2 U.S. Copters Downed in Iraq

* As a former military officer, I find the shooting down of two American helicopters by U.S. fighters in Iraq outrageous (April 15). The pilots should be court-martialed for involuntary manslaughter.

The excuse that the U.S. helicopters were similar to Iraqi helicopters does not wash. Warplanes from different nations are commonly similar. Since the helicopters presented no threat to anyone including the fighter aircraft, the fighter pilots should have taken every precaution to identify the helicopters before firing, including flying along side the helicopters. Obviously they did not. The pilots should have made efforts to force the helicopters to land before destroying them so that the passengers could escape rather than recklessly slaughtering them.

Other heads should fall too. Apparently, the helicopters had American flags painted on their sides but none painted on top where it could be seen by aircraft flying above. There was a breakdown in training and procedures throughout the command structure. The Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft failed to notify the fighter pilots but that alone was not the cause. When one part of the system fails, there are supposed to be other procedures available to correct the problem. Obviously there were not.

JACK ALLEN

Pacific Palisades

* Friendly fire? We’re a trigger-happy nation, that is our legacy and that is our curse. The shooting down of American helicopters by American fighter planes is a sad and tragic manifestation of that legacy. From a purely human point of view, what is really crazy about all this is that if Iraqi helicopters had been shot down, we would be rejoicing. Because they were our own we mourn.

Bringing it back home, should we be so surprised that our kids are shooting first and to hell with the questions later? Hey, that’s the American way. John Wayne would be proud.

DON MOERY

Irvine

* As a veteran, I am outraged by the “Friendly Fire” cartoon by Conrad (April 15). The deaths of the 26 people were tragic enough without your paper showing extreme disrespect for the dead as well as for the others involved in this event. To imply that the fighter pilots would record the kills on the side of their aircraft is incomprehensible.

The military personnel you disparage are the same people that protect the nation and your First Amendment rights. You owe them a public apology.

JONATHAN C. KYLIUS

Moreno Valley

* Re the U.S. commander in chief in Bosnia and Iraq:

Is anyone surprised that our armed forces, operating under a commander in chief contemptuous of military strength, tradition, honor and values, have mistakenly dropped bombs that failed to detonate and tragically fired upon their own? Our honorable men and women deserve better.

KEVIN MEENAN

Pasadena