Deadliest day for US troops in decade long war in Afghanistan

[Lacrimi de Chiciură]

22 Navy SEALs among 30 U.S. troops killed in Afghanistan as NATO helicopter is shot down

KABUL — U.S. forces in Afghanistan suffered the deadliest day of the decade-long war Saturday when insurgents shot down an American helicopter, killing 30 U.S. servicemen and eight Afghans in the latest of a series of setbacks for coalition forces whose numbers are set to decline over the coming months.

As U.S. troops have pushed the Taliban from havens in the south, the insurgents have retaliated in recent weeks with high-profile attacks and assassinations of Afghan officials. The incidents have challenged U.S. assertions that the military is making steady progress in preparation for turning control of the country over to its Afghan partners. Insurgents have also stepped up attacks in the mountainous east, the site of Saturday’s incident.

The dead in Saturday’s attack included 22 Navy SEALs, most of them members of SEAL Team 6, the counterterrorism unit that carried out the mission to find Osama bin Laden, U.S. officials said. They added that none of the commandos who died Saturday were involved in the cross-border mission that killed the al-Qaeda leader.

[scarletghoul]

Yeah its pretty clear by now that the US empire is being chased out of Afghanistan by the Taliban. All the stuff about 'handing over control to the afghan government' etc is becoming more silly every day, and is paralell to the 'vietnamisation' policy of the early 70s. America has lost, and they know it.

[CHE with an AK]

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[FONT=Arial Black]Pwned[/FONT]

[Sir Comradical]

Yeah its pretty clear by now that the US empire is being chased out of Afghanistan by the Taliban. All the stuff about 'handing over control to the afghan government' etc is becoming more silly every day, and is paralell to the 'vietnamisation' policy of the early 70s. America has lost, and they know it.

Especially since the Afghan Army is comprised of petty crooks & drug addicts. It would be hopeless against a Taliban assault if there's no US backup.

[Rusty Shackleford]

If anything, this is a massive propaganda victory for the insurgents.

[jake williams]

Wait, so one helicopter was "shot down" (which, for all we know, could be a euphemism for "crashed") and it's the deadliest day in a 10 year "war"?

[Sensible Socialist]

Wait, so one helicopter was "shot down" (which, for all we know, could be a euphemism for "crashed") and it's the deadliest day in a 10 year "war"?

We all know that only American deaths count. I mean, who cares about silly brown people with rags on their heads? We're bringing democracy, so when our boys die, it's a big deal.

/sarcasm

[CHE with an AK]

Wait, so one helicopter was "shot down" and it's the deadliest day in a 10 year "war"?

When you do most of your murder from unmanned aerial killer drones ... your casualty count stays pretty low.

[Rss]

If anything, this is a massive propaganda victory for the insurgents.

This. Extra points for SEAL commandos.

[Skammunist]

It's pretty ironic that this happens in a little more than 2 months after this group killed bin Laden.

[piet11111]

Shot down during an assassination mission

[Tommy4ever]

How long will the Afghan government actually last once NATO has pulled out of Afghanistan?

It seems unlikely that it will be able to keep most of the country for more than a few years. After that .... who knows, likely a return to the endless Civil Wars of the 90s.

[Rusty Shackleford]

How long will the Afghan government actually last once NATO has pulled out of Afghanistan?

It seems unlikely that it will be able to keep most of the country for more than a few years. After that .... who knows, likely a return to the endless Civil Wars of the 90s.

Probably as long as the PDPA/DRA after the Soviet Union pulled out.

[Lenina Rosenweg]

Probably as long as the PDPA/DRA after the Soviet Union pulled out.

The Najibullah regime was expected to fall within 3 to 6 months after the Soviets withdrew, instead they lasted over two years longer than expected, The Karzai warlord group won't last nearly that long. Maybe Karzai can get his old job back at either the CIA or Unocal?

[Rusty Shackleford]

well, seeing as the US can barely afford to do anything they might not be able to keep funding the afghan government.

[Tommy4ever]

well, seeing as the US can barely afford to do anything they might not be able to keep funding the afghan government.

I think American pride wouldn't allow that. After investing so much in that government they are hardly just going to cut them loose - it would be a humiliation and a massive blow to their prestige.

[Rusty Shackleford]

I think American pride wouldn't allow that. After investing so much in that government they are hardly just going to cut them loose - it would be a humiliation and a massive blow to their prestige.

vietnam?

[Tommy4ever]

vietnam?

They still continued to massively aid the South Vietnamese government, and that was an utter humiliation.

[Rusty Shackleford]

at the same time though the US wasnt going through a possible back to back recession and that was the only war the US was engaging itself in directly.

[Tim Finnegan]

We all know that only American deaths count. I mean, who cares about silly brown people with rags on their heads? We're bringing democracy, so when our boys die, it's a big deal.

/sarcasm

Let's take a look at that title again, shall we?

Deadliest day for US troops in decade long war in Afghanistan

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