Andy Mcnab
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Freedom of Information Act.
The Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2000 received Royal Assent on 30 November 2000 and the Government has announced that it will be fully implemented by January 2005. At that time it will replace the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. By creating a statutory right to information, the Act will bring a new dynamic to the relationship between public authorities and the public themselves. The whole of the MOD, except the Special Forces and any units which are providing active assistance to the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), are subject to its provisions.
Barkingbob pegged buddy [devonwren] on line and yeh in't she been trying to tell you all how it is for us guys Mcnab included. We're adrenalin junkies no doubts about that. Has it crossed your mind buddy as good as said what barkingbob did about Mcnab. Being a chancer is part of who he is. Bud's once said "he thrills out on sitting next to someone knowing they haven't a clue who he is, not even when dropping subtle hints like a paper trail" She got him tagged same as rest of us. Scary tagged some times like a wake up call.
>>By readit (Tuesday, 20 Apr 2004 21:53)
Barking Bob.
Thank you for your inside.. maybe you too can team up with Eddy Stone and reveal all !!
Hope you too will make it out the gates in one piece. Talk to you then ? No, even better .. how about a year after you have left ? Name the pub and i will be there!
Stay healthy
Ninjawoman
>>By Ninjawoman (Tuesday, 20 Apr 2004 22:03)
Majorette's springboard theory is right. B20 was a stepping stone for me and lead directly to IA (which I'd like to think is nearest to the real man...) and then his fiction. Eventually, the brilliance that is CR's The Watchman came my way, but in this case, further reading was inspired more by the (gorgeous) man (so shallow...). The 'To Read' list is growing daily thanks to suggestions and recommendations from the good people here...
We generally don't know the truth...as previous posts say, we weren't there. But with drafts, edits, re-writes (therapy session recounts? public speaking?)...don't the stories become a fiction to the narrator? Someone else's story? Separated from the horrors of the reality? I can't say. What could I know? It's a tool to present yourself in a light that you approve of, that's for sure. But the written word is always open to misinterpretation...absence of intonation or facial expression.
Thank God for revisions allowing for hindsight and possibly mellowing with (old) age...CR's new TOTGA intro seems to have worked wonders for him. That FHM (p.160) interview tho', does him no favours. Perhaps (as said to Beth) he should just stick to looking good and writing; not open his mouth. (Sucker...ahem...for that accent tho'...
But I do wish I'd read MC's version of events first. Down to earth...humour...warmth...typically antipodean. (Exposing more partiality there...).
Are they out to 'impress' the non-military of their, presumably in that case, target audience? Maybe. But are we really that gullible?
So, the SAS mystery is stripped away by these guys. But they all court the public exposure. And we line their coffers. But don't blame them. Or us. The Iranian Embassy siege was just the start...the plethora of recent TV programmes surely provided to sate the growing trend for this genre. Search the web and you'll find (amongst myriad others) video footage of UKSF vs. Taliban. The TV programmes spawn accompanying books...even Eddie Stone succumbing to this route. Will we OD? Is this the new filling for the prime-time slot, ousting previous favourites of cookery and DIY? How long till it's day-time viewing? (Ah...when it is, full-time motherhood would appear to be an acceptable option!!!). And look at the exponential take-off of this boards popularity (you clever people, you...).
Is that why some are now staring seawards in search of those elusive SBS boys?
Start writing...
You already did...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2983905.stm
but even when they got back, there were so many reporting ina
>>By bikergirl (Wednesday, 21 Apr 2004 13:37)
Ignore last bit of previous...perils of cut 'n paste.
I'll start writing my lines...
I must proof read my posts
I must proof read my posts
I must proof read my posts
I must proof read my posts
I must proof read my posts
I must proof read my posts
>>By bikergirl (Wednesday, 21 Apr 2004 13:39)
Bikergirl quotes :
Is that why some are now staring seawards in search of those elusive SBS boys?
Start writing...
You already did...
Offcourse First man to write about SBS is offcourse,...........
Duncan Falconer with First into ACtion !!!!!!!!!!
quote :
"In writing this book initially wanting to play it safe (from a security point of view - I have no desire to be a whislte blower), I first thought about drafting a collection of anecdotes, avoiding the politics, opinions and more sensitive material. But an SBS book, the first modern one written by an actual operative, that did not look under the covers to reveal the true character of the mysterious unit seemed pointless.
I could not make the decision alone and sought advice from those whose opinions I most cared about - the men of the SBS itself.
I chose men currently serving and others retired, a mixture of senior NCOs and officers, and introduced the book as a purely hypothetical idea to protect them from the Directorate of Special Forces. I did not avoid consulting men who I felt certain would be against the idea.
To my surprise, the vote to write the book was almost unanimous, the abstainers being unsure.........."
what else is there to say .....
READ IT !(and I don't mean the florker named that way )
>>By borisette (Wednesday, 21 Apr 2004 14:27)
Open question:
What's the background-story of "Walter Mitty" ?
>>By ortlieb (Wednesday, 21 Apr 2004 21:38)
Ok, Ok.. I know it's a summarizing term for someone wanting to lead a life more exciting and glamorous than what is the case, but....... it's also something in relation to Regimental affairs I think.....
>>By ortlieb (Wednesday, 21 Apr 2004 22:00)
no nothing to do with regimental affairs just a term for the gung ho type who apply for sf, but usually fail.
>>By Nemesis2842004 (Wednesday, 21 Apr 2004 22:04)
Nemisis: >guys that are serving now are just pissed off with 2 things about mc'nab and Ryan and that is,they let the regiment down by taking some of the mystery away and the fact that they made a lot of money out of it.>
Could this be the ugly head of jealousy? Seems to me the mystery of SAS and SF in general would have exploded eventually anyway, starting with media coverage of the SAS Iranian embassy seige, all the way up to Delta and Black Hawk Down. It's actually made me more aware -- and appreciative -- that there are people out there who do what they do. But, someone has to take the fall for lifting the veil, and pointing the finger at McNab and Ryan is meatier than using the tired "it's the media's fault."
Obviously, the absolute truth about B20 will never be told, whether that be for security reasons, embarassment, or the sheer fact that every story has a thousand facets -- Bikergirl got that down pat. I have no doubt that what McNab, Ryan, Coburn, et al. have given us is snippets of truth, wrapped in wool... so if they're not giving us the real picture, why should those serving care? I realize it's a point of pride... but my observation is that they're (current, ex- SAS) the few who consider McNab a f**k up. The general public sees him and his cohorts as heros, thereby lifting the status and appreciation for SAS and all SF ops.
And why shouldn't they make money for themselves? They're not hurting anyone or breaching security, and God knows they've earned it....
I'm not dogging you, Nemesis, just something about that statement got my hackles up. Sorry.
Personally, I like reading this stuff for the entertainment value. As Majorette said, the springboard effect has taken hold -- I've started with McNab and will definitely continue with Ryan and so on, knowing that what I'm reading has been manipulated and watered down for a broad audience and to not give anything 'real' away....
Majorette: <billions and billions of opinions>
Good one! And a great post, too....
>>By Jiffer (Thursday, 22 Apr 2004 01:08)
Ok, so maybe there was some hurt with TOTGA... Ryan seems to have rectified that, though.
>>By Jiffer (Thursday, 22 Apr 2004 01:13)
And now for the random let's-get-back-to-the-books question:
I've been wondering for a while now how Nick so easily jumps into a car and speeds away, regardless of what country he's in. Is this something he would have picked up from training? Perhaps some of those in-the-know have an explanation.
Me, were I to go to London tomorrow and hop in a car? Oof. First, I'd get in on the wrong side... then I'd rip out a street sign or two... then terrorize the streets by insisting on driving on the right... total disaster. X-many years of driving in the US would be a hard habit to break....
>>By Jiffer (Thursday, 22 Apr 2004 01:24)
Jiffer-
Re: "billions & billions"
hahaha... thanks. I was wondering if anybody would get that. I can't be the only one here who watched Cosmos as a kid.
>>By Majorette (Thursday, 22 Apr 2004 03:28)
Maj-
Re: "I can't be the only one here who watched Cosmos as a kid."
The evidence would support that there are at least two of you. :-)
>>By Dare (Thursday, 22 Apr 2004 03:32)
driving on the wrong side, matter of getting used to it. If your brain is in gear, you have no problem. I can be driving in the US one week, Turkey the next, then Rome, and back to the UK and so on. Not necessarily training as my wife does it as easily as I do, though she hates the US for lack of roundabouts and all those "stop" signs that have to be obeyed even when you can see for 5 miles all around and not another car in sight, of course, except for the police car hiding behind a bush!
In fact she can drive any car in any country/city without a second thought and has taught all 4 of our kids to do the same. It is basically just practise and making sure you aren't too tired - I did get into a car at Rome airport at 2am and wonder who had stolen my steering wheel.........
>>By barkingbob (Thursday, 22 Apr 2004 05:13)
Nice post Jiffer and an interesting for the 'oldies' here. If you'd read throught 162 pages (hehe, best not - unless you've got a couple of months with absolutely nothing else to do) similar ideas as yours have come up several times. Not meaning you should not write, in contrary, what I mean is that it is obviously a general idea of the readers. We've been battered for that opinion more than once so it's interesting that obviously a lot of his (civil) readers feel the same way.
I do not think they're heroes though, I think they're only human doing an extraordinary job and since all jobs are unique a lot of times they manage to succeed, sometimes they fail.
The books, even without full truth, vetted by MOD and witholding a lot of technical things are still (IMHO) much better than any other writer
of the genre.
Nice one Bob :o)
>>By Lynn (Thursday, 22 Apr 2004 09:37)
Long time no post, some goodies for you! Apologies if these are old news, it's a tad hard to keep up with you guys. Hard returns as usual....
Fairly old, nice new slant though....
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.
jhtml?xml=%2Fnews%2F2003
%2F09%2F28%2Fnsas128.xml
Okay so should really be on his own page.... Nice to see he looks at SAS time as one chapter, celebrity as whole other chapter. "And the public wants what the public gets"
http://www.student-direct.co.uk/modules.
php?op=modload&name=
News&file=article&sid=567
Tales of selection worth a look.... Some names you'll recognise
http://www.stuff.themutual.net/index.htm
Take care all.
>>By Bethan (Thursday, 22 Apr 2004 10:25)
sorry Bethan but couldn't open the student-thingy
as for ghostwriters try this one :
www.cityspeakersinternational.co.uk/
NeilHanson.htm
As for Deep Black, Andy's next coming book.....
DB =Psychological technology of individual mind control using drugs
hypnosis,and abuse
=CIA secret drug war
(does this mean that Carrie will be back , and NS will start
hugging trees)
=spy-satellites the means by wich the superpowers keep tabs on eachother
Wichone shall it be ??? And the suspence goes on.......
>>By borisette (Thursday, 22 Apr 2004 15:08)
>Maj: Cosmos
-- I actually don't remember watching it, but I'm sure it was on in our house. Perhaps I blocked it out -- but learned by osmosis anyway!
>Lynn: I do not think they're heroes though, I think they're only human doing an extraordinary job and since all jobs are unique a lot of times they manage to succeed, sometimes they fail.
-- Couldn't have said better myself... and didn't... thanks.
Barkingbob: Thanks for the insight re driving... perhaps I'll come to England and rent a car... I'll let you know know when I do, though, so y'all can stay off the roads for the first few hours! I'd be like the Griswalds in the traffic circles, getting dizzy going around and around and around....
Borisette: Re Deep Black -- stop teasing! November's a long way off to ruminate about these things! :-)
>>By Jiffer (Thursday, 22 Apr 2004 17:36)
Jiffer said...
"I've been wondering for a while now how Nick so easily jumps into a car and speeds away, regardless of what country he's in."
The method recommended by Mr McNab himself is to take to two wheels. Firstly, this eliminates the problem of the missing steering wheel, encountered by barkingbob.
Secondly, absence of the steering wheel assists in avoiding automatic responses associating its position with orientation of the vehicle on a particular side of the road.
Thus, those embarassing head-on moments can be a thing of the past. However, those with a large entourage, should NOT consider use of a s*decar. (Apologies for profanity there).
For further information on weapon of choice (WMD?), refer to bikergirl profile page. Gratuitous, I know. But I'm hoping the one wielding power will also want to see...
Regards,
AM's ex-wife no.7
(sources suggest 6 is lined up...I'll be ex- after we have that discussion about lap-times...)
>>By bikergirl (Thursday, 22 Apr 2004 18:05)
You plan on running around him multiple times? Whoever's faster gets to keep him or marry him next? Make sure you make the circle around him a little bigger or you'll get really dizzy. ;-)
>>By Dare (Friday, 23 Apr 2004 03:24)
Two wheels are fine if you dont have any luggage leaving an airport, or after parachuting in and can leave everything behind, but some articles you might wish to hide in the boot might be a little more obvious and it doesnt help to be on two wheels when you have travelled for 13 hours and it is p***ing it down with rain, besides Rentawreck, dont do motorcycles. Besides, I've seen McN in his lovely 140k car you would never see the real McN on a two wheeler, he spent a lot of time on his arse while playing soldiers in Hereford, he would be too scared to take to the open road on one!!
>>By barkingbob (Friday, 23 Apr 2004 20:35)
Hello all, thought I'd make an appearance at least once this year..
Was informed by a 12 year old today about the new X-BOX Andy McNab game that is apparently due out 5th May 2004...and apparently it's what every 12 yr old boy wants...interesting..
It's called "Andy McNab: Team SAS (Xbox)"
www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00006G86W
/026-0056428-5602004
Team SAS is an elite Special Forces game developed using the unique experience and knowledge of Special Forces expert and bestselling author Andy McNab. Take on any one of four unique roles in the team--heavy weapons support, jungle warfare scout, long range sniper or team commander--and battle through the most intense jungle environments ever seen in a videogame, including fully 3-D moving foliage, shafts of sunlight and volumetric fog.
Play the entire campaign in a 1-4 player cooperative mode and work together to devise deadly new tactics. You must hone your teamwork skills, master four very diverse combat roles and develop your chosen soldier's abilities and firepower to keep pace with the unfolding challenges ahead of him. Team SAS also allows the player to get to grips with the favourite tools and weapons of the SAS and some they only dream of having.
Can't wait...lol...
>>By TabariGoddess (Saturday, 24 Apr 2004 00:56)
Judging from the pictures, Team SAS is far too "arcade" like. If you want a realistic military-related game, you'd better off with the all the Tom Clancy series (Rainbow Six, Ghost Recon, Splinter Cell).
Call of Duty is also a very good one - much better than Medal of Honor.
Cameron Spence (Conflict: Desert Storm) and Chris Ryan (Project IGI-2) both beat AM to the computer-game scene though.....
The ultimate military sim is supposed to the Operation Flashpoint, but I've never given it a try. I don't doubt it though.....
>>By ortlieb (Saturday, 24 Apr 2004 15:19)
Old news still packs punchy reminder about real Mcnab, not the way he wants you to view his dirty work.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/
htmlContent.jhtml?html=/archive
/1996/10/06/nsas06.html
Hardly surprising to the rest of us that his publishers boast Remote Control as the only novel ever to have been called in by the British Ministry of Defence for review. It achieved the number one spot on the Sunday Times (London) bestseller list for seven weeks. Its popularity, combined with that of his two non-fiction books, have made McNab the bestselling author of the 1990s in Britain.
>>By readit (Saturday, 24 Apr 2004 22:27)
Readit, you crack me up! From 1996, no less!
I didn't think it was possible for someone to be even more passionate (spelled "o-b-s-e-s-s-e-d") to talk about AM than I am! ;o)
But hey, if you're aiming to trigger more convos here, more power to ya, big fella! After all, I'm ruthless in pursuing my mission -- I don't mind using you! LOL!!!!
>>By am-i-binned (Sunday, 25 Apr 2004 14:50)
Is it true Readit will be the next Mrs McNab, or just one of his floozies?
>>By barkingbob (Monday, 26 Apr 2004 04:57)
Girls, male sweat bridges divides didn't you know that. It all happened in making tunnel from merry gardener shed to freedom of speech hotel. Honeymoon suite booked for Oz tran fest week. Couple of hairy jock fairies in attendance. Beers stacked for all denomination ex's who can make it out of present closets. No beefing allowed at table.
Hey bikergirl. Cute bike. Field Rape or upmarket Scarecrow? Watch out for them big bad cats stalking blue mooders.
>>By readit (Monday, 26 Apr 2004 08:45)
All invited: Monday, April 26th 7pm - somewhere in the UK
Free Fight Readit vs Barkingbob
You can place your bets now.
This is from an article in Nov. 2002:
“ The ministry has been open to the charge of double standards - by taking legal action against SAS soldiers who have only recently left the regiment after turning a blind eye to earlier books. The spate of books written about the Bravo Two Zero patrol followed the first mention of the mission in Storm Command, a book by General Sir Peter de la Billiere, commander of British troops in the Gulf war.
In the latest manoeuvre of a battle of wits in which fortunes can be made and lost, the special forces commander says: "One of the subjects I deal with almost weekly is unauthorised disclosure. Such is the workload and importance ... I need to employ one staff officer with a full-time responsibility for the subject".
In 2002: “almost weekly is unauthorised disclosure”
Now surely our McNab won’t spill weekly ??? So who else is spilling?? And why is McNab mainly taking the blame?
>>By Lynn (Monday, 26 Apr 2004 10:21)
Lynn, you are talking about what keeps me in work! and sorry I wont be in the UK for a few more weeks, enjoying DC for a while.
There aren't that many books about to be published, but, yes, almost weekly there are agents touting possible books. We have all sorts of people, inc ex-paras, ex-spooks, you name it, now we are getting men who have just left Iraq ready to spill all, about the treatment of Iraqis, by US soldiers etc etc nothing you can't find in the press, if you are willing to search outside Murdochs world, whatreallyhappened.com is one of the sites and many have graphic photos, often taken on cell phones. These men should be going to their COs, but they are looking to making a quick buck.
And McN gets the blame because he started this spiral down into the sh*t, he is often touting the ex-regiment guys, wanting to bring others down with him, he shared his agent with Read, Collins and others, and despite what he says, he is still hated by most of the old and bold and is barely accepted by those willing to use him.
But it makes my life interesting that is for sure
>>By barkingbob (Monday, 26 Apr 2004 14:12)
“It annoyed me that compared to some of these guys I was a bag of shit, sweating and knackered. I had to just remind myself that I wasn’t Baxter I was competing against, it was McNab”
Andy McNab – Immediate Action
Hopefully he'll think back at this "quote" when he writes his next book.
And for Orty, who asked about Walter Mitty,.....
WANABEE’S & WALTER’S ?
You will often hear this term when people are referring to people who would like, or claim to be members of special forces (SAS, SBS, U.S. SEAL’s) and renowned fighting units (Paras / Royal Marines). What do they actually mean ? is there a difference ?
A “wannabe” is someone who wants to be a member of such organisations or someone who aspires to the traits of those units. It may be someone who is totally unsuited to that line of work but just admires those who can do it. To my mind there is nothing wrong with a wannabe. If they would liketo be or are trying to improve on their personal fitness, mental focus, mental toughness or courage, where’s the problem ?
A “Walter” (from the book “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”) is someone who fabricates or lies to impress people that they have served with these units. This may take the form of saying they were part of operations, pinning on badges of those units etc. In extreme forms it could mean tattooing a well know unit or symbol of that unit….. I have even heard of an amusing tale of from the US of someone who had a picture of them painted with a special forces uniform on…..
So, you people who have been there and done it, don’t be hard on the wannabes ; may be they might get there one day ? as for Walter’s, that’s not something anyone can respect…..they never know what or who they are talking to, and sooner or later they will get caught out !!
>>By borisette (Monday, 26 Apr 2004 14:34)
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