American helicopters in Iraq are never "shot down".

[Jara sang]

They learned this one from Viet Nam. A GI getting his head blown off is one thing, but U.S. military equipment being blown out of the sky portrays a vulnerability that the American public just can't handle. The other thing they learned from Viet Nam, control every peice of information coming out of the country, the war is never going badly, we will soon be victorious, victory is always just over the horizon. God damn, this really is '1984': just replace Iraq with 'Eurasia' which, geographically, it essentially is anyway.

[wtmusic]

1. I thought they copped to this one

:shrug:

[Jara sang]

2. Media just repeats the mantra "waiting for official word from Pentagon"

then the story is lost.

[wtmusic]

3. ah yes

the stratagem used after the bombed Iraqi wedding reception. Never fails.

[DrDebug]

4. Indeed they always crash in sandstorms n/t