U.S. helicopter forced to land in Iraq

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

U.S. helicopter forced to land in Iraq

40 minutes ago

BAGHDAD - A U.S. helicopter was forced to make a precautionary
landing north of Baghdad on Saturday, but nobody was injured, a
military spokeswoman said.

The aircraft, which went down in the volatile Diyala province,
was being recovered, said Lt. Col. Josslyn Aberle, a military
spokeswoman in Baghdad. She added that the reason for the
precautionary landing was under investigation.

Aberle declined to give more specifics, citing security concerns
while the recovery operation was under way.

The incident came five days after two U.S. soldiers were killed
when the helicopter in which they were riding went down in Diyala,
which has been the scene of fierce fighting between militants and
U.S. forces in recent months. The military did not say whether
that helicopter was shot down or suffered mechanical difficulties.


Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070602/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_helicopter_1

[Screwfly]

1. Yeah like

pushing a helicopter to its very limits, and then some to avoid enemy fire wouldn't tend to stress the machine and make it more likely crash than a helicopter state side.

[cliss]

2. This is a very sensitive issue to the military.

Nothing spells "defeat" as surely as big equipment going down. It has an air of "failure" connected with it. Not only is it seen as a high value target (more troops brought down at the same time) but it's a psychological victory to Iraqis.

THE BIGGER THEY ARE, THE HARDER THEY FALL.

The Pentagon usually hesitates to divulge if helis are shot down, or crash due to mechanical failure.
And believe me, it's been A LOT of helis coming down these past 4 years. Helis cost around $70 million. Just imagine the tanks, humvees, jeeps, Bradley fighting vehicles and other equipment that's bit the dust.