From the "God is on our side" files. An Iraqi military spokesman, commenting on the forced landing of an American Apache helicopter, had this to say when explaining the reason: he observed that the Iraqis had found a bottle of whiskey inside belonging to one of the pilots. As the helicopter was at the time flying near the Holy Shiite city of Karbala, he continued, this unholy mix of alcohol and holiness ensured the Apache would fall to the ground:

"How could this Apache not fall when there was a bottle of whiskey inside, as it was flying over a holy city" (or something to that effect).

Funny, Iraqi TV has spent the last two days reporting that an old peasant with a vintage 1800 rifle had shot the thing down.