CNN: Apache helicopters shot up in Republican Guard attack

CNN live ^ | March 23, 2003 | cnn

[mikegi]

Live report from Karl Penhaul after Apache choppers attacked Republican Guards near Karbala (sp?). This is north of Najaf and WSW 70mi of Baghdad.

He reports that our Apaches were shot up pretty bad. The IRG put up a "wall" of AAA. After returning to base, Apaches were "strewn around" instead of being parked neatly. He wouldn't confirm that all our Apaches made it back.

[ASTM366]

I'm with you. Its a time for ruthlessness.

[lavrenti]

Well, duh. It's a war. People die.

[Age of Reason]

Exactly, I'm getting sick of our gentleman's war approach.

Theodoe Roosevelt said, "Never punch softly."

If we public opinon won't let us fight a real war, then it's not time to start a war.

[ffusco]

One dead is a trajedy, one million a statistic.

[VeniVidiVici]

I agree. Apaches conducting an attack for THREE HOURS in the middle of "a heavy, heavy barrage" and taking fire. No other mention of supporting attacks by other coalition aircraft or ground forces AND the reporter cannot confirm all the Apaches made it back.

Something doesn't quite jive with this.

Anybody got the order-of-battle for an IRG division?

[Scott from the Left Coast]

I think people are acting very strangely here...now a battle is a setback if we just take enemy fire? If the Apache's were sent in against enemy armor, you can be pretty damn sure that a lot of enemy armor is burning hulks right now.

The Iraqis are going to shoot their weapons. Apache's get in close and are made to take hits, which obviously they took very well.

This headline just talks about triple A hitting the Apache's, not about what's left of the stuff the Apache's hit.

If we are going to treat a battle as a disaster just because the enemy fires his weapon (to no effect), then we're guaranteed to have nothing but disasters.

Don't do the enemy's psy-ops for him. This is ridiculous.

[Paleo Conservative]

Why attack armour with Apaches instead of A-10's?

[Travis McGee]

It would if you were an Apache pilot, and the alternative was crashing and burning after taking hits.

Think of the B-17s in WW2 flying back to England on one engine, half a wing gone, and the tail shot off.

Being able to fly after being shot up is a VERY GOOD THING.

[KSCITYBOY]

I always suspect your motivation - but hey thats just me.

[meema]

I believe that MOAB we saw was one of a kind, for the time being. Looks like they might well start producing the da*# things soonest, because this PC - cakewalk - greeting with flowers is not going to happen.

[Scott from the Left Coast]

I don't think anyone on the receiving end of an attack by Apache's would consider it "gentlemanly".

[LdSentinal]

Our reaction comes from last night's battle with those Iraqis in that compound.

It took four hours to end the thing with an airstrike.

[Scott from the Left Coast]

Apache's are designed specifically to attack armor.

[HardStarboard]

>>>How many MOABs do we have available for deployment? <<<

Probably very few if any. I heard a USAF General say on FOX after the test in Florida that, (paraphrasing)" you just saw the only one in existance...it was a test to see if it does what we expect...if it is successful we will build more, but very few if any will be read in time for the Iraq campaign"!

[faithincowboys]

hey i love the troops and country more than any president.

he must, and i trust, he will maximize our effectiveness and fight smart. if we don't fight the war like it needs to be fought i will worry that there is in fact a General Rove!

[Travis McGee]

If the Apache's were sent in against enemy armor, you can be pretty damn sure that a lot of enemy armor is burning hulks right now.

Amen Scott. And the landscape littered with smoldering blackened Iraqi soldiers' bodies.

[meema]

Remember General Curtis LeMay? Did he have something to do with Rolling Thunder, or was he out by then?