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The article left out much. The man is a former naval aviator, and a TOP GUN instructor. He is not USAF, but Illinois Air National Guard. That he is arrogant and proud should not surprise; it comes with the terrain.
On to the particulars of the case, which is a classic example of allies not telling each other what they're doing well enough. The Canadians were, as this article notes, conduncting a NIGHT live-fire exercise, in an area that our hero was told no friendly forces would be. They could easily have been attacking his wingman (as he professed). HQ was laconic in its denial; however, its denial was NOT the last word. The man was a heavily trained and extraordinarily competent combat pilot, from all that I've read.
One of the disadvantages of being an officer is that occasionally you're obliged to act like one. [img]smile.gif[/img] It was incumbent upon him to decide and act in this situation. That a mistake was made and lives lost is not in question -- it unfortunately also goes with the terrain (i.e. war). These mistakes will continue as the conflict does, I fear...
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