Andy McNab News

The Sun
A dark shadow over our Army – Iraq torture death report: Chief slams Brits’ assault

By David Willets, Defence Correspondent
Published: 09 Sep 2011

The sadism of a handful of Brit troops implicated in an Iraqi dad’s death was blasted yesterday as a “dark shadow” over our Army’s proud reputation.

Last night the squaddies involved were waiting to learn if they face charges as their brutality against captives in Basra was laid bare in a sickening dossier.

The report — into the death of innocent father-of-two Baha Mousa — exposed them as savagely out of control as prisoners were put through hell.

Army supremo General Sir Peter Wall said of the high standards expected of our forces: “The shameful circumstances of Baha Mousa’s death have cast a dark shadow on that reputation. This must not happen again.”

Go here to read the full article in The Sun 

MyView
by Andy McNab

“This was an isolated incident where the command and control structure completely broke down.

But don’t judge the rest of the Army on the behaviour of this bunch.

The Army is not a knitting club, we train our men to be aggressive, to fight and to kill.

Their lives depend on it. But that aggression must be controlled.

What happened here was the chain of command did not have a grip on it.

They lost control and the consequences were tragic. But it is an isolated incident. You have to welcome this report, no one is covering up.”

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The Sun
By John Kay, Chief Reporter
07 Jul 2011

The Ministry of Defence spends three times as much money helping top officers’ children attend elite private schools as it does compensating soldiers injured in Afghanistan.

(..) But the MoD – which faces severe cost-cutting measures – found cash to subsidise the children of more than 5,000 officers to attend top schools.

Go to the Sun to read the full article and find out what this is all about

myView
By ANDY McNAB

“The education allowance is a success story for all sorts of reasons. The Armed Forces remain one of the few places where ordinary people can really achieve social mobility through hard work.

This scheme is open to all ranks and it is money well spent on the children because they are getting a top-class education.

It is also money well spent on our servicemen and women who travel constantly for work.

If they take advantage of this, they stand to gain a great deal.”

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The ForceSelect Foundation is planning to embark on an epic road trip across the U.S. this month with notable UK rock stars including Luke Morley of legendary rock band Thunder and the Union to raise funds for small military charities across the UK.

Bestselling author and SAS hero Andy McNab and Brigadier Richard Dennis OBE, the British Army’s Director of Infantry, will form part of the ForceSelect team with Peter Shoulder of the Union, who won the WC Handy Award from the Blues Foundation of America, previously only won by Eric Clapton and Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac.

The road trip sets off from Cranbrook in Canada on July 11 and will take in the stunning scenery including Glacier National Park, thought to be one of the greatest rides in the US. It finishes six days and 1,000 miles later in Ketchum, USA, where there will be a concert to raise further charitable funds.

The ‘Great British Invasion’ concert, which will also raise funds for US and Canadian military charities, will entertain thousands of fans at the Sun Valley Pavilion with bands such as The Union, winners of Classic Rock Awards’ Best New Breakthrough Band 2010, Thunder and Marina V.

The ForceSelect Foundation, which is led by former Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Mike Jackson, raises funds from charity initiatives, corporate and individual donations and a percentage of the profits from leading recruitment consultancy and sister company, ForceSelect to support smaller military charities that are struggling for funding.

Andy McNab said: “I cannot wait to get on the Harley and drive off into the sunset. I’m a great fan of the film Easy Rider and it’s been an ambition of mine for some time to see Canada and the US from a bike. This will be a once in a lifetime experience and something I’m really looking forward to.”

Go here to read the full article

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The Sun
Harry ‘hunted and tortured’ in drill
Warrior Prince’s practice for being shot down

Published: 17 Jun 2011

PRINCE Harry will head back to war against the Taliban after SAS training that will see him hunted down – and TORTURED.
The Apache helicopter pilot, 26 – who The Sun revealed yesterday is returning to Afghanistan – faces three days of hell learning to cope with being shot down behind enemy lines.

Go here to read the full article in The Sun

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By Andy McNab
Sun Security Expert

If things go pear-shaped and Harry loses his aircraft he needs to become a soldier who is equally effective on the ground.

The “escape and evasion” training is rehearsed as realistically as possible.

When I did mine it was the hardest in my whole military career. But it prepares you for what’s coming – and make no mistake, Harry will be roughing it like the rest.

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Amid battle scenes that have been described by one commander as the most
intense “since the Korean War,” the BBC’s Alastair Leithead, award-winning
cameraman Fred Scott and field producer Peter Emmerson spent nine days with
U.K. forces in a remote area of southern Afghanistan. There they found
themselves under the constant risk of ambush and attack.

This past fall, as the BBC team was embedded with the troops, the struggle
intensified between British troops and the forces of the Taliban. Around 5,800
U.K. troops are stationed in Afghanistan, following the U.S.-led invasion in
October 2001, and to date more than 40 have been killed. The majority of the
deployment is in Helmand, an area of major Taliban activity and opium
production.

The filmmakers gained unique, prolonged access to the soldiers of the Royal
Marines 3 Commando Brigade as they fought a shifting and elusive Taliban
threat. Every day, the fighting continues to destroy buildings and lives-
forcing people from their homes. Battlefield Afghanistan is a daring film that
takes viewers directly to the frontlines and questions whether the NATO forces
are losing the battle for the hearts and minds of the Afghan people.

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The Sun
5 April 2011

David Cameron was blasted last night for hailing the bravery of RAF Top Guns over Libya – just as forces heroes were sacked back home.
The PM heaped praise on daring Tornado and Typhoon pilots as he arrived at their Italian air base Gioia del Colle. Yet hours earlier he had ordered Defence Secretary Liam Fox to slash 2,600 more soldiers, sailors and pilots from the ranks, while Britain fights wars in Libya AND Afghanistan.

Go here to read the full article in The Sun

The Sun’s security adviser Andy McNab said: “The military don’t want to lose anyone and there are many arguments that we shouldn’t be losing anyone.

“These cuts are coming from politicians. It’s a dark day for the military.”

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