I currently do not have Google Earth loaded.
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| Iraq |
| Militants destroy US copter in Baghdad |
| 2007-05-19 |
| A US helicopter was destroyed and nine others were damaged in an artillery attack on a US camp in Taji on Sunday but only disclosed yesterday, news reports said - while elsewhere at least 19 more deaths were reported in Iraq. The helicopters had been stationed at the camp about 30km north west of the capital Baghdad, the sources said. A spokesman for the US defence department had confirmed the attack, according to the report that gave no indication of perpetrators or casualties. Reports said this was the first announcement by the US army of the destruction and damage to its helicopters at one of its bases since the start of the US-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #12 thanks again RD. I liked how the areas were identified as Sunni etc. A kind of road map to help me follow some of the topics here. |
| Posted by: Jan 2007-05-19 23:11 |
| #11 Jan, There are Russian maps that show Taji but they are even older. I currently do not have Google Earth loaded. |
| Posted by: RD 2007-05-19 15:35 |
| #10 By 'artillery' I presume they mean mortar fire. Either the nine helicopters were not severely damaged, or they were parked way too close together, or the bad guys managed to get an unusually large number of well-targeted rounds off before scooting. A lucky shot can take out one bird but not ten. And these guys have not been noted for their ability to drop one down a chimney - or even land two in the same football field. And a base of significant size would normally have counter-battery capability (wouldn't it?) that should prevent a sustained barrage. |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2007-05-19 11:41 |
| #9 RD, thanks Snease, any 'updated' maps/links? |
| Posted by: Jan 2007-05-19 11:27 |
| #8 1 destroyed, 9 damaged, smells like a Mikey post.... but it's from DarthFred. We shall see. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2007-05-19 10:37 |
| #7 I'm actually suprised something like this hasn't happened sooner. We've been there 4 years. Also I notice that no soldiers were killed in the incident, which is the reason they had to throw in the "19 more deaths" part. I'm curious what kind of helicopters were destroyed though. |
| Posted by: Charles 2007-05-19 09:06 |
| #6 RD: That map is outdated, and doesn't even show the Green Zone. Most west Tigris Sunnis have crossed, although a US Army corps is building a Sunni protection wall, West of Sadr-City. Mortar attacks are hard to prevent, unless you target the supply source, which happens to be in foreign countries. |
| Posted by: Sneaze 2007-05-19 08:40 |
| #5 Ah, but the Al Arab headline was Militants Down Helicopter .. implying in flight, but what they really meant was from "on the ground" to "flat down on the ground". Spin comes to the arab news... |
| Posted by: Bobby 2007-05-19 07:03 |
| #4 I'm guessing mortars or rockets, and I'm seconding someone's astute guess here yesterday about Iranian training and ordnance. |
| Posted by: Verlaine 2007-05-19 03:41 |
| #3 Jan, Mostly North X Shade West of Baghdad. Taji Iraq and Taji Airbase |
| Posted by: RD 2007-05-19 02:39 |
| #2 my bad, I have to get my bearings better |
| Posted by: Jan 2007-05-19 01:01 |
| #1 was this near or at Al Asad Air base? |
| Posted by: Jan 2007-05-19 00:21 |
