Posted on 02/07/2007 10:43:46 AM PST by maquiladora
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- A Sea Knight helicopter crashed Wednesday in an insurgent stronghold northwest of Baghdad, killing all seven people on board, the military said, the fifth chopper lost in Iraq in just over two weeks.
A senior U.S. defense official said the helicopter did not appear to have been hit by hostile fire, but an Iraqi air force officer said it was downed by an anti-aircraft missile and an al-Qaida-linked Sunni group claimed responsibility for the downing.
The Iraqi air force officer, who was familiar with the investigation but declined to be identified because he was disclosing confidential information, said the helicopter went down after it was hit by an anti-aircraft missile.
Witnesses also said the helicopter had been shot down in a field in the Sheik Amir area northwest of Baghdad in a Sunni-dominated area between the Taji air base, 20 kilometers (12 miles) north of Baghdad, and Karmah, 80 kilometers (50 miles) to the west of the capital.
"The helicopter was flying and passed over us, then we heard the firing of a missile," said Mohammad al-Janabi, a farmer who was speaking less than a half-mile from the wreckage. "The helicopter, then, turned into a ball of fire. It flew in a circle twice, then it went down."
The military has said that four other helicopters that have crashed since Jan. 20 were believed to have been shot down, raising new questions about whether Iraqi insurgents are using more sophisticated weapons or whether U.S. tactics need changing.
Iraqi insurgents have used heavy machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and shouldered-fired SA-7 anti-aircraft missiles throughout the conflict. U.S. officials believe Iran is supplying Shiite militias with new weapons including more powerful roadside bombs, Katyusha rockets and a newer class of RPGs.
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
Prayers,
Keep moving.
These things are just falling out of the air, lately.
And I wonder where those weapons are coming from?
Most unfortunate, bud sadly a price of war. A prayer for the dead and their families. And may the media actually show concern instead of just using this as propaganda!
"Freedom has a price that bitching never pays!"
Bumper Sticker/T-Shirt
http://www.cafepress.com/titillatingtees.103061821
Tehran?
Prayers to the Lord for their families and friends.
If they track these weapons to Iran...they better be dealt with dam it. I am sick of this...maybe we need to fire some more generals.
So you want to keep on insisting, those wanting to attack Iran, are Democrats who want to harm the USA? Iran is waging war against us since 1979. Wake up.
Enemy rocket = hostile fire. It doesn't have to include NATO 7.62 coming from an AK-47.
So long as we play the "game" by their rules --- they win...
Until we decide to deal a level of destruction, death and horror to our enemies in the area -- we remain the "target" of opportunity ..
Been there, done that....and YES it IS becoming more like Vietnam every day.....
In fact --- I hear the SAME VOICES and see the SAME FACES calling for abandonment of our objectives and warriors.
Semper Fi
U.S. officials believe Iran is supplying Shiite militias with new weapons including more powerful roadside bombs, Katyusha rockets and a newer class of RPGs
Act of war, let's get to it.
I didn't realize this but this responsibility is a 6 month obligation to his family. He has to be available for any of their needs which he is very willing to do.
Dear God,
Please stop this madness.
God Bless our troops, God protect them. Amen
This seems to be an attack by a Sunni group, but there have been reports that Iranian equipment has got to them too.
According to my daughter (via husband) the Marines say it was mechanical failure and went on to explain what it was that caused it to go down. I guess we will know more as the day progresses.
Falling? Yes, but they've had a little help.
Oh Lord, what an awful task. I don't know if I could do it. My prayers are with him and the families of those who were murdered by these islamist thugs.
Thank you. I'm first and foremost praying for the families of the victims but my heart is breaking for my son-in-law. He is so compassionate and this is very hard. But as all honorable service members, he knows that even the toughest jobs must be done.
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