SAS ect to be unmasked?....

[spike7451]

Saw this posted over on E-Goat.OK,it's from the wail & it stinks of spin.

Wail on Sunday

The incredible heroics of the Special Forces could be revealed for the first time under plans to lift their veil of secrecy.

The Mail on Sunday has learned that the Government may scrap the practice of never commenting on the clandestine operations of the Special Air Service (SAS) and Special Boat Service (SBS).

A confidential Ministry of Defence review is considering dropping the publicity ban and shedding more light on the vital work of these forces. That could include the MoD confirming the names and details of members killed in action on operations.

But many within the MoD and the Armed Forces believe the publicity ban is vital for the elite soldiers’ security.

‘People are very divided on this. Some feel the forces don’t get the recognition for what they do. Others say that the rules are there to protect them,’ said a source.

Even the existence of the internal review, understood to have been ordered by Defence ministers, was being regarded as a State secret. The MoD yesterday said it was not aware that the policy was being reconsidered.

But authoritative sources later confirmed that officials had been debating the merits of bringing Special Forces’ work into the open – with the strict proviso it did not endanger them.

Some senior Government figures believe revealing more information about the forces could help win support for the war in Afghanistan.

One official said: ‘At present we cannot even name personnel if they are killed on operation.’

Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth is understood to be sympathetic to the idea.

But Tory defence spokesman Liam Fox warned: ‘War is not a PR exercise. If we can give our troops adequate praise without compromising them, that’s one thing, but we must never allow missions to become media-led.’

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-elite-operations.html#comments#ixzz0Xd8tKdS3

 

[Werewolf]

If Sideshow Bob thinks it's a good idea - that's when you run like fcuk!

 

[Faustic]

In all honesty, the secrecy behind the doings of the special forces is good PR for 'them' in itself. Gets the public intrigued whenever "SAS" is mentioned. Just look at all the GENUINE SAS SBS PARA items on Ebay

 

[Werewolf]

In all honesty, the secrecy behind the doings of the special forces is good PR for 'them' in itself. Gets the public intrigued whenever "SAS" is mentioned. Just look at all the GENUINE SAS SBS PARA items on Ebay

Or the shelves full of Special Forces Porn in any major bookshop.

 

[Volunteer]

If disclosure is to become policy, I simply ask, "Why?"

 

[Markintime]

Does this mean I'll be unmasked as the second man in?

 

[responder1]

Does this mean I'll be unmasked as the second man in?

You will be safe mate. FOI will still show you were still climbing the ladder behind me.

 

[PoisonDwarf]

The secrecy helps the myth, it's sod all to do with their security. Why should Cpl Joe Bloggs SAS have more right to anonymity than Cpl Joe Bloggs RIFLES? In the current climate they are both just as likely to have been in a well-publicised and politically-contentious firefight. Mr SAS is more likely to have been in a targeted raid but it's a completely arbitrary rule.

 

[responder1]

The secrecy helps the myth, it's sod all to do with their security. Why should Cpl Joe Bloggs SAS have more right to anonymity than Cpl Joe Bloggs RIFLES? In the current climate they are both just as likely to have been in a well-publicised and politically-contentious firefight. Mr SAS is more likely to have been in a targeted raid but it's a completely arbitrary rule.

Agreed. But there is more chance of 'Cpl Joe Bloggs SAS' being involved in other, more sensitive. jobs down the road. Away from the current front line there are still times when obscurity is of benefit.

 

[muhandis89]

Secrets should remain secret.

 

[Aunty Stella]

I'd say that the policy on "unmasking" fatalities has to be an SF one, not a Gov one.

If it was a Gov one then it is propaganda, pure and simple and the Gov will find a way of cashing in on it.

If it is an SF one then it is their decision to publicise the high percentage of guys that they lose.

My own personal opinion as a poor lowly ex squaddie that knows fcuk all about anything is that it should be left to the guys that are doing SF work at the moment (lets not forget that it is SAS, SBS and SRR, not just the SAS)

SF have mystique and maybe that part of that mystique (which fcuking frightens the bad guys) should be that deaths are never publicly broadcast. They are broadcast to people that need or genuinely want to know and therefore deliberately kept out of the public eye.

Personally, I think all SF deaths should be hidden or lied about. Our Special Forces should be kept in the vein that they were prior to the popular yet fictional stories that cropped up after Princes Gate.

That is scary mythical bastrds that can storm an Embassy, fcuk some Dagos, scare some Irish and never die. And if they do die, then they become Infantry or Paras in the write up.

 

[Semper_Flexibilis]

If disclosure is to become policy, I simply ask, "Why?"

Quite simple really…

Lots of really good PR photo ops to be had as 'Elicopters' Ainsworthless and Broon posture beside some real heros to bask in the reflected glory.

 

[Whiskybreath]

The sole purpose of any such move would be to allow the Minister (and the PM; let's not forget the PM) to bask in reflected glory. No other purpose can possibly be served. The damage that would be caused would far outweigh any perceived benefit. A New Labour Project bright idea from start to finish, dreamed up by some cretin who can see the dole queue looming and is now thinking in the short term rather than the Thousand-Year Reich Alastair Campbell promised him.

 

[Tommy]

In all honesty, the secrecy behind the doings of the special forces is good PR for 'them' in itself. Gets the public intrigued whenever "SAS" is mentioned. Just look at all the GENUINE SAS SBS PARA items on Ebay

Or the shelves full of Special Forces Porn in any major bookshop.

Bravo! (no pun intended)

 

[Turk]

Personally i would like to know more, proffesionally it's best kept a secret. We don't want to end up like the yanks.

 

[shock]

I personally think that it is totally wrong for Some senior Government figures to believe revealing more information about the forces could help win support for the war in Afghanistan.

It is not the senior Government figures lives being put on the line ,It is the SAS and SBS lives who are being put most at risk because Some senior Government figures think that revealing more information about the forces could help win support for the war in Afghanistan which is totally wrong and it would put the SAS and SBS lives in more danger

 

[Gremlin]

I personally think that it is totally wrong for Some senior Government figures to believe revealing more information about the forces could help win support for the war in Afghanistan.

It is not the senior Government figures lives being put on the line ,It is the SAS and SBS lives who are being put most at risk because Some senior Government figures think that revealing more information about the forces could help win support for the war in Afghanistan which is totally wrong and it would put the SAS and SBS lives in more danger

I PerSonaLly wIsh YOu woUld SOD off!

 

[shroud_shifter]

Fuck off Chubb.

 

[tearsbeforebedtime]

I believe to publish a picture of you they need your written consent. I overheard a bit of a flap about this with 19X. "The CO will sign for all of them", "No, it has to be the soldiers, otherwise we can't use them!"

You cannot be forced to speak to the press.

If you don't want to you don't have to.

 

[tangosix]

Hello,

Some senior Government figures believe revealing more information about the forces could help win support for the war in Afghanistan.

There may be good reasons to reduce the secrecy surrounding special forces operations but a minister/spin doctor wanting to generate support for government policy is not one of them.


tangosix.