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US military chiefs ‘like Martians’ to our troops in Iraq
Paul Waugh, Deputy Political Editor23.11.09
Deep splits between British and American military chiefs were laid bare today before the Iraq war inquiry hears claims that Tony Blair failed to prepare troops for the aftermath of the invasion.
The investigation into the conflict, which begins in earnest tomorrow, will hear evidence that Mr Blair's secrecy over his pact with former American president George W Bush helped fuel the post-war chaos.
Leaked documents on “lessons learned” from the war showed that British military chiefs were furious at the lack of planning and failure to properly equip soldiers. Recent inquests have shown that many of the failures were repeated in Afghanistan.
British-American relations will be a feature of the inquiry, but among the most striking details in the documents is evidence of hostility shown by British commanders towards their allies.
The British chief of staff in Iraq, Colonel J K Tanner, described his American counterparts as “a group of Martians” for whom “dialogue is alien”.
“Despite our so-called special relationship,' I reckon we were treated no differently to the Portuguese,” he said.
While the Americans believed in pursuing, detaining and killing insurgents, the British wanted to talk to militants. Major General Andrew Stewart, the most senior British commander from November 2003 to July 2004, said: “I spent significant time consenting and evading' US orders, using negotiation where possible and trying to achieve the same result using different means.”
Another British chief, Brigadier Bill Moore, told a “lessons learned” report by the MoD in 2004 that he received “absolutely no advice whatsoever” on the nation-building effort. The documents were leaked to the Daily Telegraph as Sir John Chilcott, the inquiry chairman, insisted it would not be a “whitewash”. Sir John said he would produce a “full and insightful” account of how Britain went to war.
Evidence from senior government figures starts tomorrow and politicians including former prime minister Mr Blair, will be called next year. The report will not be released until after the general election.
Reader views (7)
It seems idiot Americans like Patrick Cunniff are in the majority within all spheres of American life aided by being lulled into a state of blissful ignorance by their home-spun propaganda of ‘being the best’ and ‘might has right’.
If anyone is guilty of leaving Basra in a state of shambles with the militias running free reign and providing support for jihadist going north to kill americans and innocent civilians it is the G W Bush administration that failed at every level to plan for the aftermath of their intended regime change in Iraq which is certainly nothing to be proud of.
It would appear the lessons and reality Vietnam have been conveniently forgotten…
- Roger Weir, Bournemouth, UK
Many Americans,I for one believe that Maj-Gen Andrew Stewart's refusal to carry out the orders of Gen Sanchez who was in charge of the theatre and whom Gen Stewart was subordinate to, cost the lives of many American Soldiers. The Basra operation was a total disgrace and the efforts of the Brave British soldiers were undermined by sniffling, blue blood, career officers led by spineless politicians and a apathetic government. At the time Stewart and Brealey were ignoring the chain of command, Muqtada al-Sadr was using Basra as a base of operations to help smuggle weapons from Iran in to Bagdad so as to better blow up innocent civilians. If the top brass of the British military cannot obey an order how does one expect any British soldier to follow orders? Brealey and Stewart are a disgrace. They left Basra in a state of shambles with the militias running free reign and providing support for jihadist going north to kill americans and innocent civilians. Nothing to be proud of.
- Patrick Cunniff, American in Bristol
The 'special' relationship is only 'special' insofar as the USG can get something out of us, often without anything (worthwhile) in return.
- Ralph, London
I don't know why anyone is surprised by this? I work 2 weeks out of every 4 in the USA, and whilst I personally find many Americans charming and personable, (and many who aren't), they are the most arrogant blinkered people i have ever encountered. They have no idea and care even less what the rest of the world thinks of them. America can do no wrong and it is their "God given" right to do whatever they want.
There is no special relationship, there never was. It's America first, last and only that.
I have watched, CNN, Fox news, HLN and others for the past two weeks and on no occasion did they ever mention events anywhere else in the world unless it concerned American troops killing them.
- Kerry Trubee, Purley
Of course the Americans are idiots, that goes without saying, but what damage was done to the post-invasion effort, I wonder, by what the Major General blithely calls "consent and evasion" of orders? That does not sound like an effective chain of command.
- Bloke, Lambeth
I think it's time the myth of the "special relationship" was laid to rest once and for all. The UK should finally admit that it is part of Europe, not part of America.
High-handed treatment isnothing new. When I was doing my national service in the British army I worked in a major communications centre in Germany and we worked mainly with GCHQ and an American station in Helbronn. In 1965, around the time of the Hungarian uprising, the Americans deliberately cut contact with us for several days...
No wonder our toops have had trouble trying to work with Americans in Iraq.
- Pete Moss, Teignmouth, UK
"...Americans believed in pursuing, detaining and killing insurgents....". If you talk to any American soldier of any rank who took part in the Iraq war, they will all say the aim was revenge for the attack on the world trade centre. Any possible thought of "nation building" was hardly on the agenda.
- Patrick, Dalston
