Friend or foe

The military task in wartime is to find out where the enemy are and engage them. If the particular enemy individuals involved happen to have killed one of your mates a few days earlier there may be elements of vengeance in the feelings of the soldiers involved but that does not make the operation a ‘‘revenge attack’’. In itself it is a legitimate undertaking that does not deserve to be cheapened by emotive journalists’ language.

Civilians in war zones learn by observation how to minimise their chances of being seen when, for example, flares are fired at night or soldiers presumably equipped with night vision equipment approach. This means that they act like soldiers themselves in their attempts to stay safe. This in turn makes them look like combatants to the approaching soldiers, who have been briefed to expect an enemy. Tragically the rest is history.

By all means let’s discuss Hit & Run and the allegations in it, but let’s do so calmly and with an open mind. Cock-ups are always more likely than conspiracies. OWEN DANCE

Porirua