Singer James Blunt 'stopped World War 3' (Kosovo, 1999)

Source: BBC

Singer James Blunt has told the BBC how he refused an order to attack Russian troops when he was a British soldier in Kosovo. Blunt said he was willing to risk a court martial by rejecting the order from a US General.

But he was backed by British General Sir Mike Jackson, who told him "I'm not going to have my soldiers be responsible for starting World War 3".

Blunt was ordered to seize an airfield - but the Russians had got there first. In an interview with BBC Radio 5Live, to be broadcast later on Sunday, he said: "I was given the direct command to overpower the 200 or so Russians who were there. I was the lead officer with my troop of men behind us ... The soldiers directly behind me were from the Parachute Regiment, so they're obviously game for the fight.

"The direct command came in from General Wesley Clark was to overpower them. Various words were used that seemed unusual to us. Words such as 'destroy' came down the radio."

SNIP

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11753050

http://nobravery.cf.huffingtonpost.com/

love his music

While the (0) chorus band plays on.

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


http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/j/james_blunt/no_bravery.html#

If Gen Jackson had not blocked the order from Gen Clark, who as NATO Supreme Commander Europe was his superior officer, Blunt said he would still have declined to follow it, even at the risk of a court martial.

---

May it spread.

It is news, about a past event, like much of what is posted on LBN.

Wes Clark huh. Interesting.

It was something to see the fellow who was presenting one war's bombings as a general then appear on CNN at the next war to present the bombings as an "analyst."

If anyone "stopped WW3" it was Gen. Jackson.

And if they want to give a popstar credit, I daresay "Michael Jackson Stops World War 3" sounds more impressive than whatsisname. ;}