Black Hawk Down Redux

Seized documents purportedly from Al Qaeda in Iraq show that attacks on American helicopters are part of a coordinated strategy in Iraq.

In Mogadishu, Somali militias opposed to American attacks knew the lesson of Vietnam. If you can inflict casualties on American forces and a military action will become unpopular, and end. Somali put this lesson to vivid effect by downing American helicopters in October 1993 and bringing an end to the U.S. mission in Somalia.

Al Qaeda in Iraq appears to have learned the lesson of Somalia -- if you can down American helicopters and show the American public that you are doing it, you will shake U.S. military efforts.

While a new strategy, this looks like a predictable reaction to the way the United States uses helicopters to get around IEDs and support Iraqi and American military operations. It also reflects the aspirations of insurgents and terrorists to attack symbolic targets.

I hope this predictability means the United States will be able to respond effectively. While some attacks on helicopters appear to have succeeded, Americans appear to have responded well to crashes in at least several reported instances. They have moved quickly to protect downed personnel and helicopters. This kind of effective response will keep Iraqi terrorists from having more Black Hawk Down moments.