Press keeps calling the helicopter downed a 'commercial' helicopter.

[spanone]

So does this mean we are putting mercenaries on flights with civilians? NO. It means we are lying about the flight.

~snip~
The helicopter was ferrying private security personnel from Baghdad to the northern city of Tikrit when it went down just north of the capital.

Six American security contractors, three Bulgarian crew members and two Fijian security guards were on the chopper. ~snip~

Sounds like a MILITARY MISSION to me.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/04/23/iraq.main/index.html


On Edit: I was just listening to CNN and they referred to the incident as a 'CIVILIAN' helicopter which is even more misleading.

[Mr_Spock]

1. Yeah, like anybody but the American Military is allowed to fly there!!!!!!

Geez, any soldier will tell you that the rules they are very stringent about ANY sort of transportation mode there as it IS a war zone - never mind flying a helicopter. These people think we are FUCKING STUPID!!! Unbelievable.

[Inland]

2. Not a pizza delivery helicopter.

The pentagon has outsourced so much military work, calling it commercial is deceptive.

I feel, however, there ARE commercial/civilians in Iraq, but the pentagon has so muddied the distinction that they too are going to be considered legit targets.

[spanone]

3. 'Security contractors' are nothing other than Mercenaries.

Hired guns to kill the enemy. Privatizing the military.

[bush_is_wacko]

10. yeah, but they COST ten times as much as those poor boys

over there because they wanted some college fund money! I seriously question the legality of paying companies that hire "soldiers" whom they pay ten times the salary to do the very same thing our soldiers are doing.

This was a military mission not doubt. How much money do you suppose of bush's Iraq billions is going to mercenaries rather than body armor for our REAL soldiers? God stories like this piss me off!

[spanone]

6. However, this was not one of those flights. This was Military.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

4. Kind of like "Air America" in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos.

Just a few nice American boys trying to make a buck.

[leftchick]

5. the mercs were on a mission to Tikrit

Saddam's home town (they always put that in there!) to protect some diplomats. Blackwater won't reveal any more details about 'the mission'.

[madrchsod]

7. so what ?

doesn`t matter if these scum die.their family and friends will weep but in the grand scheme of things they are mercenaries in it for the money.

[The_Casual_Observer]

8. The press is quick to point out anything that will distract the public

from bad Iraq military news.

[nguoihue]

9. CNN International

A couple of hours ago CNN International reported it as a "commercial flight" on which 11 "civilians" lost their lives.

[NeoConsSuck]

11. If our tax dollars are paying for that flight..

and the salaries of those aboard the aircraft, then how the hell could it be a civilian helicopter??