Probably, almost, a valid excuse for being there. . .

Link
AUSTRALIAN and British military legal advisers frequently had to "red card" more trigger-happy US forces to limit civilian casualties during the invasion of Iraq in 2003, according to one of the Australian advisers.

Colonel Mike Kelly, writing in the Australian Army Journal, says the junior partners in the coalition forces succeeded in reducing civilian casualties and reinforcing the legitimacy of the invasion to topple Saddam Hussein.

In the most detailed insight yet into the secret rules Australian forces operated under during the conflict in 2003, Colonel Kelly, who went on to become a senior adviser to the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq, said for Australian forces to open fire the enemy was "required to visibly carry weapons while deploying for an attack".

Defence sources said that under more relaxed US rules there only had to be a "reasonable suspicion" that the person was an enemy combatant and a threat.

Australian F/A-18s rarely ventured into built-up areas during the conflict to make strikes, and on occasion pulled out of bombing raids at the last minute when it was realised civilians were in the target area.

Uplate: John, if your yank mates don't learn a bit of decorum they can bloody well pack up their toys and go home. I'm not sure we need the "World's Dummest Grunts" on our side . . .