Article

2009-10-13 Afghanistan

Unknown choppers carry Afghan militants to north

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Posted by Fred 2009-10-13 00:00|| || Front Page|| [2 views ] Top
File under: al-Qaeda

#1 Reports say the choppers were 'American.' Press TV has not been able to confirm these reports.

The Iranians fly American or American-design-foreign-built (Augusta) helicopters. The Pakistanis have Bell-412 helicopters. There's also an open market for them. Anyone could buy a few and ship them into a neighboring country under guise of an NGO.

Posted by Pappy 2009-10-13 00:26|| 2009-10-13 00:26|| Front Page Top

#2 Plenty of home grown Pushtun gunmen in the northwest, without the bother and expense of helicopters to fly them in.

Posted by phil_b 2009-10-13 04:53|| 2009-10-13 04:53|| Front Page Top

#3 "Mr. Gilani, these helicopters aren't ours. If they're not your helicopters, then perhaps you won't mind if we shoot them down?"

Posted by Steve White 2009-10-13 10:59|| 2009-10-13 10:59|| Front Page Top

#4 Are they black?

Posted by Richard of Oregon 2009-10-13 11:57|| 2009-10-13 11:57|| Front Page Top

#5 Plenty of home grown Pushtun gunmen in the northwest, without the bother and expense of helicopters to fly them in.

Likely the home-growns also aren't too keen on doing large-scale suicide attacks. And any gathering of imported cannon fodder risks being discovered and hit by Predators. Hence the airlift.

Also, think along the lines of the Taliban or their backers bringing in technical experts, advisors, paymasters and religious/military leadership.

Posted by Pappy 2009-10-13 14:22|| 2009-10-13 14:22|| Front Page Top

#6 Also there have been comments that the recent unrest in the North has been caused by ISI agents paying locals to attack the NATO supply columns.

Posted by Frozen Al 2009-10-13 14:41|| 2009-10-13 14:41|| Front Page Top

#7 That seems more in line with what locals are willing to do, tho some intel indicates that smugglers are more likely the culprits/financiers (that trucks and their cargos are getting held up at the borders is an anathema to them).

Another thing out of my comments - transport of munitions.

Posted by Pappy 2009-10-13 21:05|| 2009-10-13 21:05|| Front Page Top

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