Enemy Fire Eyed in Iraq Chopper Collision

[NNN0LHI]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=540&ncid=716&e=2&u=/ap/20031130/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_helicopter

MOSUL, Iraq - The U.S. military said Sunday for the first time that the collision of two Black Hawk helicopters in Mosul — the single deadliest incident of the war for American forces — may have been caused by enemy fire.


Until now, the military had not publicly disclosed a possible cause of the Nov. 15 collision, which killed 17 soldiers.


"It appears to be that one helicopter was hit by a (rocket-propelled grenade)," Col. Joe Anderson, a commander with the 101st Airborne Division, told The Associated Press. The soldiers who died were from the 101st, based at Fort Campbell, Ky.


The ground fire apparently caused one Black Hawk to slam into the other, although the incident is still under investigation, said Anderson, whose brigade controls Mosul.

more

[tabasco]

1. But, but, Fox News reported it as a terrible "accident"

Not only Fox but other media whores as well. Maybe if we pretend the resisitance isn't there, it will go away. After all, aren't most of the Iraqis too busy making fruit baskets for the beloved Americans to engage in the insurgency?

[J B]

2. Yeah. We all guessed the real reason.

What a lame attempt at spin.

[frylock]

3. gee whiz col. joe, we all knew that 2 freakin weeks ago..

do these jagoffs have any fucking clue as to what the hell is shakin over there?!

[Zhade]

4. File this under "DUH, we already knew that, you idiots."

NT!

[pdove]

5. Did not everyone know this in the first day?

At least I knew.

[lumpy]

6. I don't know, you don't know,the military doesn't know

for sure what caused the collision. Much easier to blame it on the enemy.

[Cooley Hurd]

7. No, it's much easier to blame it on an accident...

CENTCOM's persistent spin is that we're winning and the attacks agazinst coalition forces are decreasing. With public support for the war eroding at home because of mounting casualties, they're more likely to say that the enemy had nothing to do woith it.