In one of the deadliest days in the history of recent Afghan
military operations, a NATO CH-47 Chinook has been reportedly shot
down by hostile forces of the Taliban. The CH-47 went down before
dawn, Saturday, in Afghanistan's Wardak province. Sources speaking
on behalf of the Taliban claim that 'it fired a rocket at the
helicopter during a battle' during which eight militants were
killed in a raid on their hideout.
Elite Units "More About Morale Than Traditional Combat"
An analyst with the Brookings Institution said the fervor for
budget cuts could put demonstration teams like the Blue Angels and
the Thunderbirds at risk. The teams' budgets are comparatively
small ... about $30 million for the Blue Angels out of a $530
million total defense budget. But with the defense department
facing billions in budget cuts over the next 10 years,
Brookings analyst Michael O'Hanlon said the teams could be in
jeopardy.
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