9 Us Soldiers Killed In Helicopter

9 US Soldiers Killed in Helicopter Downing

AP reports that the Blackhawk helicopter downed on Thursday near Fallujah was hit by a rocket. It was a clearly marked medical helicopter, and all 9 US servicemen aboard were killed.

Given the mortar attack on Wednesday and this attack on Thursday, a two-day record for US troops killed and wounded must now have been set. (More troops have been killed on a single day in the past, but 44 killed-and-wounded must be the highest 2-day total since May 1; maybe since March 19?)

It hits me in the gut when our guys get hit like this. But analytically, I think we may conclude that the argument about whether capturing Saddam Hussein would end the low-grade guerrilla war is over. As I suggested at the time, the answer is “no.”

Did anyone else notice that earlier this week the US cable news media tried to push Iraq out of the headlines, as they had Afghanistan earlier? Even the 35 wounded (one of whom died) on Wednesday did not seem to get reported that much on t.v., though of course it was mentioned as a one-liner. I think editors may have hoped that they could stop covering Iraq now that there was a transition to Iraqi sovereignty. The helicopter attack on Thursday brought the story back, though.

It is amazing to me that the US public puts up with these so-called “news” channels, which have almost no real news. Half the stories are human interest and the other half scandals. It is a scandal in itself.