Six die in U.S. helicopter crash near Tikrit; troops ambushed in Mosul as insurgency spreads north

Associated Press ^ | 11-07-03

[Brian S]

An Army helicopter crashed Friday into a riverbank near Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit, killing six U.S. soldiers, the military said. It probably was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade, an officer said.

Two Americans also were killed in separate attacks Thursday and Friday in the northern city of Mosul, raising concerns that the insurgency was spreading north.

[Coop]

I heard about this tragic news on the radio this morning. [sigh] Rest in peace, brave soldiers, and may God comfort your families.

[milemark]

The latest confirmed U.S. military fatalities bring to at least 31 the number of American troops killed action in the first week of November. Two American civilian contractors working for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and a Polish officer also died in attacks over the past seven days.

Ramadan Offensive?

What better way to celebrate the Religeon Of Peace?

[The Other Harry]

I know I won't get a lot of agreement here, but this is looking to me more and more like another Vietnam. I don't know why we're there. F' their oil.

[ImpotentRage]

The phrases "religion of peace" and "compassionate war" are making me physically ill. When are we going to treat this like the REAL war it really is and level some of these hotbeds of terrorism?

[boxerblues]

Please keep these troops and their families in your prayers. Its going to be a long weekend for many families

[Brian S]

I'm really starting to dread my clock-radio first news report in the mornings.

Prayers for all our men and women in harms way.

[NicknamedBob]

"...It probably was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade..."

There are so many weapons over there, and so many nutcases, that there will be difficulties for decades. For decades after we leave. Also, the mainstream Iraqis don't want to have anything to do with them, witness the situations where warehouses filled with weapons were stripped of their tin sheeting, and the useless weapons were left to rust. (I may be a thief, but I'm not looking for trouble.)

[LiveFreee]

Our troops are 100% heros in my book. I understand this is their duty but hearing of these young soldiers dying just breaks my heart.
God Bless them ALL

[dalebert]

Not a vietnam. We are occupying the entire country. I think there are just a lot of crooks and support from outside the country. A lot of people want us to fail.

[NicknamedBob]

"...I know I won't get a lot of agreement here..."

No, not here. Stand by for disagreement.

[The Other Harry]

The think to ask, I think, is how far that 87 BILLION dollars would have gone to making us somewhat less dependant on these assholes.

It's not even 87. It's more like 160.

[Vaduz]

Oil has nothing to do with it DO you recall9-11??? unlike VN they can shoot any place not just in a few areas and if oil did play into it so farking what get out of the lost 60's.

[ido_now]

If this suff keeps happening to our wonderful guys, GWB is toast.

[Dog Anchor]

"The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order"
Read it, it will help you understand. You must begin
to see the forest through the trees.

[umgud]

I supported the removal of Saddam and his regime. I never supported occupation and rebuilding. I also support the decimation of Syria. These actions alone are enough to send strong messages to all mid east regimes to cease their support of terrorism. I'll never forget the attitude-adjustment that Reagan gave to Gadaffi.

The reason I did not and do not support occupation and rebuilding is that the Arab people will always hate us no matter what we do. Speaking strictly as an infidel, I don't see them as worth saving. I also don't agree with Bush that we can produce stability in this region.

[NicknamedBob]

"...how far that 87 BILLION dollars would have gone to making us somewhat less dependant..."

Most of it, as you should know, is paying for the military, who seem to think they should be paid whether they're fighting over there, or training over here.

Or are you suggesting we don't need them?

[RISU]

Something seems "wrong". We are not hearing of these attacks being "answered" or of body counts of insurgents who get cleaned up after the attacks.

Make you wonder what these guys are thinking over there. If this were Vietnam, the attacks might still be occurring, but there would be enemy bodies assocaited with them occassionally. All I ever hear is we got zapped, and that's the end of it.

The US Army appears to be operating in "loosey goosey" mode from the press accounts, or we are not getting the word about how these attacks are being answered.