In wars, guns are fired

From the AP:

"However, the loss of four helicopters since Jan. 20 has raised new questions about whether Iraqi insurgents are using more sophisticated weapons or whether U.S. tactics need changing.

Three of the latest crashes involved Army helicopters — two Apaches and one Black Hawk. The fourth was an OH-6A observation helicopter operated by the Blackwater USA security firm. All were believed shot down, and 20 Americans, including four civilian, died in the crashes."

-- Always amazes me that the military acts absolutely amazed that a helicopter was shot down. It's a WAR. Or is it that they are so sure of their military superiority that they forget that the 'other guys' have guns too. And I love the line "whether U.S. tactics need changing" The obvious answer is yes, we should leave it the hell alone over there. Prop up a Govt and get the hell out. What other tactics might the US consider changing?

1. When helicopters go down, just explain them as 'lost' Perhaps a Bermuda triangle like anomaly. Or like that second sock in the dryer. More 'gone missing' then shot down.

2. Don't fly the helicopters all over the damn place when people are shooting at you.

3. Don't start a war and expect that the people whose country you invaded and have pretty much tunred into rubble will not shoot at your helicopters.

More goodness:

"Iraqi insurgents have used heavy machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and shouldered-fired SA-7 anti-aircraft missiles throughout the Iraq conflict. U.S. officials believe Iran is supplying Shiite militias with new weapons including more powerful roadside bombs, Katysuha rockets and a newer class of rocket-propelled grenades.

Some of those weapons could have found their way into the hands of Sunni insurgents, who operate around Taji."

They will do anything to get Iran involved. I'm surprised the US hasn't made public a MySpace page where Iran claims responsibility for everyting wrong in Iraq. What's odd is, the Sunni insurgents are the ones killing the Iranians and if the Irianan aligned troops had Iranian weapons the only way the Sunnis would have gotten them would have been to kill the Iranian backed troops which is exactly what General George W. Bush has said American troops are now free to do.

If the enemy you kill is the enemy of your enemy, does that make them your mother-in-law? Great thing about regional conflicts in that part of the world, so frickin' complicated. It's like we should have expected our President to have been awake in those International History classes at Yale.





Read the full story: BASSEM MROUE, Associated Press Writer Via YAHOO