Witnesses Say Aircraft Exploded in Midair After Missile Hit

[NNN0LHI]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=68&ncid=716&e=18&u=/nyt/20031102/ts_nyt/witnessessayaircraftexplodedinmidairaftermissilehit

AMERIYA, Iraq, Nov. 2 An American Chinook helicopter crashed here today, killing 15 soldiers and wounding 21 others. It was the deadliest single incident for Americans since the United States invaded Iraq in March.

The helicopter was hit by a missile and exploded in midair, several witnesses in this farming community 40 miles west of Baghdad said, in an area where anti-American sentiment is high. A second explosion followed when the helicopter hit the ground, they said. Another missile narrowly missed a second Chinook, the witnesses said. Their accounts matched descriptions of a shoulder fired missile. snip

Villagers near the site of the crash said they were happy that the helicopter had gone down and American soldiers had died.

Ali Hassan, a farmer who lives about 200 yards from the crash site, said, "The resistance is getting stronger and stronger every day." He said one of his sons, Aamer, throws stones at soldiers. "Imagine what he will do when he grows up," he said.

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[kentuck]

1. This is the first incident I've heard about in a long time...

where missiles have been used. I do recall a helicopter being shot down when the "hostilities" were going on...as if they ever stopped...

[madrchsod]

3. i think there may have been

some missles fired but they never hit anything,this could be the reason that airplanes "corkscrew" their landings.

[nostamj]

4. a black hawk was taken down last week n/t

[Rose Siding]

2. I can't get past that father's quote

His mind has totally accepted the fact that this will be a fight that his kid will have time to grow into.

Is that complete hopelessness or determination or something else?

[girl gone mad]

8. From what I understand of Middle Eastern culture,

they look at events on a much longer timescale than we do. Where as we get impatient and want to see progress happen quickly, they think of progress being made over generations. That is one of the problems with fighting a "war on terrorism". The threat ia not only technologically asymmetric, but mentally so as well.

Commanders framing the war as a religious war certainly doesn't help matters and neither does the unilateralism. These children will grow up believing they are fighting for what is right and they will be willing to play their part and teach their children to play a part.

[mmonk]

5. It appears

our subjects are restless.

[hlthe2b]

6. God, how does one reconcile...

the incredible sense of horror and sadness at what is happening to our soldiers, who have become little more than cannon fodder with the disquieting feeling that we've created the anger and resentment that has led to this? Obviously, I am in no way condoning these vicious attacks. But damn, we all know there were no good reasons behind our haphazardly invading this country, taking away any stability and leaving the people to fend for themselves in a largely lawless environment. Sadaam was bad, we all know that. The question is, have we left the Iraqis an alternative any better? Meanwhile our men and women pay the price for this arrogance.

[dbt]

7. Headline News, 10 PM CST 11.2.03:

"Pentagon still not certain it was a missile."

Right.

:argh:
dbt

[maine_raptor]

9. Well, it could have been

a bird strike. You know them Iraqi sea gulls are mighty tough!

:evilgrin: