Friendly Fire: "Human beings are human beings" Rummy

Accusations fly over lack of action on friendly fire deaths

Recriminations began to echo through Washington and Whitehall yesterday after the sight of the BBC correspondent John Simpson escaping the worst friendly fire disaster of the Iraq war focused attention on one of the oldest and most covered-up hazards of warfare.

The Pentagon tried to shrug off the problem - "Human beings are human beings, and things are going to happen," according to the defence secretary, Donald Rumsfeld - but some analysts blamed the defence department for cutting back on technology that might have provided some protection. There were also suggestions that a gung-ho, drug-fuelled culture among American pilots may be a factor.

At least 13 American and five British troops have been killed by their own side in Iraq so far, plus about 20 Kurdish fighters in northern Iraq on Sunday, and the ITN journalist Terry Lloyd. Other incidents, including one killing nine US marines near Nassiriya, are under investigation. The number of Iraqi non-combatants killed will never be counted.

"The problem is in the choice of personnel in the elite elements of the American armed forces," he said. "It's a cowboy syndrome. They have produced too many people who push the parameters of their mission too far. They go looking for trouble. It's worse than it was 12 years ago because the arrogance of certain people has allowed it to go unchecked."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,931992,00.html

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