BBC News - Singer James Blunt 'prevented World War III' Blunt said he was willing to risk a court martial by rejecting the order from a US General. But he was backed by British Gen Sir Mike Jackson, who said: "I'm not going to have my soldiers be responsible for starting World War III." Listen to the sound clip by Jackson on that link. Also here. 10 minutes in.. BBC iPlayer - Pienaar's Politics: 14/11/2010 I do wonder about Pienaar's maths, 1999 was not 'nearly 20 years ago'.
Rather than slag his singing off why don't we discuss subject that has been brought up. ie. Officer's & men prepared to disobey orders that they think are absurd. Interesting point brought up by Blunt, they were there to stop the inter-ethnic fighting in Kosovo not kick off against the Russians. More here. Gen Sir Mike Jackson: My clash with Nato chief - Telegraph
I was right behind him....by about 24 months. The Russians still held the airfield perimeter at Pristina when I was there. I've got some photographs somewhere. When I was there the Americans were confined mostly to Camp Bondsteel, The 101st and 10th Mountain Div's were there on my tour. The story behind the rush to the airfield was not really for the airfield, it was more to do with some rather sensitive kit the Serbians had left behind that the Russians didn't want NATO to see in a mountain (Names escapes me-I think it begins with G) overlooking the airfield. We had a Rebro on the top of it. Cheers
I believe he also donates part procedes to Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and is a supporter of British Vets and the Armed Forces. Spider
it is recognised that whilst serving with the Household Cavalry - Capt James Blount (the 'o' was dropped by record label) was the first officer in the first armour into Pristina from wiki Because the British Army sponsored his university education, Blunt was obliged to serve a minimum of four years in the armed forces. James stated on an interview in his Back to Bedlam sessions that he chose to join the military as "his Father was pushing for it, so that Blunt could obtain a secure work placement and income". Blunt trained at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.[5][8] He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Life Guards, a unit of the Household Cavalry, where he rose to the rank of Captain.[8][9] One of his first assignments was to British Army Training Unit Suffield in Alberta, Canada, where his battalion was posted for six months in 1998 to act as the opposing army in combat training exercises.[10] In 1999, he served as an armoured reconnaissance officer in the NATO deployment in Kosovo. Initially assigned to reconnaissance of the Macedonia-Yugoslavia border, Blunt and his unit worked ahead of the front lines directing forces and targeting Serb positions for the NATO bombing campaign. He led the first battalion of troops to enter Pristina, and was the first British officer to enter the Kosovo capital [11]. His unit was given the assignment of securing the Pristina International Airport in advance of the 30,000-strong peacekeeping force; the Russian army had moved in and taken control of the airport before his unit's arrival. As the first officer on the scene, Blunt shared a part in the difficult task of addressing the potentially violent international incident.[12] His own account tells of how he refused to follow orders from NATO command to attack the Russians.[13] This version of events has been supported by the British army commander, General Sir Mike Jackson, who was Blunt's commanding officer at the time.[14] There were less intense moments during Blunt's Kosovo assignment, however. Blunt had brought along his guitar, strapped to the outside of his tank. At some places, the peacekeepers would share a meal with hospitable locals, and Blunt would perform. It was while on duty there that he wrote the song "No Bravery".[15] A keen skier, Blunt captained the Household Cavalry Alpine Ski Team in Verbier, Switzerland, eventually becoming champion skier of the entire Royal Armoured Corps. He had extended his military service in November 2000,[16] and after an intensive six-month army riding course was posted to the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment in London, England.[6] During this posting, Blunt was interviewed about his responsibilities on the television programme "Girls on Top", a series highlighting unusual career choices.[17][18] He stood guard at the coffin of the Queen Mother during the days of her lying in State and was part of the funeral procession on 9 April 2002.[19] Blunt, left the army on 1 October 2002 having served six years.[20] I'd have imagined that if he had carried out his order to 'open up on the commies' all hell would have erupted
Every time I see the name James Blunt I cannot help wondering why he sang about having a "Semi by the sea"
I had never heard of James Blunt - but my wife bought his cd when we were shopping in Celle, she played it in the car on the drive back to Hohne as soon as I heard 'no bravery' I knew he had been to the Balkans YouTube - James Blunt- No Bravery from Return to Kosovo the link above is footage that his team shot in 1999, with an interview on his return
cheers was trying to remember that song. I had hear mention of 'tracers' in one of his songs & couldn't remember. There are children standing here, Arms outstretched into the sky, Tears drying on their face. He has been here. Brothers lie in shallow graves. Fathers lost without a trace. A nation blind to their disgrace, Since he's been here. And I see no bravery, No bravery in your eyes anymore. Only sadness. (x2) Only sadness Houses burnt beyond repair. The smell of death is in the air. A woman weeping in despair says, He has been here. Tracer lighting up the sky. It's another families' turn to die. A child afraid to even cry out says, He has been here. And I see no bravery, No bravery in your eyes anymore. Only sadness. (x2) There are children standing here, Arms outstretched into the sky, But no one asks the question why, He has been here. Old men kneel to accept their fate. Wives and daughters cut and raped. A generation drenched in hate. Says, he has been here. And I see no bravery, No bravery in your eyes anymore. Only sadness. And I see no bravery, No bravery in your eyes anymore. And I see no bravery, No bravery in your eyes anymore. Only sadness. (x2) Only sadness
Hold on to your hat, because The X Factor Grand Final is going to be one star-packed event you won’t forget. The top three finalists, Sally Chatfield, Altiyan Childs and Andrew Lawson, will duet with some of the world’s top artists: Jamiroquai, James Blunt and INXS. No joke! Pity James cant prevent the X Factor. Cruel and inhuman treatment I call it.
I actually didn't mind James Blunt's music, not all of it was good but some of it was. As for his service, I had read he was in the army and comes from a military family. He seems to have made a very good judgment call and saved allot of lives. He has my respect.
I had never heard of James Blunt - but my wife bought his cd when we were shopping in Celle, she played it in the car on the drive back to Hohne as soon as I heard 'no bravery' I knew he had been to the Balkans YouTube - James Blunt- No Bravery from Return to Kosovo the link above is footage that his team shot in 1999, with an interview on his return Same here, my ex bought me the CD and I was playing it driving to my unit in uniform and like you said when it came on I knew he had been to former Yugoslavia. All my ex said when she gave me it was that he was a officer in the Army and was getting good reviews so she got it for me.
James Blunt is being interviewed on This Morning about Kosovo right now. He said it was General Jackson who prevented WW3 not him.
BBC News - Armless pianist wins China's Got Talent A piano player who has no arms and plays the instrument with his toes has won the nationally televised China's Got Talent competition. Liu Wei, who lost his arms in an accident at the age of 10, won the contest with his performance of You're Beautiful, originally by James Blunt.
In 2010 in Post 5 Owen wrote: Sticking with the Pristina airfield / airbase story (June 1999). My recollection was that a UK TV crew were at the scene and had footage of the "toe to toe" situation. So, it is likely the scene was watched live back in London and possible elsewhere. Wesley Clark being SACEUR at the time and who stood down a few months later. See: Incident at Pristina airport - Wikipedia Martin Middlebrook RIP, a WW1 historian - a recollection only that he wrote in a book on Gulf War One (January 1991) - that some RAF attack aircraft pilots refused to bomb Iraqi airfields after heavy resistance, losses and knowledge their weaponry had no effect. The pilots were relieved and flown to Cyprus. There is an incident in The Falklands War (May 1982) when a plan to land a C-130 Hercules full of SAS combat Land Rovers (aka Pinkies) onto an Argentinian air base, where their navy's Super Etendard, with Exocet SSM, was put to the assembled SAS "soldiers parliament" and led to a strong reaction - that the mission was suicidal. Officers were removed. See: Operation Mikado - Wikipedia Even further back there was the March 1914 Curragh Incident, when part of the British Army made it clear to their senior commanders they would not deploy to Northern Ireland, to confront the Protestants, who were acquiring firearms - a shipload of Mauser rifles notably. I read a few years ago that the situation known publicly was not what happened. See: Curragh incident - Wikipedia