U.S. Navy SEALS Killed In Afghanistan Named

A Rare Window Into A Closed World -- DoD Buzz

Everyone wants to know: Who are America’s most elite special operators? The Pentagon provided some clues on Thursday when it released the names of the service members who were killed in Saturday’s CH-47 Chinook crash in Afghanistan. And although we keep being told to wait until the investigations are complete before deciding what to think about the tragedy, Thursday’s grim roll at least provides a glimpse of the men who take some of the most dangerous missions in the world.



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More News On The Release Of The Names Of The US Navy SEALS Killed In Afghanistan

DoD Names Troops Killed in Afghan Shoot Down -- Military.com

Pentagon Releases Identities of SEALs Killed, Not Unit Name -- Bloomberg

Pentagon Releases Names of Personnel Killed in Helicopter Attack -- New York Times

Pentagon releases official list of dead from crash -- Washington Post

Names of troops killed in Afghan crash released -- Chicago Tribune/AP

Portraits of Navy SEALs killed in helicopter crash -- Boston.com/AP

Defense Department officially identifies service members killed in Afghanistan crash -- WTKR

Profiles in courage: A look at some of the SEALs who died -- Toronto Star

Defense officials: Fewer SEALs died in crash than originally believed -- CNN

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Are The Taliban Winning In Afghanistan?

A US Army CH-47D Chinook helicopter from the 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division prepares to land inside the landing zone at Forward Operation Base Joyce, in Kunar province, Afghanistan, Dec. 17, 2009. Image from US Army/DVIDS.

For Many Afghans, US Helicopter Crash Confirms Taliban Momentum -- Christian Science Monitor

The Taliban claimed responsibility for Saturday's deadly crash of a US military helicopter, and many Afghans say they doubt NATO's ability to turn back what appears to be fresh momentum for the Taliban.

The day after a helicopter crash resulted in the largest loss of American soldiers in a single day during a decade of war in Afghanistan, many locals say they fear it is a sign that the war will likely to drag on for a long time to come.

For most Afghans, the incident has done little to change their outlook on the future of the war. It has, however, confirmed their suspicions that NATO-led forces have yet to reverse the Taliban’s momentum.

“It is another big sign that indicates continuous fighting in Afghanistan," says Mirajudin Ahmadzai, a tribal elder in Nangarhar province. "That the Taliban can now shoot down a helicopter shows that they are getting more capable.”

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My Comment: American public sentiment is too leave .... and with this weekends heavy loss of life I expect this sentiment to grow. The Afghans are already starting to realize this, and (I predict) that as this conflict continues to grind on and the American public become better educated (like the Soviets did in the 1980s) that Afghanistan is an ungovernable place .... we will leave.

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Three British Soldiers Murdered In Afghanistan Over A Bottle Of Water

Major James Joshua Bowman, Lieutenant Neal Turkington and Corporal Arjun Purja Pun Photo: PA

Afghanistan: Three British Soldiers Murdered Over A Bottle Of Water -- The Telegraph

Three British soldiers were murdered by an Afghan colleague weeks after a row over a water bottle led to the vandalism of a Gurkha religious shrine, an inquest has heard.

The deaths of Major James “Josh” Bowman, 34, Lt Neal Turkington, 26, and Cpl Arjun Purja Pun, 33, of 1st Bn The Royal Gurkha Rifles, also came a few weeks after a Gurkha accidentally shot dead an Afghan soldier.

Sgt Talib Hussein used a Minimi light machine gun, rocket-propelled grenade and M16 rifle to shoot the British soldiers at 2am as they slept or worked in the operations room. Four soldiers were also wounded.

The inquest heard that an Afghan soldier had been disciplined after he had been caught by a Gurkha officer taking a bottle of cold water from a fridge.

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My Comment: War sometimes brings out the best in people .... and (in this case) the worse.

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