interesting...
12.
Back story posted by Bill on 7/17/2006 11:09:37 AM
There is an interesting back-story on this one. During the 80?s the Regan administration was under increasing pressure to supply the Afghani mujahideen fighting the Russians with a means to take down Russian helicopters which were in most ways invulnerable to the small arms the mujahideen possessed.
Finally Regan broke down and sent Stingers to the Afghans, this despite many arguments that the weapons were too complex, too fragile etc (and of course the wisdom of those who understood the nightmare that would come later when trying to account for all of the unused munitions ? something we ended up paying millions to various ?terrorists? in a poorly organized buy back attempt years later).
This video was made for Regan and his staff as evidence of the weapons efficacy. What you don?t see in this edited version are the mujahideen descending down closer to the base and shooting the possible survivors of the crash.
The video marks an important milestone in the Russian occupation of Afghanistan. Subsequent to this and other ?shoot-downs? of helicopters the Russian pilots changed strategies. no longer willing to fly slow and low shooting at donkey laden supply lines (another great story on that one some other time) and less able to support ground troops, etc etc etc further demoralizing both the ground and air troops.