C-130s rescue Americans from violence in Chad

[rattler]

SOURCE: AirForce Times
DATE: FEB 05, 2008
BY: Seamus O’Connor

C-130s rescue Americans from violence in Chad

Amid a third day of violence between rebels and government soldiers in Chad’s capital, two Air Force C-130s swooped in Monday to evacuate Americans and some foreign nationals.

Louis Nigro Jr., U.S. ambassador to Chad, requested assistance with the ordered departure of American citizens and officials from the city, according to a press release from U.S. European Command.

The Associated Press reported that 1,000 to 1,500 rebels in gun trucks attacked N’Djamena, the capital city, on Monday. Government-backed soldiers returned fire from tanks and helicopter gunships. The rebels retreated to the city’s fringes Tuesday, signaling readiness for a cease-fire, the AP reported.

The two C-130 came in Monday morning and took more than two dozen Americans and more than three dozen citizens from Egypt, Lebanon, Madagascar, France, Cameroon and Germany to Yaoundé, Cameroon, the release said.

A spokeswoman for EUCOM did not know which unit the C-130s were with, but that they were Air Force planes tasked by Special Operations Command Europe. The only Air Force SpecOps base in Europe is RAF Mildenhall, England. Mildenhall’s SpecOps spokesman, contacted after hours, did not immediately reply to a request for information.

[Schorsch]

I guess without the French soldiers in place no "American C-130" would have dared to go there. So where's the news?

[PurduePilot]

I guess without the French soldiers in place no "American C-130" would have dared to go there. So where's the news?

You just can't help it, can you?

[Princess Leia]

I guess without the French soldiers in place no "American C-130" would have dared to go there. So where's the news?

Just like in Sierra Leone, or Liberia?

Or are you just lamenting the lack of military vacations in Togo, Namibia and Tanzania?

[Schorsch]

I guess without the French soldiers in place no "American C-130" would have dared to go there. So where's the news?

You just can't help it, can you?

I am just questioning what the pointing out of "American" really tells us in this story?

[PurduePilot]

I guess without the French soldiers in place no "American C-130" would have dared to go there. So where's the news?

You just can't help it, can you?

I am just questioning what the pointing out of "American" really tells us in this story?

"Who", "What", "When", and "Where" are usually the most important details when writing a news article. If someone is interested in this article, I think it stands to reason that they'd like to know who went in and picked up the civilians.

[Princess Leia]

I guess without the French soldiers in place no "American C-130" would have dared to go there. So where's the news?

You just can't help it, can you?

I am just questioning what the pointing out of "American" really tells us in this story?

Actually, after reading the article closely, it never says anything about the C-130s being American. It says Americans, among others, were evacuated by C-130s, from an Air Force (never said whose) and that EUCOM was asked, but had no information.

For all we know, the article might as well be about French Air Force C-130s.

[rattler]

youre right, though I suppose (assume?) that if the US Air Force Times cites "Air Force C-130s" theyre not precisely refering to French a/c...

Rattler

[Robert Hilton]

youre right, though I suppose (assume?) that if the US Air Force Times cites "Air Force C-130s" theyre not precisely refering to French a/c...

Rattler

A very reasonable assumption.