--------- Begin forwarded message ----------
From: Glenn M Wilson <warbeads@juno.com>
To: aitchuu@worldnet.att.net, triphibious@juno.com,
Dwarf_warrior@juno.com,warbeads@juno.com
Subject: Coalition Warfare at it's finest <grin>
Date: Mon, 21 May 2001 17:05:53 EDT
Message-ID: <20010522.141539.9055.3.warbeads@juno.com>
--------- Begin forwarded message ----------
From: "Wilson, Glenn M." <WilsonG@nima.mil>
Date: Fri, 18 May 2001 08:22:41 -0400
Message-ID: <8B9D41BEE275D3119E7E00805FBE64D3022ADDFD@stlx4>
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/asia-pacific/newsid_1336000/13364
07.s tm
Thursday, 17 May, 2001, 18:49 GMT 19:49 UK Emu 'in the line of fire'
US marines perform joint exercises all over the world Australian
environmentalists have called for an end to joint military exercises with US
troops, over what they see as the indiscriminate shooting of a harmless bird.
US Marines blasted an
emu, a large ostrich-like
flightless bird which Australia claims as a national symbol, with
semi-automatic
weapons after it strayed onto a training ground near Rockhampton in the state
of Queensland.
The Marine Corps ordered an immediate investigation into the incident.
The marines, based in Okinawa, Japan, were taking part in Tandem Thrust 2001,
a joint exercise involving 27,000 US and Australian troops with tanks,
artillery and warships.
Australian Wildlife Protection Agency president Pat O'Brien told ABC radio
that this was not the first such incident, and that on their last visit the
troops had shot and skinned wallabies for trophies.
"It shows that apart from the inconvenience to the local community, that these
large exercises should not be undertaken in Shoalwater Bay," he said.
After the incident, the marines were reportedly given a refresher course on
how to operate in the area.
A two-page document on how to treat the
local environment includes the warning: "Do not chase, harass or fire at
animals". The document also warns against taking animals as souvenirs.
Marine Corps spokesman Captain Jeffrey Pool told the French news agency AFP
that if the shooting was found to be deliberate the perpetrator would be
charged under US Marine regulations and Australian law.
But this was by no means certain, as the emu could have wandered into the line
of fire, he said.
Captain Pool added that US personnel were fond of Australian wildlife.
Last week, he said, a marine driving a truck broke his leg swerving into a
ditch to avoid a kangaroo.
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G'day Glenn,
> Emu 'in the line of fire'
To maybe give this some perspective.... the sensitivity may have less to do
with the fact an emu was shot and more to do with the fact parts of Shoalwater
Bay are currently under a native title decision (i.e. should control of the
land be returned to its traditional indigenous owners).
Cheers
Beth
> At 07:51 21/05/01 -0400, Glenn M Wilson wrote:
> Emu 'in the line of fire'
Actually the Shoalwater bay area has benefited from Army use. It's off limits
to the local community anyway, so there's no inconvenience by having a
exercise there. The fact that the army uses the land has protected the
environment in the long term, the ADF doesn't exercise repeatedly in the
same area, it moves somewhere else to allow the environment time to recover.
Also private industry can't get in there to really screw up the
environment (there have been several attempts to sand mine the beaches, but
that never got off the ground. Because of the ADF's need for a training area).
> After the incident, the marines were reportedly
Based on what I've little I know about Emus (large, flightless, fast running
birds) and having seen them out in the 'bush' and how wary they are I don't
think the shooting was accidential.
Maybe next time Australians exercise in the States they can bag a Bald Eagle:)
> At 10:48 AM +1000 22/5/2001, Derek Fulton wrote:
with a good chianti
> Based on what I've little I know about Emus (large, flightless, fast
I am a "local" living less than an hours drive from the training area and can
vouch for the usually cautious nature of emus. The unfortunate drivers of the
US truck that swerved and rolled to avoid a wallaby [smaller than a kangaroo]
were lucky that a small environmental disaster did not result from spilling
their cargo and POL around the crash site. Apparently the next briefing was to
NOT avoid a collision with marsupial in order to protect life, limb and the
rest of the bush.
That said, emus cannot read the firing range warning signs and flags and hence
the unfortunate results.
Back to a topic.
SG/DS
Perhaps a force could be tasked with the evacuation of randomly moving
livestock ahead of the advance of a relentless but hungry
"enemy".
The enemy could be: time as in a solitaire scenario, 'bugs' other humans.
Just a thought
***
Maybe next time Australians exercise in the States they can bag a Bald Eagle:)
***
We did a pretty fair job wiping them out ourselves; I think most of the 'come
back' is the count of birds in Alaska. From the US image of OZ, we'd figure
you've have little interest in spending much time there, but that
drifts into the discussion of acclimatization. ;->=
***
Back to a topic.
SG/DS
Perhaps a force could be tasked with the evacuation of randomly moving
livestock ahead of the advance of a relentless but hungry
"enemy".
The enemy could be: time as in a solitaire scenario, 'bugs' other humans.
***
I first had trouble imagining this, but decided it might be a mercenary
group rescuing a rare/expensive species.
The_Beast
-Douglas J. Evans, curmudgeon
One World, one Web, one Program - Microsoft promotional ad
Mr.Fulton, The only problem with this anology is that it's illegal in the US
to farm, eat and make things out of Bald Eagle skin. I don't believe that the
same is true of the EMU.
Appreciate the link. I actually know Jeff, the PAO identified in the story
(he's in for a ration out of this...). What he failed to identify was what
really happened. They weren't trying to kill the bird, they were trying to
scare the the bird into laying an egg. You may not realize what we put in the
boys chow while riding the tin cans to keep'm tame. It will all make sense if
you had just followed the related story:
http://news6.thdo.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/despatches/newsid_64000/64272.stm
Cheers, Scott
> > could have wandered into the line of fire, he
> On 22-May-01 at 08:22, devans@uneb.edu (devans@uneb.edu) wrote:
We have a pretty good population here in Florida. I saw a bald eagle out of my
office window about a month ago. Our local birders weren't impressed.
This thread is a dangerous one. To respond in any serious way is bound to
tread on somebody's toes. I think it's best if it's just killed right here.
Simply let it be said that I hear these sort of stories from all around the
world and it's as much the 'other guys' as it is the Americans.
Eli
> To: gzg-l@csua.berkeley.edu
> On Tue, 22 May 2001 07:22:09 -0500 devans@uneb.edu writes:
> We did a pretty fair job wiping them out ourselves; I think most of
Signs of Hope - each year there appears to be a few more eagles sighted
along the river near Saint Louis at a popular viewing site... Now, if we just
don't schedule any joint exercises nearby...
> ***
Evacuation of animals from a planet with the 'governor' browbeating the on
scene commander that it was 'vital' to rescue the herd as it
represented the wealth/spiritual mana of the locals (No herd = riots of
panicked civilians...
On Tue, 22 May 2001 22:09:03 +0900 "rttakezo" <rttakezo@konnect.net>
writes:
> Mr.Fulton,
MISTER Fulton? Isn't that Derek's Dad?
Sorry, Derek, had a giddy attack - my oldest is almost 30 (youngest
just
G'day Scott,
> Mr.Fulton,
I think you just made Derek's day;)
> The only problem with this anology
Just to clarify though farming with a permit is OK it is illegal to
intentionally harm a wild animal in Australia, emu or otherwise. However, I
think its only fair on Eli to point out that though Derek was making a half
serious point he was teasing more than anything;)
> They weren't trying to kill the
This would just make it all the funnier....though I'd have to say that I'd
never heard that emu shells were thought to be aphrodisiacs!!! Mind you the
adrenaline rush you'd get from daring to take a wild emu egg and surviving
would probably do a lot for you;)
At least they didn't take on a cassowary....
Beth
> At 10:09 22/05/01 +0900, you wrote:
Actually the analogy works really well once you realize that both animals are
icons to their respective countries;)