Anyone familiar with computer games will have come across Halo for the XBox and PC, it's a fantastic on-line multi-player extravaganza which is instantly addictive to FPS fans. Red .vs. Blue is a cartoon spin-off of the game is itself proving very popular.

What brought this to mind?

Well the news today is that the Yanks dropped a bomb on our front-line troops in Afganistan, killing 3 and badly wounding another 2 - this was referred to an a Blue on Blue incident.

So I'm wondering, is this entertainment mirroring real life, or are we starting to get military terminology from the computer game industry?

Much has been made over the odd case of friendly-fire over the last few years, but it's quite difficult to keep track of how many such incidents there are. I recall one in particular where a US fighter plane took out one of our armored personnel carriers and they ended up showing the cockpit recording on the news.

I can't help thinking that (as an avid computer game fan) I would have been more careful about where the laser guided bomb went, than the Yank in the cockpit controlling the live rounds.

British Commander ask Yanks (politely) to bugger off!

There is an article in the Scotsman this month that claims a British commander has asked the US military to withdraw its special forces from his area because the high level of civilian casualties they have caused is turning people against coalition soldiers.

So, you've got to think that either they don't care who and how many they shoot, or that their methods of shooting are a little inaccurate (to say the least). Now the Americans would have the world believe that they can control the delivery of explosives from aircraft with pin-point accuracy, so where exactly does that leave us?

Jenny21 from Queens seems to have hit the nail on the head, her comment was "The NYPD shoots civilians, why should the Afghans get special treatment ...?". It seems they are "used" to shooting first and asking question later ...

Living in hope

One does wonder wether old Bushy will get along with our new PM.

I suspect not.

So, we live in hope that one of George's stray bombs will rid us of the most dangerous man in British politics.. I guess you'd call that a Blue on Brown incident!