Shine a Spotlight on the Chopper Crash in Afghanistan

I am not saying that a suicide bomber was definitely the cause of the explosion, but it is certainly a possibility is it not? 

–  G u l a g  –  B o u n d  –

“I guess we are all going slowly through the completion of our tour of duty, i.e. death.  I look at death as a new adventure with a don’t sweat it attitude.  Any footprints you may have accidentally made will be washed away with the next wave.  Life is loaned to you — live it, love it, for the joy of what you love, and whom you love.  Leave your ego, status, and possessions hanging on the world’s quarterdeck, because you are going out with what you came here with….”
— LCDR Roy “First SEAL” Boehm (1924-2008)  Link  Link

“If J.T. had known he was going to be shot down when going to the aid of others, he would have went anyway.”
— From Boe Nankivel’s eulogy for Navy SEAL Jon Tumlinson  Link  

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Now that the dust has settled a bit around the downing of the Chinook helicopter earlier this month in Afghanistan, and the resultant tragic loss of life, it is time to reevaluate what we know.

From Navy Times article: Wreckage of a Chinook helicopter shot down last week is seen at the site of crash at Tangi Valley in Wardak province some 60 miles (97 kilometers) southwest of Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, Aug. 11, 2011. The Chinook helicopter that insurgents shot down over the weekend burst into flames before hitting the ground, leaving wreckage scattered on both sides of a river in eastern Afghanistan and killing 30 Americans and eight Afghans, witnesses told The Associated Press on Thursday. The crash of the Chinook CH-47, was the deadliest single loss for U.S. forces in the nearly 10-year Afghan war. (AP Photo/ Mohammad Nasir)

The initial reports on the incident, as reported by both the “Navy Times,” and the “Army Times,” used Associated Press (AP) reports (quoted verbatim) as their source.  Leaving aside the issue of the leftist slant of the various wire services for the moment, the AP reports have some interesting nuggets of information.   Link

Among other things, the reports state that “wreckage of the craft was strewn across the crash site,” and that the helicopter was brought down by one or more rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) launchers.  Link

Reuters wire service observed that “Coalition officials have effectively ruled out that the helicopter was brought down by anything more sophisticated than an RPG launcher.”  Link

Reuters also stated that “What is not known for sure now is whether the helicopter caught fire or exploded, or whether it fell from any considerable height. Officials acknowledge that the destruction was devastating, something supported by the fact it took about four days to gather all of the wreckage and remains. “Whether it was a fire or if it exploded, it was catastrophic….'”

Hmm — “devastating” and “catastrophic” results from RPGs not known for their effectiveness in bringing down Chinook helicopters — curious.  The same Reuters report notes that, “While it is not unusual for rocket-propelled grenades — normally an anti-tank weapon — to hit helicopters, it is extremely rare for them to actually bring one down.”

The “Army Times” reports that until the downing of the Chinook on August 6, there had been only one reported hit on a chopper by an RPG this year — which resulted in injuries only, no deaths, and certainly no devastating and catastrophic results.  Odd, don’t you think?

Something else that has received little press or attention is the fact that there were seven Afghan soldiers and a translator on board the helicopter at the time it went down.  With all due respect to the Afghan’s service and loss, I believe that it is worth looking into their presence on board the chopper.  Link

To give credit where it’s due, the significance of their presence was brought to my attention via a video made by Pastor James David Manning.  I have nothing to say about the various scenarios put out on the Internet involving a plot to murder the SEALs on board the chopper.  I do, however, have something to say about the fact that there were Afghan troops on that helicopter.   Link  Link  Link

It is no news that the “friendly” Islamic allies that we have are less than ideal as far as allies go.  Exhibit A: the seven CIA officers and contractors killed by a “loyal” Muslim ally in Afghanistan a year-and-a-half ago.  Exhibit B: the Wikileaks documents regarding the collusion between the Pakistan government and the Taliban.  Exhibit C: the grossly corrupt nature of the Afghanistan government.  There are a lot more “exhibits,” but those will suffice for now.  Link  Link  Link

Combining allies of questionable loyalty with SEALs and other SOCOM personnel is like mixing lead slugs in with gold coins — potentially explosive lead slugs at that.  Did no one think of the possibility that one or more of the Afghans might be a suicide bomber?  That they were placing some of America’s most valuable military assets in unnecessary jeopardy by essentially “locking them in a room” with Afghan Muslims?

Whose plan was this?  Who felt that such an arrangement was a swell idea?  Is it simply the result of monumental stupidity, or something more nefarious?  Who vetted the Afghan troops?  Were they vetted?  Is combining Afghan forces with large numbers of highly trained, hard to replace SEALs SOP?  If so, why?  I am not saying that a suicide bomber was definitely the cause of the explosion, but it is certainly a possibility is it not?

War is, of course, insane, but the war in Afghanistan is more insane than usual (which is saying something).  For example, apparently the Marines are now under orders not to fart in the field, lest they offend any Muslims (I kid you not).  Link

Nonetheless, even given the crazy ROEs, untrustworthy “allies,” and rampant Afghan corruption, it seems especially stupid, if not criminally negligent, to put a large contingent of SEALs in such close proximity to a purportedly “friendly,” but nevertheless suspect, squad of Muslim troops and a translator, while we are involved in a war against Muslims known for their propensity to blow themselves up.

Several folks have called for a Congressional investigation of the August 6th tragedy.  I concur — this thing doesn’t pass the smell test.  A spotlight should be lit on the whole affair.  Trustworthy and patriotic representatives are few and far between in our treasonous and corrupt Congress, so pickings are slim as to who might have the courage, experience, and wherewithal to undertake such an investigation – before the CYA obfuscations pile up too high, if they have not already.  Link

Darrell Issa (R-CA) has his hands full with “Fast and Furious,” but perhaps Rep. Peter King (R-NY) might pick up the gauntlet.  Granted, he too has his hands full (investigating Islamic terrorism) but he has expressed interest in probing the movie that Obama and Kate Bigelow have been working on about the bin Laden raid in Pakistan.  Seeing as both events involve SEAL Team Six, perhaps Rep. King can be convinced to broaden his probe to include the tragedy in Afghanistan.  Link

In any event, Congress should be looking into dishing out some jail time (dished out by those who will not soon be looking at some jail time themselves) to certain loudmouthed government employees who outed SEAL Six in the first place.  Link

Laus Deo.

Born in June of 1951 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Jim O’Neill proudly served in the U.S. Navy from 1970-1974 in both UDT-21 (Underwater Demolition Team) and SEAL Team Two. A member of MENSA, he worked as a commercial diver in the waters off Scotland, India, and the United States. In 1998 while attending the University of South Florida as a journalism student, O’Neill won “First Place” in the “Carol Burnett/University of Hawaii AEJMC Research in Journalism Ethics Award.” The annual contest was set up by Carol Burnett with the money she won from successfully suing the National Enquirer for libel. Over the last few years, Jim has regularly written for Canada Free Press and now has a personal blog, ConstitutionalWrites.com.

Graphics added by Gulag Bound

Gulag Note – For more, see tags: “Seal Team Six” and “Muslim Brotherhood.”