approaching a Royal Engineers checkpoint on the Al-Faw Peninsula, Iraq.[6]
British Challenger 2 tank came under fire from another British tank in a nighttime firefight, blowing off the turret and killing two crew members, Corporal Stephen John Allbutt and Trooper David Jeffrey Clarke [12]

Dusty Selway, St. Anthony, USA

Not only am I pleased that the newly coined expression "blue on blue" fire has been dropped and we have reverted to "friendly fire", but my grandfather told me friendly fire was an issue during hte Second World War, and subsequently whenever we have been in the Theatre with the Americans.

David, , Kent,

My father, who flew with the desert airforce in North Africa during the second world war said that when the Americans entered the conflict it soon became unwritten policy to give trigger happy American pilots a wide berth when their aircraft were seen. American fighter pilots were so twitchy and their aircraft recognition so weak that they attacked any aircraft they saw that they did not recognise. This understandably annoyed Commonwealth and other allied airmen a tad. RAF personnel were sent to American squadrons to give the aircrew aircraft recognition lessons, so dangerous did the situation become.

Shooting at your allies appears to be a long American military tradition.

David, Marietta, usa

When I was in the forces, it was always the case that to be reasonably safe, the American forces needed to be in front of you. not behind you.

Patrick, Wales,

Now how many lives were saved by air support, duh we don't give gratitude, we take it for granted. Now if an accident happens, then you'll hear from us

jim, virginia Beach, va

With an 'Ally' like the US, who needs an enemy!

The US armed forces are, man for man, the least professional, and least combat savvy troops it has been my misfortune to work with. I would rather be fighting against them as they are, quite frankly, an easy enemy to deal with - and let us not forget they have a history of never having won a conflict when operating alone and without military allies.

Jonathan Mills, Brighton,

It happens too often for it to be written off as fog of war. The pilot that killed the four Canadians in Kandahar was repremanded for being too anxious to make a kill and was flying on pills. Seems like not much has changed since, although I can't say that the circumstances were similar this time. My prayers are with the families of the British soldiers.

D. Lapointe, Dartmoth, Nova Scotia Canada

Americans drop bombs and think later. In fact they invade countries and think later. The best thing is to stay well clear of both.

o bown, newcastle, au

As horrible as these incidents are, 'friendly fire' incidents have never been at a lower rate. Historically, 'friendly fire' has been the cause of up to 10% of all casualties since before Roman times.

The high incidence of Americans bombing friendlies is because the U.S. is providing virtually all air cover. In this latest case, a British fire suppression team called in the coordinates for the aircraft.

Viet Dinh, Miami,

when the last war was running it was a well known fact that when the germans flew over the british ran for cover, when the british flew over the germans run for cover and when the americans came over everyone run for cover so after all those years what has changed??

harry owler, dundee, scotland

What need have we of enemies when we have such friends?

John Rennie, Beare Green, Surrey