Britain's `special relationship' with the US questioned

The so-called "special relationship" between Britain and the US was called into question by British commentators yesterday, after the US reluctantly released the cockpit video showing a friendly-fire killing following its leak to the media.

The video showed two US pilots repeatedly cursing, and one of them weeping, after being told they had attacked a British patrol near the start of the 2003 Iraq war, killing British Lance Corporal Matty Hull.

It was first released by the Sun daily, which obtained a copy of it, in Britain early on Tuesday. The US had until late on Tuesday refused to declassify it, eventually releasing the video hours after it was obtained by British media.

"They wouldn't help when it mattered and that tells us a great deal about the special relationship and how our closest ally really sees us," wrote Stephen Glover, a commentator for the Daily Mail.

The Daily Telegraph's editorial, meanwhile, lamented: "As the United States' most loyal ally, frankly we deserve better."

All this was despite the fact the British government hailed the US decision to release the video, with Defense Secretary Des Browne saying it was the "right thing to do."

A UK coroner had demanded the video be played in court as part of an inquest into Hull's death on March 28, 2003, eight days after US-led forces invaded Iraq to topple then Iraqi president Saddam Hussein.

The US decision will allow the inquest to go ahead.

Hull was killed and four British troops were seriously wounded when US jets attacked them at the end of what the Sun said was a mission to strike artillery and rocket launchers from Iraq's 6th Armor Division near the city of Basra.

"I'm going to be sick," one of the pilots said, the video aired by British TV channels Sky News and the British Broadcasting Corp showed.

"Yeah, this sucks," replied his colleague, the one the Sun said opened fire, while the second pilot said: "We're in jail dude."

The Sun, which also posted the video on its Web site, said a key error made by the pilots was to mistake orange markings on the British armor -- designed to identify them to allies as friendly forces -- for enemy rockets.

Hull's widow Susan, meanwhile, told the Sun in an interview published yesterday that she "felt sick" when she watched the video for the first time, saying: "I always knew there was a cover-up -- and this proves it."

"All I ever wanted was the truth about what happened to Matty, but no one was prepared to be honest with me," she said.

She had initially been told that such a video did not even exist, before British officials said they had no right to release it without Washington's permission.