Hostility between British and American military leaders revealed

[FarCenter]

The deep hostility of Britain’s senior military commanders in Iraq towards their American allies has been revealed in classified Government documents leaked to the Daily Telegraph.

In the papers, the British chief of staff in Iraq, Colonel J.K.Tanner, described his US military counterparts as “a group of Martians” for whom “dialogue is alien,” saying: “Despite our so-called ‘special relationship,’ I reckon we were treated no differently to the Portuguese.”

Col Tanner’s boss, the top British commander in the country, Major General Andrew Stewart, told how he spent “a significant amount of my time” “evading” and “refusing” orders from his US superiors.

Secret papers reveal Iraq war blunders At least once, say the documents, General Stewart’s refusal to obey an order resulted in Britain’s ambassador to Washington, Sir David Manning, being summoned to the State Department for a diplomatic reprimand - of the kind more often delivered to “rogue states” such as Zimbabwe or the Sudan.

<SNIP>

Among the most outspoken officers was Col Tanner, who served as chief of staff to General Stewart and of the entire British division during Operation Telic 3, from November 2003 to May 2004.

He said: “The whole system was appalling. We experienced real difficulty in dealing with American military and civilian organisations who, partly through arrogance and partly through bureaucracy, dictate that there is only one way: the American way.

“I now realise that I am a European, not an American. We managed to get on better…with our European partners and at times with the Arabs than with the Americans. Europeans chat to each other, whereas dialogue is alien to the US military… dealing with them corporately is akin to dealing with a group of Martians.

“If it isn’t on the PowerPoint slide, then it doesn’t happen.”

<SNIP>http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/defence/6631239/Hostility-between-British-and-American-military-leaders-revealed.html

[Posteritatis]

1. "If it isn't on the PowerPoint slide, then it doesn't happen" -- ouch. (nt)

[Arctic Dave]

4. That statements sounds exactly like the corporation I used to work for. I hated that place.

[tblue]

2. The fish rots from the head (Bush/Rummy) down. I think Obama's attitude will change some of this.

It can't be good when even your allies despise you. The entire Iraq adventure is just one giant clusterf*%k!

[vadawg]

5. probuably not, there is a major culture clash when it comes to the UK forces and the US forces

it really is two organisations seperated by two languages. At an operational level they can work together but the military cultures are so different that there will always be clashes no matter at what level of command you look at..

[tblue]

6. Was it always like this, though? This isn't new?

[vadawg]

7. yup i would say its pretty much always been this way, both cultures treat war differently

the structures of the militarys are different and the ethos is totally different as well, i always think of the differences in the same way as the differences in the sporting preferences of both cultures. We are similar but the differences are there and can be profound..

[Arctic Dave]

3. Could it be they were emulating their shitheel CIC.

Douchebaggery starts at the top.

[proteus_lives]

8. Patton and Montgomery hated each other too.

[vadawg]

9. yup pretty much all the way through our joint military historys there has been that issue

its totally down to a clash between the two cultures. i liken it to the yanks are a baseball team and the brits are a cricket team and they take the field against an enemy that is going to play golf, try and figure out how the hell we can reconcile the different rules we have..

[sudopod]

10. I don't think anyone dealing with Iraq qualifies as a Patton or a Montgomery.

They also get some more leeway since, well, they beat Hitler. :)