Comments for Red Flag at http://www.michaelyon-online.com , comment 1 to 54 out of 20 comments http://www.michaelyon-online.com Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:11:46 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/red-flag.htm#comment-16988 About this Rykehaven personality, I suggest readers to ignore him/her/it. His intention is to provoke and set you to climb the wall so he can sit and laugh about it. You can't debate or educate someone who don't want the facts but only to be a provocateur. Ignore him people, and he'll feel ignored and go somewhere else with his drivel and his lack of military knowledge, he's just a wanna be. - Snafu Tue, 20 Jan 2009 00:01:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/red-flag.htm#comment-16881 Michael thank you keep up the good work - Corneleus Bushwhacker Wed, 14 Jan 2009 11:33:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/red-flag.htm#comment-16880 Mr Rykehaven on the subject of cowardice......have you? been in the face of it? Know what it is like facing life and death situations? Do you know the feel of the little things that catch up with you afterwards? Do you know the feel of over pressure when the JDAM hits a target at danger close, a grenade that explodes off a few feet away or an IED as it hits the vehicle infront of you? Do you know what it's like to recharge magazines in the blistering heat whilst tracer pass over your head, changing the red hot barrel of a GPMG (M240) or the ringing in your ears, the sweat dripping in your eyes, the dry coppery taste in your mouth and the sensation of your heart leaping out of you chest? Do you know the sound of the crack and thump of incoming small arms, the screams of 'man down' and do you know what it's like to hold a dressing over a friends wound where he's been hit? Do you know what it's like to take another mans life - at close range, when you see the shock register in his face, the effects of your rounds inpacting on his body? Do you know what it's like to deal with the parents of a fallen comrade? Mr Rykehaven, I find you comments ill informed, without substance and damn right disrespectful. As a serving British soldier in an Infantry Battalion I can honestly say I have worked alongside the Americans, Austalians, Kiwis, Canadians, Dutch, Danes et al and I can see little difference, at the end of the day a soldier is a soldier no matter the uniform we wear or the rifle we carry we do as we are told and fight for each other. If I am sent to help an American Soldier then I will, if I am sent into the attack being supported by Danish Tanks, Dutch aircraft, American Artillery, Australian Mortars with the LD marked by Canadian Troops then great I know I have professional, well trained people supporting me. So why don't you step down from your soap box and sit back down in your arm chair, Herr General and stop spouting drivel about what you are ill informed - Thank you. - Cornelleus Bushwhacker Wed, 14 Jan 2009 11:29:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/red-flag.htm#comment-16875 Discussions like this one remind me of one of Churchill's sayings: "there is only one thing worse than fighting a war with allies, and that is fighting a war without any" - chicken_jim Wed, 14 Jan 2009 07:17:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/red-flag.htm#comment-16872 I think it's kind of humorous that I write something in support of the Brits and get negative comments from 2 people about it. ScottBA, there are 2 SAS on my Husband's team, and their rivalry is quite friendly, not 18th cent, and to Plant-Life, duh. - casstx Wed, 14 Jan 2009 02:31:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/red-flag.htm#comment-16865 While I appreciate your Google results you have missed my point entirely. You start your first post with an insult. You sought to insinuate that ALL Americans are as your post suggests. You confuse the difference of the citizens with the government. As Mr. Yon pointed out, the differences and therefore the opinions, the American and Brit soldiers have are unique to the individual. While I appreciate your hatred of America, I wonder if you came here to get a rise out of someone who would take the bait with YOUR biased and unsubstantiated "facts" just so you could prove your "point". Your follow up response proves what I thought all along. I am sure that you and I could go on for hours flexing our muscles about what country is better or worse. I am just as sure that at the end of the day we would both see that our countries each have strengths and weaknesses, which is why it is so important for our countries to be allies. Just because a few soldiers, here or there, have expressed a dislike for each other does not mean that our alliance is any less strong, which was the point of Mr. Yon's post in regards to the biased New York Times article. What saddens me the most is the outright attack that you felt you needed to express here. Mr. Yon places his life on the line to report to us the truths of what is happening on the battlefield and I, for one, trust his reports more than any other outlet that exists. He supports OUR, (yes...yours and mine) troops. While it would be interesting to have an actual conversation with someone from Britain about the reason some feel the need to attack our troops and our country and what brought them to the point that they feel like they need too, you, Mr. Brown, would not be my choice. Have a blessed day Mr. Brown. - Lori Tue, 13 Jan 2009 21:44:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/red-flag.htm#comment-16855 I am retired military and have served in two branches of the US armed forces. Members of the Royal Navy and RAF I encountered along the way were uniformly impressive for their esprit and professionalism. And, Michael, your recent observations of operations with units of the British Army only confirm what I had expected to hear about them. To use a UK colloquialism they "punch well above their weight." And apparently by a large margin, the consensus of other posters here bears me out. Of course, given the large number of commentators, unanimity isn't to be expected nor should it be; everyone has a right to his/her own opinion. However the way some people express their opinion says more about themselves than those about whom they are opining. Exhibit "A" would have to be Rykehaven. His comments are so full of hyperbole (def., exaggerated statements not to be taken literally) that it is impossible to give them credence and be taken at face value; i.e., Michael's writing "drivel,'" Royal Armed Forces' [sic, there is no such thing] "cowardice", Michaels' favorable commentary can only be ascribed to nothing other than concern for 'British "access"',' Michael's factual accounting of events viewed as a "defense of the British," "let's put the lie to your ass-covering," etc., ad nauseam, and I do mean ad nauseam. Rykehaven's postings, beginnings to ends, reeks of so much gratuitous maliciousness and goes so far afield from rational dissent or disagreement that one can only wonder about his motivation, not to speak of his state of mind; more than just a little redolent of neurosis and paranoia at the least. It's not only the Brits who are the focus of Rykehaven's ire. As someone else suggested, Googling his name reveals some really remarkable diatribes on other websites about the relationships of the US with countries in which we have military facilities. Of course, there is malfeasance if not out right treachery abounding everywhere according to Rykehaven which he ascribes to the "State Department and Washington and the rest is the craven treachery of the locals." References to our allies without exception are always enclosed in quotations, i.e., "allies," inferring scornfully that they are not worthy of really being considered as such; of course, really just the opposite. And lest anyone doubt the assurance and authority with which Rykehaven delivers his pontifications, they are liberally larded throughout with bureaucratic jargon and acronyms, i.e., SOS for Secretary of State, SOFA for Status of Forces Agreement, etc. - A. Johnson Tue, 13 Jan 2009 12:46:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/red-flag.htm#comment-16842 although I have never served in a combat environment with UK soldiers, my observation of those elements I served with in Germany is that they were highly professional and competent, and I see no reason to believe their conduct in a combat environment would be any less. - Dana L. Williams Mon, 12 Jan 2009 18:51:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/red-flag.htm#comment-16839 Im afraid your post is essentially made up of air. your life expectancy is lower than britain for a start (45th in the world, britain is 37th), your mortality rate for infants is 6.5 per 1000, britain is 5. "Our execution rate is higher because we put up with less crap than the rest of the world does" well thats not true at all, your crime rates are some of the highest in the western world. "and we don't have to pay, with our tax dollars, for those who rape our children and murder our families" it costs a lot of money to keep someone on death row. and certainly everyone who kills does not get to be executed, let alone rape. "I question your literacy statement. I would put our high school students up against yours any day of the week." thats great, but most objective studies dont show the US even in the top 10. the dutch, canada, finland are regularly near the top btw. "Might I also point out that in Britain that there are folks who pull their own teeth because the government either refuses to help or the price is so high that they have no other options" there was one old guy who couldnt be bothered to go to the dentist. it wasnt a epidemic, it was him being lazy. "A perfect example is Canada, they have a public health system" canada's system is not properly public, it is mainly provided by private companies. by the way, trips for americans to get cheaper care to canada has generated over a billion for canada. if your worried about your tax dollars, the US spends the most per capita in the world attempting to maintain the private sector healthcare, which ranks a substandard 37th in the world. "Might I ask you when the next terrorist attack will happen in YOUR land? We haven't had one since 9/11. Can you say the same thing?" what point are you trying to make here? is there some race? but we wouldnt want to use the suffering of thousands of people for a worthless debate like this surely? so i ask again your point with this statement. "While you are learning Mandarin," you owe the chinese a lot of money, they have subsidised your government, in the US 4.4% are chinese, in britain 0.4%. oh and does learning a language mean that your somehow subservient to that country? you are speaking english after all so im curious to whether your intended insult stretches to other languages? "and let's not forget Muslim because we know they are taking over your country" what all 2.7% of them? "and defend the basic HUMAN rights of those who can't defend themselves" neither war was ever about human rights. please dont sprout this. unless your planning to deploy to Zimbabwe tomorrow? "and we take the words of the likes of you as nothing but a bitter, jealous idiot who listens to a media who creates sensationalism to make more money." this is a nice nonsensical rant. what does money making have to do with not agreeing with you?. not to mention hypocritical considering the accusations you've attempted to make previously, which have obviously been plucked from biased media sources. "and we are the WORLDS BEST CITIZENS" how are you quantifying that? your post is entirely misinformed, whilst i dont back up his comments i would appreciate it if you made sense and used correct knowledge. it is exactly that attitude that you have shown that makes people have a negative view of americans. as someone who has family in both the british and american forces, who have been deployed, on both teams, in both operations, much kudos to Mr Yon for being the eyes on the ground for us, this reporting is exactly what mainline media and the armchair blogger blabble has been missing. Carry on the good work. there are idiots on both sides of every fence but there are also innumerable heroes. - toxicseagull Mon, 12 Jan 2009 04:22:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/red-flag.htm#comment-16838 Any soldier that didn't believe with all his heart that he was a soldier in the finest army in the world wouldn't be much of a soldier. I appreciate that Americans believe that anything that is not American is a step down, but I can assure you that a British soldier can shoot, piss and spit just as straight and just as far as any American soldier and would be willing to die to prove it. I would remind you that we are allies, and have been for many, many years. It seems to me that America is bent on alienating their friends (Canadians and Brits) even more than their enemies. I don't think I've ever witnessed such an example of throwing the baby out with the bathwater. - Mike Mon, 12 Jan 2009 04:08:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/red-flag.htm#comment-16837 Something -- many things -- about your comments bothered me, but I couldn't quite get to the bottom of it. You do imitate a thoughtful, knowledgeable writer well. But then I came to this referring to Yon: "If some random journalist walked up to me and started asking leading questions (no matter what the subject), I'd ignore you/blow-you-off too. It wouldn't be because I like or respect the British. ANY US military serviceman would react the same way: We'd ignore in that situation." You are unmasked by your own words. "Some random journalist?!!" You, sir, are a mirage. You seem to be something, and you do that well, but upon closer approach you disappear like nothing but the hot air you are. - Bill Smith Sun, 11 Jan 2009 19:53:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/red-flag.htm#comment-16836 Google " Rykehaven" and check out his comments on other blogs - spend some time on it, it's worth it. HE IS A VERY ANGRY MAN. My favourite is an exchange he gets into with a Kerry supporter who turns out to be ex-forces. I'm not sure what gives a retired Petty Officer the right to speak for the entire US Military - but there you go. - Son Charno Sun, 11 Jan 2009 19:31:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/red-flag.htm#comment-16835 Mr. Brown, you asked: Is it any wonder the world hates this attitude? Here in the USA, it isn't an attitude. It is confidence in fine fighting men and women that serve our country. Might I suggest that you are a bit jealous? Last time I checked our life expectancy is 86-90. How much longer are we supposed to live? Those are pretty darn impressive numbers if you ask me. Are you complaining that our infant mortality rate is lower than the rest of the world? We should be proud of that. Our execution rate is higher because we put up with less crap than the rest of the world does and we don't have to pay, with our tax dollars, for those who rape our children and murder our families. I question your literacy statement. I would put our high school students up against yours any day of the week. 40 million can't afford health care? You read the New York Times, obviously. Let's not forget that last year was an election year and our media has a tendency to inflate issues. Yes, more needs to be done about our health care but we are dealing with it. A public health system, you suggest? Why would we want to allow our government to DICTATE to us about whom we seek out for our health needs. A perfect example is Canada, they have a public health system and millions come HERE for treatment. Might I also point out that in Britain that there are folks who pull their own teeth because the government either refuses to help or the price is so high that they have no other options. If that is an example of publice health, then by golly, you can keep it. If that is an example of CARING then you have been fed a bucket full of BS. How long before our next president is assassinated? No one knows, just as you don't know when the Prime Minister would be a target. Might I ask you when the next terrorist attack will happen in YOUR land? We haven't had one since 9/11. Can you say the same thing? Yes Mr. Brown, this is the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave and we are PROUD people. Proud of this country, proud of our soldiers, past and present and most definately humbled by their sacrifices. While you are learning Mandarin, and let's not forget Muslim because we know they are taking over your country, we, the proud and CONFIDENT Americans will be sending our troops to where they are needed to fight for those who can't. We will stand proudly beside the Brits, Canadians and Aussies and defend the basic HUMAN rights of those who can't defend themselves because we ARE a Christian country and we take the words of the likes of you as nothing but a bitter, jealous idiot who listens to a media who creates sensationalism to make more money. Not just our media, but yours as well. Believe what you will Mr. Brown. We will keep on keeping on, with the worlds approval or not, because WE ARE THE WORLDS BEST MILITARY and we are the WORLDS BEST CITIZENS and we live, with respect, with those who defend the rights of others. Something, obviously, your parents forgot to teach you. - Lori Sun, 11 Jan 2009 19:08:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/red-flag.htm#comment-16834 I seriously doubt it . What do you think of this? please let your local hedge fund manager know about this in any way you feel comfrotable with. http://www.deepcapture.com/hedge-funds-to-us-soldier-i-need-a-maybach-so-you-can-die-too/ - Ken Lay Sun, 11 Jan 2009 18:01:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/red-flag.htm#comment-16832 Michael, It is refreshing to receive information and commentary from you! As I read the articles and comments of others I am grateful for your sane objectivity in the midst of so much misinformation, lies and emotional blather! Thank you! - listener Sun, 11 Jan 2009 17:24:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/red-flag.htm#comment-16830 Rykehaven: For someone apparently in the US military, you seem to have an astonishing amount of time to sit and post drivel on internet forums. For a start, you can't even get your basic facts right: there is no 'Royal Armed Forces'. That is quite concerning seeing as you allude to briefing Captain-level military personnel. "Iƒ??m talking about having a meeting in the wardroom with the senior crew, and the discussion turns to the latest British screw-up such as their VBSS and Royal Marines getting captured by the Iranians." Presumably, the discussion then turned to the capture of US military personnel by the Iranian navy in 2003? Military operations throughout history have included mistakes. The US military has a proud history and my utmost respect, but you are in no position to slam UK operations given US failures in places like Somalia (of course, had that been a UK operation you would have blamed the troops rather than the guilty politicians), Beirut, The Iranian hostage crisis in 1980 and the capture of the ship the USS Pueblo (note, not a small inflatable boarding craft as in the case of the Royal Navy in 2007) by North Korea in the 1960s. These are examples of political and military mistakes which are inherant in war, despite the bravery of US or UK military personnel. The UK has sustained substantial causualties in Iraq and Afghanistan, which would not had been incurred had they not been taking the fight to the enemy in both theatres. I knew a British soldier killed in Afghanistan and a tougher, steadier man you could not meet. Your disrespect for all the thousands of UK personnel injured and hundereds of Uk personnel killed in recent years is sickening. In Iraq, insufficient resources were committed and UK politicians successively decided to scale down UK ops. That is not the fault of the military (who are still operating in the centre of Basra).You also seem to forget that UK troops moved North to temporarily replace US forces heading for Fallujah in 2004 and sustained substantial casualties there as well. You must have read Michael's reports on Southern Iraq in 2007. Presumably you mean to suggest that his coverage of strike operations by the British were faked? Presumably, so are the other overwhelmingly positive comments on the British posted on this very website by US personnel who have served with the British? Your opinion seems to be quite isolated, deosn't it? "Or does it trouble you that those who've been reading your dispatches are being blind-sided by this reality because you avoided this subject, knowing it might restrict your British "access" if you told your readers the truth? " Your disdain for Michael Yon, a man willing to put his life on the line to properly cover the wars in Iraq and Afghanista is evident. Why, then, do you keep visiting this wesbite? I'm sure Mr. Yon hs no financial need to cover a multi-national ally. Most of Mr. Yon's readership are American, with a natural heightened interest in US forces. I,for one, am very grateful for Mr. Yon's excellent work. - Stevey Sun, 11 Jan 2009 15:31:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/red-flag.htm#comment-16828 Good job - I think this will also be well read at Army.ca (Canadian equivalent of ARRSE) with interest as well. - Tony Sun, 11 Jan 2009 13:24:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/red-flag.htm#comment-16827 Mr Yon is on the ball as per, what we really need in the UK is a US invasion to rid us our Government. They have no scrupples about commiting our soldiers to military operations in order to capture good headlines - otherwise known as 'spin' - but have not the faintest care or clue as to the implications and responsibilities that go with those decisions. I like the US, you are our brothers and I have great respect for your Armed Forces but you all need to understand that by far the hardest fight Her Majesties Forces face is with our slimy and treacherous neo-communist Goverment. They will not rest until they have destroyed the traditions and fighting capabilities of HMF because we are all that stand between them and their dream of a neo-communist dictatorship. Why didn't we finish the job in Basra? Because Blair was so frightened of the bad publicity large casualty figures would bring he bottled it and left us swinging in the breeze. Do you think British soldiers liked that??! If we don't have a change of Government soon then an equally shameful situation is likely to develop in Helmand, not because ofthe men on the ground but because of the scum pulling the strings in London. Yet you are presenting medals to Blair, the architect of HMF's problems - looks like he's conned you lot too. - The ghost of Pongo Wearing Sun, 11 Jan 2009 10:28:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/red-flag.htm#comment-16825 Meanwhile, Glenn Brown, you'll be speaking Mandarin too, and I guess it'll be all right with you, as long as you got to take the piss out of us once more. Jackass. I won't bother to rebut your incorrect statistics but it's funnier than Benny Hill how you can say anything you want about us and we have to swallow it (I mean turning a hair at "septic" makes us look like some kind of rubes, eh?), but any criticism of you, whether entirely fair or maybe a little over the top, absolutely sends you into fits of diarrhea. I don't know why this Rykehaven is so hard on you lot, but while I feel bad for any other Brit who may be exposed to it, somehow I don't mind when it's you. - Nichevo Sun, 11 Jan 2009 04:08:00 +0100 http://www.michaelyon-online.com/red-flag.htm#comment-16824 funny..I was just thinking about gifting a pistol to a friend in the Britain's service (who previously gifted me a knife)...I don't think he could take it home tho... :| wtf and lol - Orbit Rain Sun, 11 Jan 2009 03:59:00 +0100