V-22 Osprey Heading To Iraq

The V-22 Osprey, a very controversial "helicopter" of some sort, is to be deployed to Iraq and make it's debut into combat. Named after a graceful bird, it isn't so graceful itself. In April of 2000, the Osprey stalled while in the air and took a nosedive, killing 19 Marines in Marana, AZ. Flights of the Osprey were halted for at least a year until it yet again crashed in North Carolina. Many others are against the deployment of this bird, even military leaders and veterans, because of the Osprey's long history of problems.

In Washington and in the military, many think that the Osprey should be tested until all of the bugs are out and it is finally safe to fly and deploy into combat. As the blueprints say, the Osprey is supposed to take off and land as a helicopter, and yet fly like a plane. Commandant Don LaVetter with the Tucson Detachment of the Marine Corps League thinks that even with the $20 billion and 30 lives lost because of the Osprey, it still wouldn't hurt to put in a sufficient defense system and fix the plaguing mechanical and electrical problems.