U.S. general says he believes British plane was downed by hostile act, not

[leftchick]

http://www.boston.com/dailynews/040/wash/U_S_general_says_he_believes_B:.shtml

WASHINGTON (AP) A senior U.S. general said Wednesday he believes the British C-130 aircraft that crashed in Iraq on Jan. 30, killing all 10 people aboard, was downed by hostile action rather than by a mechanical problem. The British government has not said whether it was shot down.

''I personally believe there may have been either hostile action or something that happened inside the aircraft, but I doubt that it was mechanical in nature, if you know what I mean,'' Air Force Lt. Gen. Lance Smith, the deputy commander of U.S. Central Command, told reporters.

He was the first U.S. official to say publicly that the tragedy probably was not caused by an accident. He noted that he is not a participant in the British government's investigation and was speaking on the basis of his experience with airplanes and with anti-aircraft missiles.

<snip>

He expressed doubt that a shoulder-fired missile brought down the C-130, but he left open the possibility that it could have been a radar-guided surface-to-air missile or small arms fire.

[Clark2008]

1. We need to make sure Lance Smith stays in good health

I rather suspect he'll receive some repercussions for telling the truth.

[benburch]

3. Truth is toxic to Fascists.

I think his career will stall, at least.

[cthrumatrix]

2. earth to Central Command --- we kind of suspected as much

[DistantWind88]

5. Did CENTCOM ever claim different?

[DulceDecorum]

4. That death count has really shrunk.

I could have sworn that there were more people on that plane
and some of them were American.

[Magleetis]

6. Hostility in Iraq?

I thought that mission was accomplished.

[fooj]

7. LMAO! And I'd keep laughing if the subject wasn't so tragic!