Posted on 08/07/2011 4:10:37 PM PDT by DBCJR
U.S. soldiers from the 2nd Brigade, 87th Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division, secure the area after existing a Chinoonk helicopter, Helmand Province, southern Afghanistan, in this Sunday, June 18, 2006 file photo. Insurgents apparently shot down a U.S. military helicopter Saturday Aug. 6, 2011 similar to this one shown during fighting in eastern Afghanistan, killing 30 Americans, most of them belonging to the same elite Navy SEALs unit that killed Usama bin Laden, as well as seven Afghan commandos, U.S. officials said.
An Afghan official says there is fighting in the area where a U.S. Army Chinook helicopter was apparently shot down Saturday by the Taliban, killing 38, including more than 20 Navy Seals from the unit that killed Usama bin Laden in May.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
We HAVE to get those secret underground nuclear sub bases finished.
Article says, “apparently” an RPG. Why would we be led to believe a “lucky” shot by a 60s generation RPG caused this?
I’m not buying the meme that this disaster was caused by “bad luck” or we are up against ancient weaponry employed by primitives that get in an occasional lucky shot.
Nothing to see here. Move along.
It might have been a trap set by the Taliban, lure them in with a high ranking leader.
Sorry. Guess I hit a nerve! However, it is NOT all that difficult to perceive.
I have SEEN him doing everything in his power to destroy our medical/healthcare system; to destroy our Country financially and finnagle us to the point of Cloward & Piven financial collapse; to ENCOURAGE more illegals to pour into the country and get on the dole ASAP; to blame America first, and make us a laughingstock amongst the other nations of the world.
So in view of all that, why would I be so foolish as to think he cares squat about our military. Here’s a tip for you, for free: Don’t listen to what he SAYS; WATCH what he DOES!
Nation building.In other words, wasting American lives and money.
Zero had these men killed just my opion!
Don’t be so sure. CYA and a whitewash are as predictable as hovering helicopters getting shot down, but this was a big enough disaster to warrant an investigation that will at least point in several different directions before the politically-connected are exonerated.
Yeah, but now the TALLYBAN won't get their "COURAGOUS RESTRAINT" medal......OH, wait that's for our guys. DAMN!
We HAVE to get those secret underground nuclear sub bases finished.”
Yes ,Cheney and Halliburton again.
In his autobiography, an officer in the 1930s Indian Army (English officer commanding native -Gurkha- troops) wrote about campaigning India's North-West Frontier, against the same Afghan-Pakistani tribes we see today. He emphasized that the locals are always watching, and that it was imperative to never fall into a predictable pattern. Because if you did the locals, with a lifetime of experience in ambushes, would make you pay dearly.
Our guys know this, and we don't know that the Chinook was shot down. Could have been mechanical failure. Could have been a bomb on board. Could have been shot down by pure dumb luck - just some random slob with an RPG who got lucky.
But the story so far, four man SEAL team ambushed, large SEAL team helicoptered in to save them shot down as it attempts to land, does look a lot like it was planned.
We need to get our troops out YESTERDAY!!
My son is a Marine who was seriously injured by an IED in Afghanistan back in April. Two with him were killed. Last weekend I met the man who saved my son’s life. He told us that as they were rescuing and administering first aid to the injured, the Afghan army sat at a distance and laughed before they were run off.
I also was told that they will be re-deploying to the same spot next June. And here I thought I was told that we are drawing down our troops over there.
These people are nothing but evil in-breds who don’t appreciate what we are supposedly trying to do for them. Our boys are dying for animals.
“From the obituary of Sgt. Patrick Hamburger who served in the Nebraska National Guard as a Chinook Helicopter crewman and crew chief. The family was notified at 5:00pm CDT Saturday afternoon.
Link Here.
From the article:
Sources from the US military say the giant NATO chopper was called into action as backup. A team conducting a night raid on Taliban fighters was in trouble and the chopper went down as it arrived to help.
Requiescat in pace, Sgt. Hamburger, and all the fallen dead.
Sgt. Hamburger had JUST ARRIVED in Afghanistan a couple of days ago. Why was a green National Guard unit flying backup for DEVGRU SPECOPs??????? Where was the 160th SOAR backup??????
My God.
Most National Guard units, at this stage of the war, aren’t green. They’ve been in combat at least twice.
Think again..
http://www.omaha.com/article/20110807/NEWS01/110809751/1101
Hamburger joined the Guard when he was a senior in high school but had never been deployed until recently, his brother Chris Hamburger said.
Patrick Hamburger had been in Afghanistan less than two weeks and had arrived at Forward Operating Base Shank a few days before climbing aboard the helicopter with U.S. Navy SEALs and other troops to rush to the aid of a U.S. Army Ranger unit under fire from insurgents.
We have the technology to decoy advanced guided missiles so that they do not impact the aircraft.
We cannot decoy a rocket propelled grenade.
It's admirable that you are so passionate about the military situation in Afghanistan. I mean that sincerely. Clearly, you care about how things are not being run correctly there. They aren't, and they haven't been for a very long time. Part of me is happy the more people realize that, because the military has largely been left high and dry at a stupid, pointless task.
That said, you also really don't have a strong grasp of military operations, and seem committed to finding some kind of nefarious angle to a very sad but otherwise standard wartime event.
The difference between a 'green unit' and a 'green Soldier' is like the difference between a Freshman student and the Freshman class. The 160th SOAR is a limited asset that can't be everywhere at once. They do suffer breakdowns. If need be, SOF units will demean themselves to ride a mere National Guard airframe without checking the crew chiefs' resume.
The fact that you find that reckless or inexcusable just indicates you're pretty far removed from how the war really is conducted.
Anyway, I don't mean to demean your love of the troops or support of the mission, but it's irresponsible to try second guess commanders on the ground and rile people up at home with when you clearly aren't familiar with the subject matter.
I have sent 100’s and make that with an “s” care packages to soldiers in Afghanistan.
I may not now the tactical aspect but there are some things I do know....and that is they are under supported...in many ways...and I also know that many are very unhappy about the Rules of Engagment..and I also know that there are some that are no longer in the military that think something is odd about this story.
The point is, information is being leaked to leave an impression before the facts have been established.
PS. So what you are saying Chinooks are invulnerable to MANPADS. Please.
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