US Air Force finds stiff upper lip...

[Hutch]

....instead of trembling legs.

According to this article the US Air Force ruled that US Servicemembers can now go into London, rescinding a rule that banned them from going to London.

This did not set well with some British folks and papers:

With London being urged to continue as normal despite the city being placed on its highest ever terror alert, CNN's Robyn Curnow said the ban had stirred up controversy in the UK media.

We trust the four million Americans who come to London each year are made of sterner stuff than the U.S. Air Force," the Daily Mail newspaper said.

Actually, despite poking some fun at the USAF, I can understand the reasoning and probably it was in some manual/regulation/SOP that the Base Commander was obligated to follow with the raising of the Threat Condition he undoubtedly imposed after the initial bombings.

But it does look bad at a time when the Brits are being congratulated for getting about life and not letting the terrorists take control for the US Military to be seen as hiding out. Makes perfect militiary/security sense, but bad impressions.

Well, they have lifted it, apparently they saw the dichotomy as well as we can.

 

[Zep]

SOP and probably very sensible all round, especially given the political climate too.

The Daily Mail is probably just a sensationalist tabloid. Forget it.

 

[Jaggy Bunnet]

SOP and probably very sensible all round, especially given the political climate too.

The Daily Mail is probably just a sensationalist tabloid. Forget it.

No probably about it.

 

[Cylinder]

I was at RAF Lakenheath for 6 years. The order made sense for the day of the attack. Keeping airmen out of London would be like ordering airmen not to drink - not very likely. Commanders always err to the side of host nation sensitivities - keeping US forces out of domestic issues. I'm glad the order was lifted and doubt that this faux pas will have any lasting effect on British public sentiment toward USAFE.

 

[Cylinder]

We actually have a member here currently serving in the 48TFW. Maybe they can clear this issue up first-hand for us.

 

[brodski]

The Daily Mail is probably just a sensationalist tabloid. Forget it.

The daily mail is perhaps the most rightwing daily newspaper in the UK, it is extremly Jingoistic and Xenophobic, all foreigners are by definition bad, Americans and Australians are just about tolerated in its pages, they are seen as almost British, and therefore not a completely lost cause.

The daily mail is also (IMHO) the paper most likely to contain woo claims, epically on alternative health, and was at the heart of the UK anti-vax movement. You should probably pay as much attention to a daily mail article on any foreign country as you would to a Fox News story on France.

 

[mbp]

The Daily Mail may have their own spin on it, but the story is true enough.
Here's the bbc version.

 

[Zep]

The daily mail is perhaps the most rightwing daily newspaper in the UK, it is extremly Jingoistic and Xenophobic, all foreigners are by definition bad, Americans and Australians are just about tolerated in its pages, they are seen as almost British, and therefore not a completely lost cause.

The daily mail is also (IMHO) the paper most likely to contain woo claims, epically on alternative health, and was at the heart of the UK anti-vax movement. You should probably pay as much attention to a daily mail article on any foreign country as you would to a Fox News story on France.

I stand educated. Thanks.

 

[JJEagan]

I'm not allowed partake in forums on my govt. computer, but I had to post. I am stationed at RAF Lakenheath and was at work when the unfortunate events happened. I think the Base made the right decision when they ordered us into a higher FPCON level. The travel ban was only in affect for one duty day; again, the right choice IMHO.