Wednesday, January 15, 2003

Viva Travel

A spur of the moment opportunity to blow out of town cropped up last week and so off I went.

The environment was not computer friendly -- hence not even sporadic postings...

Bad me.

Turns out I came home only to leave again tomorrow.

It happens.

There are many tales that I'd like to post about the trip... maybe I can get it done on the road this week.

But no promises -- I am a lazy beast.

Other than that -- how about the first day of Article 32 action at Barksdale Air Force Base?

I've only had time to read the piece at the NY Times -- Court-Martial Hearing Begins for U.S. Pilots -- but this choice bit concerning the FUBAR'd comms situation is of particular interest:

Captain Jasper (Canadian OIC on the ground -- his unit suffered the losses) bolstered Mr. Beck's (One of the Defense attorneys) contention that breakdowns in communication went uncorrected: he testified that his regiment had nearly been strafed by friendly aircraft a month before the bombing.

In an interview on Monday, Mr. Beck said he would introduce evidence showing that communication problems were well known to Air Force commanders. Nearly a month before the bombing, he said, a group of Air Force officers sought a meeting with senior commanders, warning that failing to address those problems "would increase the likelihood of fratricide." Tonight, ABC News reported that it had obtained classified documents confirming as much. "No one on same page, safety measure not taken or understood, Theater Air Control system not functional," the documents warned.

Here is the link to the ABC bit referenced above... Friendly Fire Bombshell.

Could this classified leak be a sign of the sympathy this case is generating in the ranks?

posted by Bohica at 1:36 AM