14 Americans Die in Afghan Helicopter Crashes

[unhappycamper]

Source: NYT

14 Americans Die in Afghan Helicopter Crashes
By DEXTER FILKINS
Published: October 26, 2009

KABUL — Fourteen Americans were killed in Afghanistan on Monday in two separate incidents involving helicopters.

Seven American soldiers and three civilians were killed in a helicopter crash in western Afghanistan, military officials said, and in southern Afghanistan, the midair collision of two coalition helicopters resulted in the deaths of four U.S. soldiers. A spokeswoman said gunfire from insurgents was not to blame for the collision.

The spokeswoman, Capt. Elizabeth Mathias, would not specify an exact location for the deadly crash in the west, although she said the craft was a large Chinook helicopter and the military was “98 percent sure that insurgent activity was not involved.”

A reported 26 people were injured in the crash — 14 Afghan Army soldiers, 11 U.S. troops and an American civilian.

Before the crash, a team from the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force was searching a compound suspected of harboring insurgents involved in the narcotics trade, according to an ISAF statement. A firefight then broke out and “more than a dozen enemy fighters” were killed.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/27/world/asia/27afghan.h...

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To date eight hundred ninety American soldiers have died in the invasion and continued occupation of Afghanistan --> http://icasualties.org/oef /

October 2009 is by far the worst October since the invasion.

[laststeamtrain]

1. Guardian: Helicopter crashes kill 14 Americans in Afghanistan

Helicopter crashes kill 14 Americans in Afghanistan

Hostile fire ruled out in one collision involving three civilians while US engages in 'war games' for exit strategy

Haroon Siddique and agencies
guardian.co.uk, Monday 26 October 2009 09.21 GMT

Fourteen Americans were killed today in a series of helicopter crashes in Afghanistan, the US military said.

Seven US troopers and three US civilians working for the government died when their helicopter went down in western Afghanistan, a US statement said. In the south of the country two US helicopters collided, killing four American troops and wounding two others.

US authorities have ruled out hostile fire in the collision but have not given a cause for the other crash. The Taliban said they shot down a helicopter in Badghis province in north-western Afghanistan but it was unclear if this was the same incident and the claim could not be verified.

The casualties came as the Washington Post reported that the US has been engaging in war games testing the various proposals presented to Barack Obama to end the eight-year war.

<more>

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/oct/26/afghanistan...

[Altoid_Cyclist]

2. The carnage continues.

Condolences to the families.

[mwb970]

3. How long are we supposed to put up with this?

I don't see anything we are accomplishing in Afghanistan that would justify this constant loss of American lives, not to mention the money we are wasting. Isn't 8 years enough? Let's end this bush/cheney boondoggle and get down to solving our own problems.

[Grinchie]

4. I guess those outsourced Helicopter parts aren't working out too well..

You know, the ones made out of scrap metal scavenged from US Junkyards and then shipped off to China for reuse?

I remember a day when we actually manufactured those parts here in America. I marveled as I walked past them going through the machining process. Now, they are made bu some machine that fed and oiled by some technician in Malaysia, Israel, or Canada.

Don't flame me for not mentioning that some parts are made in America, because some are. My beef is that they are not totally manufactured here anymore, not that I agree with any weapon of war anymore. But that's another issue entirely.

The fact of the matter is that men and women are dying in a fraudulent war, and Americans have lost control to the Warmongers, while hailing the Commander In Chief as a Nobel Peace Prize Winner. Truly Bizzaro World.

[Soylent Brice]

5. .

[Flaneur]

6. US: 4 US troops die in Afghan chopper collision

Source: Associated Press

KABUL (AP) -- Four American troops were killed and two injured Monday when two helicopters collided in southern Afghanistan.

Hostile fire has been ruled out in the crash, a military statement said. U.S. military spokesman Col. Wayne Shanks said he did not have other details yet about the cause of the collision.

In an unrelated incident, another helicopter went down Monday during an operation by international forces against insurgents in western Afghanistan in which a dozen militants were killed.

The U.S. said military casualties were reported and a recovery operation is under way. Casualties could refer to either dead or injured.

<snip>


Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_AFGHANISTAN?S...

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Busy, busy.

[Flaneur]

7. That makes 45 US and NATO troops this month. 424 this year.

This is the bloodiest year yet for the West in Afghanistan. Would we like some more?

[Grinchie]

8. Thanks for posting the numbers. the MSM or the Pentagon don't like to post these numbers

At least they don't post them where many people will actually see them.

This inexorable tick of human lives being wasted on nothing but Empire will soon take it's toll. It's just surprising that they can sucker so many idiots to actually sign up for this shit, only to look forward to winning the lottery and making it through there tour of duty alive, let alone with all body parts intact.

[EFerrari]

9. Can't say anything. K&R

[excess_3]

10. add ten more

just heard on BBC radio,
ten more dead in heli crash in the west.

thanks a lot, Mr.Peace Prize winner.

[NecklyTyler]

12. Keep in mind that Bush started an illegal war in Iraq diverting necessary resources from Afghanistan

Had the Bush Administration kept its sights on Afghanistan, we would have finished there and been gone long before this accident would have happened.

Finding a peaceful solution to violent conflict requires courage and initiative - and the Nobel committee recognizes that our President has both qualities

[MaineDem]

14. Indeed

And Cheney criticizes the President for what he's doing to correct their mistakes.

[excess_3]

15. two wrongs don't make a right .nt

[NecklyTyler]

21. Your reply is somewhat ambiguous

If I just read through the thread, I might see you implying that President Obama's courage and initiative are both wrong and do not make a right.

[maddezmom]

11. Helicopter crashes kill 14 Americans in Afghanistan

Fourteen Americans were killed today in a series of helicopter crashes in Afghanistan, the US military said.

Seven US troopers and three US civilians working for the government died when their helicopter went down in western Afghanistan, a US statement said. In the south of the country two US helicopters collided, killing four American troops and wounding two others.

US authorities have ruled out hostile fire in the collision but have not given a cause for the other crash. The Taliban said they shot down a helicopter in Badghis province in north-western Afghanistan but it was unclear if this was the same incident and the claim could not be verified.

The casualties came as the Washington Post reported that the US has been engaging in war games testing the various proposals presented to Barack Obama to end the eight-year war.

more:http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/oct/26/afghanistan...

[Arctic Dave]

16. "troopers"! Holey Moley, this more and more like a Star Wars flick everyday.

And we ain't the good guys.

[SHRED]

13. All for what?...sad

[clear eye]

17. Helicopter crashes kill 14 Americans in Afghanistan

Source: The Guardian

• Hostile fire ruled out in collision that killed three civilians
• US engages in war games for exit strategy

Haroon Siddique and agencies guardian.co.uk, Monday 26 October 2009 14.47 GMT

Fourteen Americans were killed today in a series of helicopter crashes in Afghanistan, in the deadliest day for the US mission in the country in more than four years.

Seven US troopers and three US civilians working for the government died when their helicopter went down in western Afghanistan, a US statement said. Eleven American troops, one US civilian and 14 Afghans were also injured. In the south of the country, two US helicopters collided, killing four American troops and wounding two others...

...It was the heaviest loss of life in a single day since 28 June 2005, when 16 US troops on a special forces helicopter died when their MH-47 Chinook helicopter was shot down by insurgents...

...The casualties came as President Barack Obama prepared to meet his national security team for a sixth full-scale conference on the future of the conflict and the Washington Post reported that the US has been engaging in war games, testing the various proposals presented to Barack Obama to end the eight-year war. The Obama administration has been re-evaluating its strategy amid falling public support for the conflict and a request by the US commanding officer in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, for tens of thousands more troops.


Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/oct/26/afghanistan...

[CountAllVotes]

18. another 14 dead Americans

and thanks a lot Mr. President!

& recommend.

P.S. US OUT OF THE MIDDLE EAST AND THAT INCLUDES AFGHANISTAN!!!!

[clear eye]

19. Read the last paragraph of the excerpt. The Prez is looking for a way out.

He's moving b/c we keep emailing the WH. We've got to keep up the pressure.

[CountAllVotes]

20. yeah right

just like he promised to get America out of Iraq.

on that one too!

[maddezmom]

22. Taliban claim shootdown as 14 Americans killed in Afghan crashes

The Taliban say that their fighters have shot down a helicopter in northwestern Afghanistan.

The claim comes on the day that helicopter crashes killed 11 American troops and three DEA agents, making it the deadliest day for the U.S. in Afghanistan in more than four years.


The U.S. military says four troops were killed when two Marine helicopters collided before dawn over the southern province of Helmand. Hostile fire has been ruled out in that incident.

But U.S. authorities are not giving a cause for the deadlier incident. They say the helicopter went down as it was leaving the scene of a firefight in western Afghanistan, killing seven troops and the DEA agents.

It's unclear whether the Taliban claim refers to that incident.

more:http://www.wbko.com/news/headlines/66305657.html#