Two Die When U.S. Copter Downed in Iraq

[True_Blue]

FALLUJAH, Iraq - Gunmen shot down a U.S. attack helicopter during fighting in western Baghdad on Sunday, killing its two crew members. Insurgents and Marines called a cease-fire in the besieged city of Fallujah, but the fragile peace was shaken by shootings that wounded two Americans.


Smoke rose on Baghdad's western edge where the AH-64 Apache helicopter was downed by ground fire in the morning. More helicopters circled overhead, while U.S. troops closed off the main highway — a key supply route into the capital.


Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt told a news briefing Sunday that the two-member crew was killed and a quick-reaction team was collecting the bodies.


Heavy firing was heard, and tanks and Humvees moved into the area near the suburb of Abu Ghraib, where masked gunmen have wreaked havoc for the past three days, attacking fuel convoys and blowing up tanker trucks. Insurgents kidnapped an American civilian and killed a U.S. soldier in the area Friday.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=540&e=3&u=/ap/20040411/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq

[elephant hunter]

1. Apaches are supposed to be able to survive small arms fire

I wonder what happened?

[Hand]

2. SAM...

Apparently the Apache was brought down by a shoulder-launched surface to air missile. May have been a Russian Strela or similar.

In any case, the Apache's not invulnerable to anything. During the fighting last year, a whole squadron was badly shot up by small arms fire and one of them was shot down. The squadron crews were reportedly in a state of shock at the intensity and effectiveness of the fire directed at them.

Chimpy's war is a clusterfuck; always has been...

:nuke:

ON EDIT: Welcome to DU, elephant hunter!
:hi:

[Voltaire99]

3. More disaster for the colonizers

This stupid, immoral occupation produces profits for the rich and tragedy for everyone else.