The first casualty of war is the truth - and it seems we are faced with yet another example of this in the Linda Norgrove affair. This story bears all the hallmarks of why so many people are so critical of American foreign policy - and why they are so critical at the fact that we in the UK continue to follow and suppport the US.
For a start, the US and UK have made themselves very unpopular in the the Muslim world, which makes their citizens a more likely target for kidnappings of this kind (which is not the same as saying this unpopularity is deserved (though it is understandable), and nor is it the same as saying that they are to blame for the kidnappings).
Secondly, with stereotypical self-confidence it seems the US forces ignored local advice in preventing influential local elders and mullahs from negotiating with the captors so that they could rush in using force.
Thirdly, having chosen aggression over negotiation, they screwed it up. In general, they may well be a very professional, effective fighting unit, but they attract too many 'friendly fire' headlines - here's just one.
And finally, having done all that, it seems they lied about what happened.
Imperialism, arrogance, aggression, incompetence, dishonesty. While I'd like to think that with Tony Blair gone, we'll hold them fully to account for this, I suspect that our 'special relationship' with the US will prevent us (or rather, David Cameron) from doing this. But wouldn't it be great if, just for once, David Cameron would say publicly to Barack Obama "You gung-ho Americans have once again gone in unthinkingly, with all guns blazing, and caused the death of yet another innocent civilian. We've had enough, the rest of the world's had enough. Grow up, and start behaving like a civilised country."
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