Proof That Iraq Is Distracting Us From Afghanistan

Wired's Danger Room blog had an item this week ("'Hog Pilot's Quick Thinking, Huge Gonads") about Air Force A-10 pilot Capt. Brian Erickson being awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor for his actions during a close air support mission in the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan.

Here's the article from Moody AFB Public Affairs: "Moody Airman receives Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor." It's a good story about the pilot's bravery and ingenuity in saving the lives of a six-man German Provincial Reconstruction Team from insurgent attack.

However, the article runs into problems towards the end -- I took a screenshot (it's still up as of this moment):

Oopsie.

It reads:

"With Captain Erickson's wingman marking the enemy's position with his TGP's infrared pointer, the PRT confirmed the mark as the enemy fire point of origin. In a single pass, Captain Erickson employed 240 30-millimeter rounds from the aircraft's GAU-8 cannon. This completely halted the enemy's fire and saved the lives of six German soldiers.

Captain Erickson and his wingman remained in the area to monitor both the friendly and enemy positions until the Iraqi National Police and International Security Assistance Force Quick Reaction Force were able to reach and recover the PRT and bring them to safety." [emphasis added]

It's a good thing Captain Erickson was there, because if the PRT had been waiting for the Iraqi National Police to show up, they'd surely have been toast, as it's about 1400 miles between Bagram and Baghdad. (Obviously, the article meant Afghan National Police.)

Then again, perhaps it was indeed the Iraqi National Police, using John McCain's secret tunnel between Iraq and Pakistan.

With the snark out of the way, I guess I'll use the "contact us" form to let them know about their little boo-boo. (I'd tried posting to the Danger Room entry, but it ate my comment.)

[Update, 7/25: The item has been corrected without comment -- it now reads "Afghan National Police." I'd sent them a note yesterday via their contact form, though who knows if that was the impetus.]

Tags: air force, distinguished service cross