Seven U.S. Troops Confirmed Dead in Afghan Helicopter Crash
Update (10:09 a.m. EDT): It's been confirmed that all seven troops were American, AP reports. The Taliban is still claiming to have shot the helicopter down, but local authorities won't confirm that, saying it could have been mechanical failure.
RELATED: Would It Be Cheaper to Bribe the Taliban?
Original: It's worth a pause this morning to think about how dangerous things are for those still serving in Afghanistan, as 11 people were killed in a helicopter crash there, including seven international service members, all of whom may have been American. Reports are conflicting and details are still emerging, but the Taliban is taking credit at this time.
RELATED: Karzai Picks Fight with Petraeus Over War Strategy
The news reports are still in disagreement over the exact identity and nationality of those killed: NBCNews.com is reporting seven Americans killed along with three Afghan soldiers and an Afghan interpreter, while The Associated Press has only three of the seven dead service members have been confirmed as American. So far, we only have the word of a Taliban spokeswoman saying the group shot the helicopter down, and as Reuters notes, "the insurgency often exaggerates its victories and is quick to claim responsibility for any incident involving foreign troop deaths." Either way, it's a sad reminder not to become complacent about the safety of service members still serving in Afghanistan, even with with the military drawdown underway and the thick of the fighting in the past. Violence there has been ramping up in recent days, with a spate of bombings killing at least 29 people on Tuesday and a man in an Afghan police uniform killing three U.S. marines after eating with them last Friday.
