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| Britain |
| Unfriendly Fire |
| 2006-11-07 |
| From a blog, but too good to pass up Wonder how popular the BBC's Alastair Leithead is among the Royal Marines he's embedded with in southern Afghanistan. It's a dangerous place, what with rogue Taliban fighters, flying mortars and regular machine gun attacks. And then there's the other danger... clumsy journalists. "And there are other dangers - the 24-hour ration packs are very good and if there's time are heated up on small, metal solid fuel stoves which are light and ideal for boiling water. "The silver bags of ready made food are popped on and 10 or 15 minutes later the meal is piping hot. "I struck a heavy duty match or two on the side of the car and lit the stove, wandering off and thinking little of it, but the first match head had flicked onto a rucksack and it had caught fire. "Fred the cameraman spotted the flames licking about a gun propped up at the side and the fire was out in no time, but the fuel, and thousands of rounds of ammunition on board could well have gone up. It's when you realise the value of military discipline, and the dangers other than coming under fire of living a semi-nomadic life in the desert. "I've now been denied access to matches." |
| Posted by:Nimble Spemble |
| #6 I bet no one lends this fool any kit to make it through the night! Stupid is as stupid does. |
| Posted by: 49 Pan 2006-11-07 19:19 |
| #5 I doubt that the soldiers putting up with this git feel anywhere quite as generous about it as you do, Glenmore. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-11-07 15:23 |
| #4 We're all idiots about something. Give the guy some credit - he's out there, he's respectful (despite being BBC), and he isn't trying to blame somebody else (even seems to have a bit of a sense of humor about his shortcoming.) |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2006-11-07 14:50 |
| #3 Whatever you do, do not handle him a grenade! |
| Posted by: anonymous5089 2006-11-07 14:48 |
| #2 Another failed Darwin attempt. It's not easy folks, every year there are numerous failed attempts to produce just one bona fide Darwin Award winner. |
| Posted by: wxjames 2006-11-07 14:47 |
| #1 BBC or CNN. Will someone remove these idiots? |
| Posted by: Icerigger 2006-11-07 14:11 |