Afghan official: fighting near chopper crash area

Afghanistan: The way forward

Taliban claim responsibility for Afghan chopper crash

A Chinook helicopter crashed in Afghanistan killing 30 Americans including 22 NAVY SEAL members, and as Elizabeth Palmer reports, early indications are the Taliban is to blame.

KABUL, Afghanistan -- An Afghan official says there is fighting in the area where the Taliban shot down a U.S. Army Chinook helicopter, killing 38 people, including 30 American troops.

Wardak provincial spokesman Shahidullah Shahid said Sunday that a joint operation was taking place in the Tangi Joy Zarin area of Sayd Abad district where the large transport helicopter went down late Saturday. He says there were reports of Taliban casualties overnight, but had no additional information.

Afghan chopper crash kills 22 SEALs; 37 in all

NATO says it has begun an operation to recover the remains of the helicopter.

The deaths marked the deadliest single loss for American forces in the decade-old war.

The U.S.-led coalition has provided no further details.

7 Comments +

Add a Comment


by markag55 August 7, 2011 7:07 PM EDT: I feel so sorry for the death of our servicemen. The fact that many were NavySEALS makes it even more desperate an outrage.

Why are we still in Afghanistan and Iraq? I voted for Obama so that we would be out by now. If the Soviet Union pulled out after 10 losing years, why are we "sticking it out" for people who don't really want us there (of course, there are many who do)?

Pulling everyone out of these two countries, as well as Pakistan (whose people and government are mostly double agents), would be a good start to getting the deficit down. It would be a great way to have fewer of the people servicing in our armed forces killed or maimed. Just pull the plug like we did in Vietnam. At least now we have drones. Let those students who always just played video games instead of doing homework, who are now, as adults, veering these drones from Stateside, do the work. Let them kill each other; let us do our part without American bloodshed.

Enough is enough. Mr. Obama--I voted for you, in part, to get us out of this mess that George W. Bush got us into. Why aren't you listening to us? I'm a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat, but I was all for Hillary Rodham Clinton to lead us out of this mess. Well, she and I lost. Now, it seems, we're all losing. It just doesn't make any sense at this point. If you don't get us untangled from Afghanistan and Iraq; if you don't get the deficit down even somewhat; if you don't get the economy going by helping to generate JOBS, then you may just well be the one-term President the Republicans are calling you. I hope not. There's not one Republican candidate whom I would vote for. There's no Eisenhower among the bunch. Even Romney, who was a "liberal" for years as governor of Massachusetts, is a turn-coat courting the tea party and other ultra-right-wing conservatives.

What am I and a majority of people who think like similarly to do? I voted for you to LEAD, not to ACQUIESCE to the tea party's vocal minority! They are a bunch of ignoramuses who don't know how stupid they really are--that's scary. That's how Hitler came to power.

Please get us out of the mess in the Middle East, get the deficit under control, and get an increase in jobs. I know that "Big Business" is making money hands-over-fists again, but they aren't hiring. Why? So you won't get re-elected. So stop what you're doing and do what you NEED to do. It's called "one-upsmanship" and you're bright enough to do it, if only you had the guts to do it.; Reply to this comment

by wasadem1 August 7, 2011 11:11 AM EDT

I am a vet and I do not think we use the plan that we did in WWII to win. We try to fight wars like a police action. It does not work. If we are going to do it, we have to impact even the social aspect to change their thinking. That means rip everyone in the damn village a new *****. Only then will they understand.

Reply to this comment


by meauburn2011 August 7, 2011 11:58 AM EDT: I agree with you for the most part. Obviously there was a 'leak' somewhere letting the Tali know where & when our forces were. This means trust NO ONE and take NO prisoners. We are way too 'By the book' in our tactics as well as way to trusting. Since we are there, why not go back to the 'foot ball' stratigies and WIN THIS ONE for the TEAM!! BOORAH!


by worldcitizen1 August 7, 2011 4:38 PM EDT: We are not fighting the Afghan people, they are NOT our enemies just Al-Qaeda for 9/11 remember? People like you will never understand anything but violence.


by TomMatlack August 7, 2011 11:00 AM EDT: My question is why Good Men are still dying in Afghanistan.
Here is my answer: http://******/gm-death; Reply to this comment