Difference in US and UK Troops

Scottish News: DURING the Vietnam war, a popular response to the mantra of winning over the civilian population was "grab them by the balls, and their hearts and minds will follow". It is not a tactic, however, employed by British forces and the difference in approach is apparently leading to tension among troops.

A US special forces officer in Umm Qasr admitted it was sometimes difficult to contain the exuberance of men doing the fighting. They could overstep the mark, he said.

"You got to realise these guys are single-minded in their training. In the military it is look after yourself and your buddies - full stop.

"How do we know who the enemy is? Are the invading forces against Iraq or just the regime? Some of my guys have difficulty telling the difference."

"The British have a long history of colonialism and so of dealing with people of different races, and many soldiers have their experience of Northern Ireland to back them. At times, American warfare can be characterised by an overwhelming arrogance both militarily and in their culture. They assume that everyone wants to be an American."