Even though it was a Jet, Saddam is supposed to have Jets setup to spray che/bio weapons which is probably why it was locked on and fired upon in the first place with the IFF not functioning, turned off or not...
in WWII the Canadians were slaughtered by Allied bombers who started thier run from the wrong end and bombed to thier right which is what the mission called for, but they should have adjusted to the left coming in from the wrong end of the run. Not sure of the numbers but it was well over 200 that died that day, then later they hit the run from the correct end destroying something like 100 Tiger and Panzer tanks and artillery pieces. Canadians really got the short end of the stick in history as far as WWII and WWI go. They also got the short end of the stick on many missions, pretty much ending up being used as decoys which just about added up to being used as cannon fodder...
They served with distinction in ever major battle on D-Day and many before that...
war sucks...
it really really sucks, it shows how little humanity has progressed that we still find need of it, but I think that the only way to end it would be by force that takes no sides what so ever. Every nation spends more on war and a better means of killing than it does on any one positive humanitarian project pretty much, all in the name of security and national defense...
It might sound stupid, as a matter of fact it does...
But there have been two ScFi books I've read that delt with war in the future that sound pretty interesting.
One has it so you apply for a contract to have a War, you have a set number of forices, types of weapons, and time limit. Each side puts up what it will loose if the war is lost, and there is a governing body with Military means beyond anything anyone else has to keep things in line and to make sure everyone plays correctly.
The other has a Military body that is called upon when someone or any number of governments/people attempt to make war, they basically get laid to waste. In the boks both options worked very well, of course they are books, but it is stilla thought provoking set of possibilities to keep war at a minimum or no existant...
Call them Police or what you will, such a body would in fact be one of the best possible means of ending war as we know it...
Call it a deterant like the mutual destruction system employeed between the USA and USSR all those years... But even more of a deterant in the end because no sides would be taken, if anyone were to act in a war like manner, they get moofed...