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30 NATO troops die in Afghanistan
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| Zharen |
http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiap...f=BN1&hpt=hp_t1
| quote: | In the single deadliest loss for U.S. troops since the Afghan war began in late 2001, 30 service members died early Saturday when a helicopter carrying them went down while they were reinforcing other troops, officials said.
Insurgents are believed to have shot down the CH-47 Chinook, a U.S. military official said. The Taliban claimed militants downed the helicopter with a rocket-propelled grenade.
Among the 25 U.S. special forces killed in Wardak province were 22 Navy SEALS, considered to be the "best of the best." Seven Afghan troops also died.
The majority of the Navy SEALs who died belonged to the same covert unit that conducted the raid that killed Osama bin Laden in May, though they were not the same men, the military official said.
The troops died during a "quick reaction" mission to assist military personnel pinned down by insurgents in a fierce firefight, a U.S. military official told CNN.
"It's a big loss" for the SEALs, one of the officials said. "The numbers are high."
Reflecting on the sobering loss, President Barack Obama said the deaths were "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."
NATO's International Security Assistance Force said 30 U.S. service members in ISAF, one civilian interpreter and seven Afghan commandos were killed. The nationality of the interpreter was not known late Saturday.
The U.S. deaths came as NATO is drawing down and handing over security control to national forces. Some 10,000 U.S. troops are scheduled to depart by year's end, with all U.S. military personnel out of Afghanistan by the end of 2014.
However, no one is talking about withdrawing special forces and they are expected to stay on the job.
"We are determined to stay the course, especially in this crucial period when Afghan and international security forces are working closer than ever to make transition a success," NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said. |
The death toll just keeps going up, US is going bankrupt, and all these s can say is "We're going to stay the course." I'm pretty sure that felled Chinook probably cost taxpayers a pretty penny as well. |
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| Joss Weatherby |
Chinooks are around 35 million a piece.
ty deal. Can't really dodge an RPG at close range in a helicopter like that (nor could you really in most helicopters). |
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| Blake |
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| VDub |
I've said it before and I'll say it again...
Giant... Plate.... Of.... Glass.... |
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| WittyHandle |
| quote: | Originally posted by Blake
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C'mon man, really? Show some respect please. These people died for our country, whether you agree with our presence there or not.
I know I'm just inviting a ton of bad puns on the story by saying this, but I felt it needed to be said. |
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| Alex |
| quote: | Originally posted by WittyHandle
C'mon man, really? Show some respect please. |
+1 |
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| EddieZilker |
| quote: | Originally posted by VAR
it's a sad day for SOCOM.
good men like that are a rare breed.
RIP
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It's so very unfortunate. RIP. |
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| Vernon Wanderer |
| quote: | Originally posted by VAR
good men like that are a rare breed.
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+1.
R.I.P. |
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| VDub |
Easy. Drill through the glass...
Anyway, RIP gentlemen...
I'm sure you'll give hell one, uh, hell of an ass kicking... |
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| nchs09 |
| quote: | Originally posted by Blake
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correct. |
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