Jeremy Clarkson shot at in Iraq

[Bokes]

http://cars.msn.co.uk/carnews/clarksonoct05/Default.asp

The TV presenter – star of motoring show Top Gear – is visiting the troubled country to research a newspaper article. His journey began on Saturday when the Hercules transport plane he was traveling on on a flight from Basra to Baghdad was shot at with rockets by insurgents south of the capital. The plane was able to take evasive action and to release flares to shake off the attack.

While in the capital the US army Black Hawk helicopter he was traveling in came under fire again. Later in the day, his return flight to Basra also came under attack. Finally, within hours of arriving back at base at the city’s airport the camp came under mortar-fire by, it is believed, Shia tribesmen.

Clarkson, who was not hurt in the incidents, told the Daily Mirror: "I knew this would happen - this sort of thing always happens to me."

One British soldier said: "We've never seen anything like this occur to one person, especially not a civilian." The TV star has been called "Target Practice" by squaddies following the incidents. One joked: "People are saying he's saved lives because the Iraqis have used so much ammo trying to kill him."

Clarkson has said previously that the US invading Iraq after 911 would have resembled the US attacking China after Pearl Harbour, and has regularly questioned the purpose and wisdom of the invasion.

[BimmerToad]

Sounds like someone had enough of his trademark pompous arrogance

[Rob]

you mean he went to a war zone and got shot at? Holy shit, who'd have thought!!!!!!!

[marakka]

Ha..... Loser. I wonder if they wrote a story about the WWE wrestlers that got pinned down by hostile fire on their way to our post. Or the ex baseball player that was 100m from a mortar blast.

Just goes to show how much shit goes on down there that isn't reported.... only reason this was is because he's a famous civilian. If that was just a regular schmuck it wouldn't have made the news.

[Rob]

has anyone read the Car and Driver article about HUMVEES in Iraq? Great read

http://www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?section_id=4&article_id=9977

[Jarvis]

has anyone read the Car and Driver article about HUMVEES in Iraq? Great read

http://www.caranddriver.com/article....rticle_id=9977

I WANT ONE. Then maybe other Massholes wouldn't cut me off in traffic anymore. Or I could just slam through anyone that got in my way.

But back to the original post... it seems like every celebrity that goes over there has one, maybe two stories about "close calls." It is kind of odd that Clarkson seemed to be constantly under fire. Amusing, but I don't really care. There's those soldiers that come under fire every day. Way more interesting to hear about that...

[Rob]

There's those soldiers that come under fire every day. Way more interesting to hear about that...

x1000000000

[marakka]

Hmm..... that article must be written by someone lobbying for AM General. The humvees are great for quick in and outs..... but god are they death traps. The only multiple death my unit had was in a humvee when it was hit by an IED and killed 2. We stopped using them after that. They proved worthless against mortar shells buried in the ground. But not to say tanks and bradleys are better..... we had a total loss of a bradley to an IED and also had a death in a tank to an IED. The same tank was written off as a war damaged total loss due to a buick sized dent in the bottom plate.

Anyway.... don't believe the hype..... thes M1114 humvess they talk about are under armored also. They are slow and loud. The only good thing about them is they never break. They get stuck fairly easy, but they don't break.

[Bokes]

x1000000000

x20000000000

[mikeedler]

my job here in germany is to repair the vehicles returning from iraq, and also preparing the vehicles lewaving to go. The hummers arent bad vehicles at all, just really old. most of the ones we work on have a build date of 1985. they hold up pretty well for the ages of them and the type of abuse they recieve.
ive been thinking about leaving to make some money in Iraq, but dont really want to leave my daughter and wife. also a little afraid of being shot at!