[Updated at 10:23 a.m. ET] The U.S. believes one of its armed helicopters was shot down over Afghanistan on Wednesday, killing both crew members on board, a U.S. military official said.
"It is likely that the helo today was brought down due to enemy small arms and RPG fire," the official said. The chopper was a U.S. Army OH-58 Kiowa Warrior reconnaissance helicopter. It went down over Ghazni province.
In a statement, the Taliban claimed responsibility for the downing of the helicopter, saying a rocket was used.
"After the rocket hit it, the helicopter came down and took fire," said an e-mail sent by Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid.
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Post by: CNN's Barbara Starr, CNN's Masoud Popalzai Filed under: Afghanistan • Military |
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hey Ginger, are you blonde too?
Scores of books will be written on how we had a chance to accomplish something in Afghanistan and ended up looking like every other country that went in arrogant and came out humbled. It makes me wonder if our military readers even read the history of that country before they went it, or even if they ever read Kipling? We had a chance there to attain some success, but blew it. I'm sorry for our servicemen and women. They are heroes and deserved better from our leaders.
Make Love not war.
And sadly this goes to show that we learned nothing from Vietnam. My heart goes out to the troops and their families that pay the price for that.
Wage Weed not war. The Weedheads are among the only groups who do not wage war! That sets em' apart. There has been Korean war, Ww2, Vietnam war, but there has never been a Weedheads war!
This is Karma!
War
If any of you idiots making asinine comments had friends or family over there, you wouldn't be so quick to make these pathetic comments. Rot in hell you worthless rats.
This is the war that never ends ~~~~
Yes it goes on and on my friend ~~~~~
Some folks, Started it, not knowing the repurcuss..
and politicians will keep it going on forever just because...
MONEY MONEY MONEY
I guess you weren't born or lived in a cave or under a rock on 9/11. The pain still continues for me as I lost 3 family members that day. One firefighter and two office workers.
So you can take your jingle and shove it. I want all terrorists great and small to be hunted down like the dogs they are until the world ends. NO amount of money is too great. I'm willing to even chip in to a war fund. Heck, I'll buy boxes of ammunition for myself (I'm a soldier) and my battle buddies.
Bin Laden may be dead, but as long as the US and her allies are free nations, we will be hated, and terrorists will plan the next attack. If we stop now, it won't be a question of "if" the next attack occurs, but when.
@Dan, thank you for being a voice of lucidity in an otherwise lunatic thread. Be forewarned, the vast preponderance of CNN bloggers cannot be persuaded with logic and reason. They're fanatic ideologues beyond logic. It's whistling in the wind. Don't take it personally or be discouraged. And thank you for your service and the sacrifices you make on our behalf.
@Dan. Your loss is tragic and completely undeserved. And, your desire to stop terrorism is admirable. Just be careful your hatred doesn't blind you to the cause you believe in. Killing the mindset of those who oppose us is much more effective than trying the impossible: to kill them all.
They knew the job was dangerous when they took it. Sure, we need to get out and let the Arabs kill each other, but our fearless leaders want to restore order and a stable government before we pull out and let them kill each other.
Afghans will decide who rules Afghanistan, not the occupying Americans who insert themselves for selfish means.
Dear mister Smako, they aren't Arabs. Most Taliban are Pashtu. Different values, culture, and beliefs.
I don't think our fearless leaders oppose Arabs killing each other. We're happily letting that happen at this moment in Yemen, Syria, and elsewhere. As I recall our national interests, the US seeks to defeat radical extremism and deter aggression. Can that be accomplished by pulling out, which reasonable folks believe will result in a Taliban takeover, thereby re creating the Al Qaeda safe harbor that led to 9-11? Thankfully, your opinion is inconsequential.
(They're not arabs)
Well put.
The Cannibals eating bath salts win!!!!
We taught them how to take down Russian helicopters...kinda ironic.
Don't be bad mouthing the war, it is the war the reward of which makes our defense sector thrive and adds millions of jobs that help our economy afloat. If we did not have war we would have recession as early as 2001.
Blah,Blah,Blah.....
Citation needed. Have we not spent bazillions on this war that we now owe in government debt? Please explain yourself.
Kill the invaders one by one,stealing resources sure doesn,t come cheap.
kill all the western thieves.