Colonel quits as troops are denied armoured land rovers in Iraq(UK)

[cal04]

THE commanding officer of a battalion serving in Iraq has resigned after failing to obtain armoured Land Rovers for his patrols. Lieutenant-Colonel Nick Henderson, commander of the 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards, is understood to have been furious last week after one of his senior sergeants died as a direct result of the failure to supply “armour protected” Land Rovers for his men, defence sources said.

Sergeant Christian Hickey was killed when his vehicle was blown up by a roadside bomb on patrol in Basra late on Tuesday night. The Ministry of Defence says frontline troops cannot have the armoured Land Rovers because they are not unsuitable for use off-road, but six weeks ago Britain supplied a number of the vehicles to Iraqi police in Basra. British troops are equipped with the “snatch vehicle”, a Land Rover protected by composite fibre glass designed to stop rifle fire. One senior source who has recently been in Iraq said: “They have weapons that go right through the composite.”

The source added that British troops were now using tanks or convoys of up to 12 Warrior armoured vehicles to mount patrols with some areas deemed too dangerous to be patrolled at all. “We’re in survival mode right now, we can’t do anything at all,” he said. The Ministry of Defence insisted that Henderson, 43, decided some time ago to leave but news of his resignation comes amid growing anger among senior officers.

Commanders recently asked for two extra battalions totalling around 1,200 men to help them regain control of Basra but claim the request was denied on political grounds. Instead they were sent one company of fewer than 200 men from the Royal Highland Fusiliers.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-1838909,00.html

[WhiteTara]

1. now if all the enlisted guys could resign too.

It's definitely a good reason to quit.

[politicsintennessee]

2. We're in Survival mode right now, We can't do anything at all

The Quote that Says it all

[newyawker99]

18. Hi politicsintennessee!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[tabasco]

3. Wow - just like Colin Powell refusing to send mech to Somalia.

Result: No mech force to extract Rangers, and many dead Americans. Despite the fact Bush 1 sent us to Somalia, the whole thing was blamed on Clinton. This Brit Colonel probably doesn't want to be the fall guy like Clinton.

[zann725]

4. Keep remembering all those military Generals standing on stage with JKerry

at Dem Convention? THEY knew who "knew",and there were a lot of them. THAT was over a year ago.

[texpatriot2004]

5. Will there be mutany? nm

[Voltaire99]

6. Imperialism is the problem...

...for which more armor is hardly a solution.

[Barrett808]

7. Request for "1,200 men to help them regain control of Basra" -- Denied

I think it's clearer all the time -- we are withdrawing.

[EuroObserver]

11. Surely the Bliar cannot remain much longer either n/t

[jmatthan]

8. This is what a professional army man behaves like

He will not accept politicisation of the army.

Remember how before the invasion the British Commander wanted a definitive legal statement about the invasion. That was then cooked up by Blair and co.

Obviously not the way off the sycophants who are in charge of the US army.

Do not blame it on the DoD. It is the Army leaders who have to say and act professionally and not be just tools of the political process.

Gen. Powell and Gen Clark, please take note.

Read:

"Col. Wilkerson destroys US Army"

http://jmpolitics.blogspot.com/2005/10/col-wilkerson-destroys-us-army.html

[DeepModem Mom]

9. Thanks for posting. I hadn't heard that British troops in Iraq...

were also lacking protective equipment. Shame on these governments.

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Festivito]

12. Can't have a draft in front of US elections.

But, after? EVERYBODY KNEW WE HAD TO HAVE A DRAFT. (A single episode of McGaughlin Group proves it.)

Until then, the media will be called LW while killing our troops with tacit support for the RW.

[IndianaGreen]

13. An article about Sgt Hickey is posted in Editorials

A soldier's story: The short life and violent death of Sgt Chris Hickey, 1st Battalion, the Coldstream Guards

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=103&topic_id=166979&mesg_id=166979

Here is an excerpt from that lengthy article:

Chris Hickey's death has given life to a growing anti-war sentiment among some people in the village, and increased resentment of Tony Blair's government. This is a naturally Conservative neighbourhood, says Joyce Geary, the popular landlady of the New Inn pub for the past 10 years. Hickey was a regular at the New Inn, the hub of his social life in the village.

Suddenly, with his death, Mrs Geary and other villagers have a face and person to put to the name and the number of war dead. "It just brought it home," she said. "How many more of our lads are going to die like this? They've done what they wanted to do, and it's time that they brought them home, all of them. Let them fight amongst themselves, but don't involve our lads any more."

Mrs Geary, trim and smartly dressed, with a ready smile, has contempt for the Prime Minister and is derisive about his relationship with the US President, George Bush. "He's like a lapdog isn't he? Wagging his tail, just following Bush around. Everything he says 'Yes' to, and he's sending our lads over there. If the Americans want to do it, let them get on with it."

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/article321649.ece

[Cha]

15. Thanks, the Americans don't

want it, either..it's the WHIGs, PNACers, and the faux religiousnuts who want to go on with the killingl

[Earth_First]

14. "some areas deemed too dangerous to be patrolled at all"

this is what bothers me to great pains. our soldiers are struggling to survive in a combat zone that they were neither trained properly to controll nor properly equipped to operate. all the while, the talking heads make concerted efforts to convince us how successful the occupation is going/has come.

"too dangerous"

in the ever so eloquant words of those before me "go fuck yourself mr. cheney!"

[leftchick]

16. I don't know if the armour would have helped...

These bombs are getting deadlier by the day. They are packing huge amounts of explosives in each one. Every bombed out vehicle I have seen is a fireball that burns to a crisp. I admire Henderson's decision though. Hell if "peaceful" Basra ain't secure anymore they may as well all come home.

[struggle4progress]

17. "protected by composite fibre glass" eom