Insurgents shot down a U.S. military helicopter during fighting in eastern Afghanistan, killing at least 30 Americans, most of them belonging to the same elite unit as the Navy SEALs who killed al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, U.S. officials said Saturday. It was the deadliest single loss for American forces in the decade-old war against the Taliban.

The downing, in which seven Afghan commandos were also killed, was a stinging blow to the lauded, tight-knit SEAL Team 6 months after its crowning achievement. It was also a heavy setback for the U.S.-led coalition as it begins to draw down thousands of combat troops fighting what has become an increasingly costly and unpopular war.

None of the 22 SEAL personnel killed in the crash were part of the team that killed bin Laden in a May raid in Pakistan, but they belonged to the same unit. Their deployment in the Friday night raid in which the helicopter crashed would suggest that the target was a high-ranking insurgent figure.

Special operations forces, including the SEALs and others, have been at the forefront in the stepped up strategy of taking out key insurgent leaders in targeted raids, and they will be relied on even more as regular troops pull out.

The strike is also likely to boost the morale of the Taliban in a key province that controls a strategic approach to the capital Kabul. The Taliban claimed they downed the helicopter with a rocket while it was taking part in a raid on a house where insurgents were gathered in the province of Wardak late Friday. Wreckage of the craft was strewn across the crash site, a Taliban spokesman said.

A senior U.S. administration official in Washington said it appeared the craft had been shot down. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the crash is still being investigated. The U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan has not yet provided any details on the crash or the circumstances of Friday night’s operation.

“Their deaths are a reminder of the extraordinary sacrifices made by the men and women of our military and their families, including all who have served in Afghanistan,” President Barack Obama said in a statement, adding that his thoughts and prayers go out to the families of those who perished.

The dead included 22 SEALs, three Air Force air controllers, seven Afghan Army troops, a dog and his handler, a civilian interpreter and the helicopter crew, according to a current U.S. official and a former U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because military officials were still notifying the families of the dead.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai announced the number of people killed in the crash and the presence of special operations troops before any other public figure. He also offered his condolences to the American and Afghan troops killed in the crash.

The deaths bring to 365 the number of coalition troops killed this year in Afghanistan and 42 this month.

The raid Friday night took place in the Tangi Joy Zarin area of Wardak’s Sayd Abad district, about 60 miles (97 kilometers) southwest of Kabul. Forested peaks in the region give the insurgency good cover and the Taliban have continued to use it as a base despite repeated NATO assaults.

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said in a statement that the helicopter was involved in an assault on a house where insurgent fighters were gathering. During the battle, the fighters shot down the helicopter with a rocket, he said.

An American official in Brussels said the helicopter was a twin-rotor Chinook, a large troop and cargo transporter.

The casualties are believed to be largest loss of life in the history of SEAL Team Six, officially called the Navy Special Warfare Development Group, or DEVGRU. The team is considered the best of the best among the already elite SEALs, which numbers 3,000 personnel.

NPR and ABC News first reported that those aboard were believed to be Navy SEALs. The AP withheld the report at the request of their sources until they believed the majority of families of those lost had been notified.

The death toll surpasses the previous worst single day loss of life for the U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan since the war began in 2001 – the June 28, 2005 downing of a military helicopter in eastern Kunar province.

In that incident, 16 Navy SEALs and Army special operations troops were killed when their craft was shot down while on a mission to rescue four SEALs under attack by the Taliban. Three of the SEALs being rescued were also killed and the fourth wounded.

Afghanistan has more U.S. special operations troops, about 10,000, than any other theater of war. The forces, often joined by Afghan troops, carry out as many as a dozen raids a night and have become one of the most effective weapons in the coalition’s arsenal, also conducting surveillance and infiltration.

From April to July this year, special operations raids captured 2,941 insurgents and killed 834, twice as many as those killed or captured in the same three-month period of 2010, according to NATO.

The coalition plans to increase its reliance on special operations missions as it reduces the overall number of combat troops.

Night raids have drawn criticism from human rights activists and infuriated Karzai, who says they anger and alienate the Afghan population. But NATO commanders have said the raids are safer for civilians than relatively imprecise airstrikes.

The loss of so many SEALs at once will have a temporary impact on the tempo of missions they can carry out, but with an ongoing drawdown of special operations forces from Iraq, there will be more in reserve for Afghan missions.

The site of Friday night’s crash, Tangi, is a particularly dangerous area, the site where many of the attacks that take place in the province are planned, said Wardak’s Deputy Gov. Ali Ahmad Khashai. “Even with all of the operations conducted there, the opposition is still active.”

The U.S. army recently turned Combat Outpost Tangi over to Afghan National Security Forces in an effort to consolidate American forces in the east and to help the Afghan army stand on its own.

Western military commanders have been debating moving forces from other areas in Afghanistan to reinforce troops around the capital and in the east, where the Taliban is often aided by al-Qaida and other terrorist groups. Earlier this year, the U.S. military closed smaller outposts in at least two eastern provinces and consolidated its troops onto larger bases because of increased insurgent attacks and infiltration from the Pakistan border.There have been at least 17 coalition and Afghan aircraft crashes in Afghanistan this year.

Most of the crashes were attributed to pilot errors, weather conditions or mechanical failures. However, the coalition has confirmed that at least one CH-47F Chinook helicopter was hit by a rocket propelled grenade on July 25. Two coalition crew members were injured in that attack.

Contributed:  AP

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There are many shameful things this President has said, for instance when he claimed that his uncle helped liberate Auschwitz only to find that later that was a lie, but to claim that you personally awarded a deceased soldier the medal of honor is disgraceful.

As President Obama addressed troops at a Fort Drum, N.Y. DFAC, he reminisced about how as a senator and as president, in Iraq and Afghanistan, “I’ve always run into you guys.  And for some reason it’s always in some rough spots.”

“I had the great honor of seeing some of you because a comrade of yours, Jared Monti, was the first person who I was able to award the Medal of Honor to who actually came back and wasn’t receiving it posthumously,” Obama said, according to the White House official transcript.

Except that Monti was receiving it posthumously. At a White House ceremony in 2009, Obama presented Sgt. 1st Class Monti’s parents with the medal for his heroic actions in Afghanistan. Monti, 30, was leading a scouting mission along the Pakistan border when a resupply helicopter blew the unit’s cover; Monti twice ran into gunfire to retrieve a wounded comrade before he was killed by an enemy grenade.

Obama appeared to have confused Monti with the only living Medal of Honor recipient, Sal Giunta. The president’s got plenty on his plate, to be sure. But if he’s sincere when he says that it’s his greatest honor to be the commander-in-chief, you’d think he’d be able to remember the lone recipient of the military’s highest honor.

The least we can do for our honored dead is to remember them.

I could not have said it any better.

Courtesy Military Times

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I am appalled by our soldiers behavior under the leadership and command of President Obama.

Recent pictures have surfaced showing American soldiers poses with dead Afghanistan civilians.  The pictures could be even more damaging than those of Abu Ghraib as they show the aftermath of the deliberate murders of Afghan civilians by a rogue US Stryker tank unit that operated in the southern province of Kandahar last year.  For those who remember, I posted a blog about this and how the media were ignoring the trial of these 12 in Seattle.

I believe a full Congressional investigation is in order.  The resignation of the Secretary of the Army, Secretary of Defense, and the Joint Chief of Staff should be submitted.  We must investigate and find out who in the White House ordered these senseless killings and whether or not there was a cover-up.

I am absolutely positive that Republicans can count on the support of Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, and other leading Democrats to support such an investigation and I’m equally positive that the mainstream press will follow this story with the intensity that it followed the hazing at Abu Ghraib.  We should expect nothing less.

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1.  Michelle Obama was seen feasting on braised ancho-chile ribs in Vail, Colorado.  The health-conscience First Lady was sure to burn off those 1,575 calories and 141 grams of fat while skiing.

2.  It’s not good news for Detroit, Michigan.  State education officials have ordered Emergency Financial Manager Robert Bobb to immediately implement a financial restructuring plan that balances the district’s books by closing half of its schools, swelling high school class sizes to 60 students and consolidating operations.  Detroit is running record deficits despite having some of the highest tax rates in the country.  Despite those exorbitant tax rates, Detroit has been unable to fund union mandated state employee and teacher benefits.  Wisconsin stand strong.

3. A loud and angry crowd in Northampton confronted Sen. John Kerry over his support for the war in Afghanistan, the government’s response to the recession and other issues.  Anti-war protesters interrupted Kerry numerous times Saturday as he met with constituents. Kerry apologized to a woman who said he called her a Neanderthal for not believing in global warming. The Democratic Party’s 2004 presidential candidate said he was referring generally to those who do not believe in global warming.

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—What a busy news cycle today.  The most disturbing news today comes from DailyMail.com.  A dozen US soldiers are facing trail accused of being part of a ‘kill team’ that allegedly killed Afghan civilians in an arbitrary fashion – and they even collected their victims’ fingers as trophies of war.  Five soldiers have been charged with the killing three Afghan men ‘for sport’. And seven more are accused of covering up the murders.

Let’s juxtapose this with Abu Ghraib where soldiers placed women’s underwear over the heads of prisoners and used barking dogs to scare them.  Do you recall the media outrage?  Calls for Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld to resign.  A full Congressional Investigation.  Congressional hearings.  The trumpet call warning how this would, “aid in recruiting more terrorist”.  We were fed scenes of a sickened Nancy Pelosi leaving the meetings after viewing pictures of the hazing of prisoners running to her office while covering her mouth.  Of course with Democrats in charge and Obama as President, the press has been virtually silent on the sport killing of Afghans and the removal of their fingers as trophies.

You tell me, which is more egregious a crime?

—While Obama is set to let the Bush tax expire, the LA Times is reporting that 41 of Obama’s White House aids owe more than $841,000 in back taxes.  In total, federal employees owe $1 billion in back taxes.  Hmmm…, shouldn’t there be a law that states that if you owe back taxes to the government then you can’t be a federal employee?

—Besides the truth and a real economic plan, noticeably absent from Obama’s press conference was his wedding ring.  The White House later told reporters that the “wedding ring was being repaired”.  No word, however, on what was wrong with the ring.

—Another week and another Democrat violating more ethic rules.  This one points its finger back to the Congressional Black Caucus.  Representative Sanford Bishop, like Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson, steered scholarships to family members and friends.  No word on whether he will borrow the traditional Democrat excuse of “I didn’t know”.

—Obama has gone yellow on green jobs. Absent from President Obama’s latest economic-stimulus package are any further attempts to create jobs through “green” energy projects, reflecting a year in which the administration’s original, loudly trumpeted efforts proved largely unfruitful.

The long delays typical with environmentally friendly projects – combined with reports of green stimulus funds being used to create jobs in China and other countries, rather than in the U.S. – appear to have killed the administration’s appetite for pushing green projects as an economic cure.

After months of hype about the potential for green energy to stimulate job growth and lead the economy out of a recession, the results turned out to be disappointing, if not dismal. About $92 billion – more than 11 percent – of Mr. Obama’s original $814 billion of stimulus funds were targeted for renewable energy projects when the measure was pushed through Congress in early 2009.

Even some of the administration’s liberal allies have expressed skepticism over the original stimulus package’s use of green investments as a way to spur quick employment growth at home.  I know we’ve had many, but can we have another “I told you so” moment?

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1.  It’s official, as 8 more American lives were lost last night, October has become the deadliest month on record in Afghanistan.  More lives have been lost this month than 8 years ago when the United States invaded the country.  Our troops continue to pay with their lives over Obama’s ineptness and lack of leadership.  His dereliction of duty is causing a rapid deterioration in the morale of our troops and in the confidence of the Afghan people.  Will his supporters continue to blame Bush for Obama’s failure to act?  Will they continue to make excuses while our soldiers are left to die?  Will they ever put our men and women, our sons and daughters before party loyalty?   Sadly, I’m afraid not.

2.  Just when you thought there wasn’t anymore that a liberal could think of to control our lives they come up with something else.  Liberals are back at it with global warming and chief among them is the Climate chief.  According to Lord Stern, people need to stop eating beef and pork and become vegetarians.  You see, the methane gas produced by cows and pigs is a major contributor to man-made global warming.  Pass the broccoli mom.

3.  Remember when New York Democrats decided that it might be wise to raise taxes to pay for the budget shortfall and Republicans argued that raising taxes would actually cause a decline in revenue?  Are you wondering which side was proved right?  Click here to find out.

4.  Liberals love to repackage and relabel.  For example, an illegal alien is called an undocumented worker.  See, it’s much easier for a liberal to defend and build support for a “worker” than for someone who’s breaking the law.  So is it any surprise that Pelosi would want to change the name of the public option to the consumer option?  She could put as much lipstick on that pig as she wants, but it is still a pig.

5.  Heading 10 months into the Obama presidency and his promise of change, how’s consumer confidence?  After all, with nearly 1.5 trillion in new government spending in 10 months, surely the economy as been given a kick start and consumer confidence has gotten a boost.  Maybe not. Consumer confidence declined in October as more American worry about their jobs and salaries.  What?  Health-care  isn’t the most pressing issue of our time?

And that’s my news round-up for October 27, 2009.

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It not just politics that the Obama Administration is playing when it comes to the lives of our troops in Afghanistan.  In a story out today, Commander-in-chief, “I need more time to review”, Obama has played more golf in nine months in office than President Bush did in nearly 3 years. In fact, Obama has played more golf in 9 m0nths in office than Bush did in 8 years.  The former President declared that as long as he was commander-in-chief and had troops fighting overseas he would forgo golf.

Casualties continue to mount in Afghanistan as Obama delays any decision on his General’s recommendation for more troops. So far a total of 40 Americans have lost their lives this month alone.  One of the deadliest on record.

Troop morale has plummeted with many asking if the sacrifice is worth it.  It is sad how this President plays politics with the lives of our brave men and women and with the national security of this country.  It is sad that this President refuses to accept the recommendation of his own General and would rather attempt to placate his liberal base.  It’s sad that this President refuses to stand on principal and show leadership.  It’s sad that this President sends more time trying to convince everyone that nationalized health-care is crucial, but can’t spend 10 minutes explaining to his liberal base why winning in Afghanistan is so important.  It’s really sad that this President has spent more time on the back nine than supporting the troops on the front line.

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Not since Jimmy Carter has troop morale been so low.  American troop morale is rapidly sinking as many soldiers complain that the war has lost its focus and they are being left to die on the battlefield.   “We’re lost — that’s how I feel. I’m not exactly sure why we’re here,” says one soldier.  Another, “the whole country is going to s***”. Asked if the war is worth it, one soldier replied, “If I knew exactly what the mission was, probably so, but I don’t.”

While the Obama administration passes out white doctor coats for its staged show of support for health-care reform, body bags are piling up as more American lives are lost.  US casualities in Afghanistan have reached records levels with 8 soldiers losing their lives just this weekend.

In a recent speech, General McCrystal said that more troops would be needed or else the war in Afghanistan will be lost.  For his bluntness, General McCrystal was summoned to Airforce One and admonished by the President as Obama returned from making a bid for the Olympics.

American allies in the region are debating whether to send more troops to Afghanistan as they begin to question the United States’ commtment to the war.

What a tragedy that, in just 10 short months, the United States’ victories in Afghanistan have been lost and the risk of defeat by the Taliban seems to be immenient because of a lack of leadership and direction by the commander-in-chief.

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