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Subscribe to RSSAnd then there was this additional bad news early Saturday morning: 31 Americans -- including more than 20 Navy SEALs -- were killed when Taliban forces shot down their helicopter in Afghanistan.
A senior defense official says that the team was "on their way to a mission" when their helicopter was shot down in Wardak Province this morning. The official was not sure whether they had just taken off, or if they had already been in the air for several minutes when they went down though.
"It appears that it was shot down," the official said, adding that it is obviously still being investigated.
The official said that the military does "not have any indication that it was anything other than" hostile fire that brought down the helicopter.
The casualty breakdown:
31 Americans killed, including:
-- as many as 20 Navy SEALS
-- five Army air crew
-- several U.S. airmen
-- one dog
8 Afghans killed:
-- seven Afghan troops
- one Afghan interpreter (civilian)
The Associated Press reports that the SEALs were part of SEAL Team Six, the unit that carried out the raid killing Osama bin Laden, but the AP adds that none of those killed in the crash "is believed to have been part of the SEALs mission that killed bin Laden."
President Obama issued this statement on the tragedy in Afghanistan:
My thoughts and prayers go out to the families and loved ones of the Americans who were lost earlier today in Afghanistan. Their deaths are a reminder of the extraordinary sacrifices made by the men and women of our military and their families, including all who have served in Afghanistan. We will draw inspiration from their lives, and continue the work of securing our country and standing up for the values that they embodied. We also mourn the Afghans who died alongside our troops in pursuit of a more peaceful and hopeful future for their country. At this difficult hour, all Americans are united in support of our men and women in uniform who serve so that we can live in freedom and security.
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How many more American service men & women must die before we get the hell out of that bullsh!t war?
How many more American service men & women must suffer life changing injuries fighting an unjust war?
How many more American families of these service men & women must continue to function as single family homes due to multiple deployments?
When are we going to say -- ENOUGH!!!
President Obama is the U.S. Commander-In-Chief.
He's the one charged with the responsibility for the conduct of the war in Afghanistan.
I don't question his conduct of the conflict.
I can't, in no small part, because I don't have access to the military intelligence that he does.
And, because...even if I did...President Obama is still the Commander-In-Chief.
So...
Afghanistan is still his call.
Don't like it?
Replace him in 2012.
What makes this even more horrendous is this helicopter was carrying the Navy Seal 6 Team who took out Osama bin Laden...
Sincere condolences to the families of those lost...
Oh. My. God.
Words are wholly inadequate. At least mine ate.
Barack Obama is a wartime President.
Does anyone imagine that these losses are any harder to bear than the destruction of the U.S. Pacific Fleet in Pearl Harbor in December of 1941...or the surrender of an entire U.S. army in the Phillippines a few months later?
Or, more recently...the loss of 3000 U.S. civilians on September 11th, 2001?
This is what this President...or ANY U.S. President must be prepared to face and deal with.
Of course, not. No one could ever think such a thing.
Every loss of life is hard to bear.
And thank you again for your own service.
AM-
If most American liberals of this current generation would recognize and respond to the threat to modern progressive thought and western ideals posed by Islamic extremism...their own thought, their own ideals...as the "Greatest Generation" did to Nazism and Japanese imperialism, I would be more encouraged.
Instead, many (if not most) liberals seem perfectly comfortable with consigning the women and girls, the intellectuals and educated professionals, the musicians, homosexuals and other "undesirables", to their fate after we decide that it's simply inevitable that the Taliban will resume its role as rulers of Afghanistan.
Remember Afghanistan under the Taliban?
We all know what that means...don't we?
I would assume that the left will then immediately resume its piteous hand-wringing over human rights violations in Afghanistan the moment our adventure there ends.
Hopefully, another 9/11-style attack on the United States won't be hatched and executed from there as well.
That would be very, very inconvenient.
Too bad Obama didn't cut and run when he had the chance. Guess he'd rather keep them there and blame the guy before him instead.
They should all come home. NOW. Obama doesn't want to win at anything - except a re-election. We all know how well that would work for us. After the last 2.5 years, there is NO WAY he'll get another chance to do even more damage.
I believe Syria will be next. Military is telling everyone to leave. Oh, yet another obama-in-and-out-in-a-week-no-boots-on-the-ground-doesn't-need-permission-to-spend-our-money-on-a-stupid-war-he-never-intended-to-win-anyway.
Just raise our taxes! We can't wait to find out what happens next!
End the @#$%&! war, and bring our men and women in the military home -- Not to mention it would be a large deficit reduction policy.
Too bad the president had to tack to the center and give the surge a chance so the Hawks wouldn't go bucknutty. That President Obama is proposing a jobs transition program for veterans makes me think he is preparing to draw down. I'm holding my own prayer day -- okay wish day for that.
Why is it a @#$&! war TR? Now you say this isn't the "Right"war? Is there a "Right" war? The only reason this made the news is because of the amount of casualties. You don't EVEN see what's going on every single day.
Explain to me how this is an unjust war?!
God speed boys!! You didn't die in vain!
I hope you and the others, both Liberals and Right-Wing understands this?
SueZQ45 -
At some point, can you shut your @!$%#ing mouth about Obama! Brave mean died. Please don't dishonor their memory with more Obama bashing.
And this is why we wished Obama had kept his word and gotten us out of this cursed land. The place empires go to DIE.
Here is a suggestion. Pull out, spend the trillions on defending our nation better instead of wars, if they attack again you aren't bankrupted by stupid wars so much so that you are unable to retaliate.
george,
Our President never promised to get us out of Afghanistan.
He said that it was a “just” war and worth fighting.
It was Iraq he promised to get us out of and has been
steadily drawing down the number of troops deployed there.
george milton & Dennis, Columbus, Ohio
Hey...31 American service people died today.
You guys are arguing about whose fault it is?
Seriously?
Ira, shouldn't your nick be I'm a lapin?
My sincerest sympathy to the families of the heroes that died.
likewise from me as well.
Ditto that.
Heroes each and every one, deepest condolences and thank you.
What a waste of life, gone to soon. My condolences to their familys, friends and others that had the privilege of knowing these brave soldiers.
Well said Ira. This is neither the time nor place for fighting battles. For some the battle is ended. Leave it at that. Prayers and Sympathies for those that have lost loved ones and close friends today. The Nation Mourns.
Leave it at that? Ask no uncomfortable questions?
Like, how the Taliban knew Seal Team Six was on that helicopter, and where it would be, in order to shoot it down as revenge for killing ObL?
These were heroes who were killed- and the information got to the enemy somehow.
Those are questions that must be asked, and answered.
Now let's see if this besotted media can do some asking, and force some answers.
no joe, no bo, nj..
I'm going to break my own rule here cause of your post.
First, would you sign a condolence page, that's what this is, like you did here?
Second, on another link, perhaps even tomorrow or any day you choose, you cite one scintilla of fact that the Taliban knew there were Seals on that chopper? You sure that mission was compromised NOJO? Perhaps in a firefight, there was very heavy fighting in the area, they were shot down?
Your making assumptions not in fact ANYWHERE and posting them as fact here and YOU are asking for answers.
Just incredibly insensitive.
no joe, no bo, nj..
P.S. The US announced that there were Seal Team Six members on board that chopper.
Hours later the Taliban said it was in revenge for the OBL kill.
MMMM...Why not come out first and say we killed the members of team that killed OBL if you were the Taliban...that's how to make an impact.
Instead, after the facts were made public, they use this as a PR event to make outlandish claims as they have done in the past.
...and you buy into it and state it as fact.
no joe, no bo, nj
You wrote:
Like, how the Taliban knew Seal Team Six was on that helicopter, and where it would be, in order to shoot it down as revenge for killing ObL?These were heroes who were killed- and the information got to the enemy somehow. Those are questions that must be asked, and answered. Now let's see if this besotted media can do some asking, and force some answers.
Per FR:
The U.S. Navy SEALs and other troops whose helicopter was shot down in eastern Afghanistan had rushed to the mountainous area to help a U.S. Army Ranger unit that was under fire from insurgents, two U.S. officials said Sunday.
The rescue team had completed the mission, subduing the attackers who had the Rangers pinned down, and were departing in their Chinook helicopter when the aircraft was apparently hit, one of the officials said. (Emphasis added).
Did the besotted media answer your inane question?
Three posts to me, Ira?
My husband is going to get jealous.
I come from a military family- actually, they pretty evenly split between the Navy and various police forces. I have more sympathy for the families who have lost sons and brother, ( and, trust me, they were all men), husbands and father, than you ever could.
You did not lose a brother in the first Gulf war.
Remember Pat Tillman? Friendly fire tragedies happen in EVERY SINGLE war- go back to the history of time, let alone this country. The media was on that like a loan shark on the vig. It was the very first conjecture.
Let's look at FACTS.
Fact one- the Taliban shot this helicopter down.
Fact two- this helicopter was on its way to a "high profile" target.
Fact three- this helicopter was full of Seal team six personnel.
The Taliban knew its target, and shot it down. That information came from somewhere. I want to know where, and from whom.
If the Tillman family was entitled to know that Pat was killed by friendly fire, we, as Americans, are certainly entitled to know the name(s) of the traitors who allowed this chopper to be targeted.
You have a problem with that? You do not want to know my response to that.
That you can go along with the Obama worship after the way he treated Israel, and established diplomatic relations with the Muslim Brotherhood tells me all I need to know about you. Youare a charter member of the worshippers.
In other words, not worth my time.
NoJo..
Read my post.
Per FR and all news sources.
The rescue team had completed the mission, subduing the attackers who had the Rangers pinned down, and were departing in their Chinook helicopter when the aircraft was apparently hit, one of the officials said. (Emphasis added).
No one knew who was on that chopper, especially not the Taliban.
What does Pat Tillman have to do with this conversation? Anything at all?
I did lose 6 Marine brothers in Viet Nam. Does that count?
You wrote; That you can go along with the Obama worship after the way he treated Israel, and established diplomatic relations with the Muslim Brotherhood tells me all I need to know about you. Youare a charter member of the worshippers.
In other words, not worth my time.
The Israeli comment earned you a place on my ignore list.
Now we're done.
Bye.
It is quite depressing to hear that 31 more Americans will return home in plastic bags. And how many Americans have come -and will come- home from Afghanistan with no limbs, brain damage from battlefield concussions, and mentally damaged for life! Afghanistan has become a human flesh grinding black hole, and it will get worse - not better. But Obama will continue the bloodshed because he doesn't want the republicans to accuse him for having lost the war in the 2012 presidential elections!
It is easy for the coward politicians to give the orders from their comfy offices, and let the people in the front line get the bullet and be blown to pieces! Then appear before the press corps and express regrets! It is the epitome of hypocrisy for both George Bush and Barack Obama who have relished the pride of being "wartime presidents." But we need a new term for them: "peacetime warmongers" aspiring for entry into the 'wartime presidents' Hall of Fame. They are just modern day impostors trying to hitch a ride into the Hall of Fame in order to be considered by historians as equal to those who fought Hitler and Hirohito. And to achieve that, they have sent thousands of GIs into their graves, and have thousands of other GIs maimed and psychologically corroded for life in their wars. And all that slaughter for a ticket to the Hall of Fame which will not be better than a degree from a diploma mill school. And it seems that Obama hasn't learn the lesson with his phony Nobel Peace Prize that became the subject of global scorn and ridicule.
Let's stop that futile war in Afghanistan that has turned into a human flesh grinding machine for 11 years. We are not going to turn Afghans into hamburger munchers, bar drinkers, or satellite TV -with porn pay-per-view option, watchers. We tried that in Vietnam and we failed miserably. Let's get out of Afghanistan by making the same claim that the former U.S. senator George Aiken's did after the U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam: "We went to Vietnam, we defeated them, and we returned home." Then get the hell out of Afghanistan! There is no rational reason to keep exporting or maintaining our brave soldiers to Afghanistan in order to import them back as dead bodies in plastic bags! Nikos Retsos, retired professor
Nicos Retos said it right. I think that 11 years of wasting American lives and our childrens futures is enough. I think that all the politicians that pushed for, voted for, and backed funding for occupations and wars outside our borders should be ousted come 2012. What a waste of Americans lives and a waste of America's future status in the world. Just like Vietnam, these wars and occupation have now taken America from a country of strength and power in the world to a country on the edge of not being able to pays it's bills. Debt that is not only owed to many countries but to ourselves, ie Social Security Trust Fund. How sad that we the middle and lower class of people in the nation must pay for wars and occupations of countries that we no say in being in. Let's all remember that when Bill Clinton left office there was a surplus of funds earmarked to bring down the debt. Look where we are now people. I feel that the worst yet to come. You want to balance the budget. End all conflicts abroad, bring home and faze out the troops, reduce waste, and reduce Military Budget by 50%. Bring back "Built or made in America". It is long overdue. I could say much more but who is listening and what will be done. It is a sad day and time in America.
Obviously doesn't watch what's happening in Greece now.
My utmost sympathy to the families and sorrow for their loss.
Get out NOW is my best advice. I know there could be problems with too quick a withdrawal but it has to start now and progress quickly. We cannot afford it financially anymore. The best way to honor our young men and women who are not coming home is to build a better, STRONGER America for which they fought.
If only Georgie boy would have fought the necessary war without taking his eye off that ball to go play revenge for a daddy Bush assasination threat in Iraq. Let's see if the Prayer-meisters meeting down here in Texas praising Perry's pitiful aZZ are going to mention, even one little utterance, for these brave Americans.
Missy - You said:
If only Georgie boy would have fought the necessary war without taking his eye off that ball to go play revenge for a daddy Bush assasination threat in Iraq. Let's see if the Prayer-meisters meeting down here in Texas praising Perry's pitiful aZZ are going to mention, even one little utterance, for these brave Americans.
Was this statement really needed? You should have ended your comment in the previous paragraph. Why is it so necessary for you liberals to keep on expounding about things that have been gone over a BILLION times on these boards... Is it for effect? Is it so you can show your ass? What is it? Your comment was childish, unnecessary and overblown for your own personal gratification. Sheeeesssshhh!!!!
This porch monkey "president" much be impeached, how many more deaths of white soliders will be caused by his incompetance?
Do you feel better now that everyone knows you are just stupid racist?
Why is he a stupid racist? Liberals used to call Bush, Monkey boy... I would relate his comment to the president based on liberal precidence.
Racism is stupid. It judges on how people look and not how they are. The racist comment above had nothing to do with policy and all to do with expressing his hate for the color and pissed we could put one of those things in the white house.
Grow up this is 2011.
I always thought the blacks had an edge for superiority. The way we brought them over in ships and only the very strongest survived and the plantation owners bred them like cattle for strong healthy workers. I have never been surprised at the number of superior black athletes.
I watched racism in the south and it is just a bunch of insecure white men that can only build themselves up by having someone else to put down. Pretending you are better doesn't make you better. But they sure are righteous and hateful to all those they think are beneath them. It only shows ignorance to me.
I would point out that your comment is ~ ironically ~ incredibly racist, but would prefer if we could stay on topic....30 American service men died. Shot down by the enemy.
Hey frank only thing worse than a nig* er is a white nig*er. And i am white so i would know.
If the USA is broke why are we still there ?
That's easy... because we don't have the money for the trip home....
My condolences to the families of the servicemen killed today, My thoughts and prayers are with you.
U.S. military officials are jackasses. What IS the strategic reason for staying? How can our nation's troops be so callously misused?
Do they claim "the Taliban" poses a threat to the U.S.? Is that why 1/2 the time they negotiate with them and 1/2 the time refuse to admit they negotiate with them? As a New Yorker I resent these wars of aggression, they are making my city LESS safe. Iraq, Afghanistan and now Libya are thinly veiled wars for oil and U.S. domination. That is NOT okay with me.
Al-Queda is no longer in Afghanistan. Bin Laden was in Pakistan. The folks who bombed the World Trade Center planned their evil in Germany, and most of them were from Saudi Arabia. It is ridiculous for the U.S. to have invaded Iraq, Afghanistan, and now, Libya.
The U.S. should get out of Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya. The people in those countries would never vote to have U.S. troops there. The majority of Americans don't want our troops there. Hey, guess Wall Street does. We need a government that actually does what we vote it too--stop wasting our taxes on war and start helping unemployed Americans get jobs--and get out of harms way!
But they got the wrong guys. Obama was responsible for killing Osama, at least that's what all Obama's supporters have been saying.
Since Ira has personally designated this a condolence page - I'll await his poutrage on this comment as well...
One can only hope this war will wind down quickly and our men and women in uniform can come home with dignity. My condolences to the families who have given the ultimate sacrifice and my gratitude to the those serving our country.
31 Americans gave their LIVES and teabaggers are unwilling to give one cent toward lifting up and improving the country. teabaggers will not pay a single penny more in taxes even though everything costs more today, including government!!!! teabaggers want to slash spending and put people out of work and on death's doorstep. teabaggers want to cut military spending for the troops and health care for our Veterans. the biggest terrorist threat facing America is right here - THE TEA PARTY AND ITS INSANE MEMBERS! I say bus these terrorists down to Texas, let Texas secede and let Rick Perry preside over some crazy-ass banana republic. Good luck with that. It is time to unite for the greater good - YOU are either with us or your against us and I think the teabaggers have made it clear whose side their on.
God Bless America and God Bless those who gave their lives to defend the United States of America and its Constitution. My heart grieves for those who have lost their loved ones - we have lost some of America's finest! It is a sad time.
The "Buck stops here"! This Democrat phrase from the '50's refers to Obama, Panetta and Bob Gates, Have your resignations typed and turned into by 8:00 am Monday, August 8, 2011 as America is fed up with failed policies and bad planning!
Please stop sending our troops off to this hell hole war.