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Chopper Crash Kills 14 in Iraq
Combined Reports

BAGHDAD -- A helicopter crash in northern Iraq killed 14 U.S. soldiers Wednesday, the U.S. military said, the worst incident of its kind in more than two years.

Also in northern Iraq, at least 20 people were killed when a suicide bomber rammed a fuel tanker into the gates outside a police station in Baiji, 180 kilometers north of Baghdad. Another 40 people were wounded.

A U.S. military statement said initial indications suggested that the Black Hawk helicopter had suffered mechanical failure, the second incident of its kind in eight days.

"There were no indications of hostile fire," it said. "Two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters were on a night operation when one of the aircraft crashed. That helicopter had been carrying four crew members and 10 passengers," it said.

n Iraq Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki lashed out Wednesday at U.S. criticism, saying no one had a right to put timetables on his elected government.

Maliki blamed the U.S. presidential campaign for the recent tough words from U.S. politicians.

"No one has the right to place timetables on the Iraq government. It was elected by its people," he said at a press conference in Damascus at the end of a three-day visit to Syria.

U.S. Senator Carl Levin, a Michigan Democrat, said Monday that Maliki should be ousted and replaced with a less sectarian leader. (Reuters, AP)

Blackhawk proving its bad reputation again... theres a reason why they call these 'crashawk' (wrong pitch on rotorblades + high altitude is one of them)

Anyway... flying over a city at night with people shooting at you and all kinds of stuff on the roofs (generators, power lines) isnt the best operating environment for a helicopter

U.S. Senator Carl Levin, a Michigan Democrat, said Monday that Maliki should be ousted and replaced with a less sectarian leader.

I whish him good luck in finding one... because its an impossible job.

U.S. Senator Carl Levin, a Michigan Democrat, said Monday that Maliki should be ousted and replaced with a less sectarian leader. (Reuters, AP)

Right, and how do you do that in a religious country that traditionally relies on sectarian tribal values I wonder...

"No one has the right to place timetables on the Iraq government. It was elected by its people," he said at a press conference in Damascus at the end of a three-day visit to Syria.

Okay, nobody has a right to put timetables on the Iraqi government, but they DO have the right to remove troops from Iraq.  So if you want the troops then you gotta deal with the timetables.  Tough cookies.

Please leave politics out of this. I don't see why Canuck thought it necessary to include completely irrelevant statements from politicians in his original quote. In fact I don't see why it was in that report at all. It might have been best to remove the last 4 sentences before posting it.

The topic is about the crash of a helicopter resulting in the death of 14 people. It appears that it was caused by mechanical failure. This is not the first time this has happened so perhaps any discussion should be focussed on the suitability of this type of helicopter for front-line service.

Please leave politics out of this. I don't see why Canuck thought it necessary to include completely irrelevant statements from politicians in his original quote. In fact I don't see why it was in that report at all. It might have been best to remove the last 4 sentences before posting it.

ummm.....i just copied an pasted this article from CNN!

i never really noticed the politics!

Please leave politics out of this. I don't see why Canuck thought it necessary to include completely irrelevant statements from politicians in his original quote. In fact I don't see why it was in that report at all. It might have been best to remove the last 4 sentences before posting it.

ummm.....i just copied an pasted this article from CNN!

i never really noticed the politics!

Sorry, partly my fault... It was a fair point though...