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More news from Iraq....
Courtesy of today's Washington Post:
A helicopter crash in western Iraq killed 30 U.S. Marines and one sailor early today, and five more troops died in insurgent attacks in the single deadliest day for U.S. forces since the war in Iraq began nearly two years ago, defense officials said.
A Marine CH-53 Sea Stallion transport helicopter went down at about 1:20 a.m. local time (5:20 p.m. Tuesday EST) near the town of Rutbah about 220 miles west of Baghdad while conducting "security and stabilization operations," a Marine statement said.
The latest deaths pushed the toll of U.S. military fatalities in Iraq over 1,400. It was the deadliest day since the war began in March 2003, surpassing the third day of the war on March 23 when 29 U.S. soldiers died, mostly in fierce fighting in and around Nasiriyah in southern Iraq. The deadliest single incident before today was also a helicopter crash: a November 2003 collision of two Black Hawk helicopters in which 17 service members were killed. The choppers collided over the northern Iraqi city of Mosul while trying to avoid ground fire from insurgents.
President Bush expressed grief over today's crash but urged Americans to continue supporting his Iraq policy as a way to "spread freedom" through the Middle East. He also encouraged Iraqis to defy terrorists and vote in Iraq's landmark elections Sunday.
"The story today is going to be very discouraging to the American people," Bush said at a White House press conference this morning. "I understand that. We value life. And we weep and mourn when soldiers lose their life."
Bush added, "But it is the long-term objective that is vital, and that is to spread freedom. Otherwise the Middle East will continue to be a caldron of resentment and hate, a recruiting ground for those who have this vision of the world that is the exact opposite of ours."
Bush said expanding democracy around the world is a long-term goal that "will require the commitment of generations." He cautioned, "You'll see progress toward a goal. There won't be instant democracy."
Addressing insurgent threats to wage war on the electoral process in Iraq, Bush said, "I urge all people to vote. I urge people to defy these terrorists. These terrorists do not have the best interests of the Iraqi people in mind. They have no positive agenda. They have no clear view of a better future. They're afraid of a free society."
That's right. Stay the course King George....
Hey hey Dubya hey
How many kids did you kill today??
