Let’s put this in perspective.
Per this article, since March 2003 the U.S. military has lost 50 copters in Iraq, 25 shot down, of which four – 16% of the total -- have been lost in the past two weeks.
Here's the official line:
Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, acknowledged that insurgent ground fire in Iraq "has been more effective against our helicopters in the last couple of weeks."
But Pace said it was unclear whether "this is some kind of new tactics or techniques that we need to adjust to."
Iraqi insurgents have used heavy machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and shouldered-fired SA-7 anti-aircraft missiles throughout the Iraq conflict. U.S. officials believe Iran is supplying Shiite militias with new weapons including more powerful roadside bombs, Katysuha rockets and a newer class of rocket-propelled grenades.
Except it's Sunnis doing the shootin' in most cases.
Maybe it’s just me, but I'd think more credible vendors are the Saudis.
But that’d be like learning that the Taliban were backed by Pakistan.
And those aren't the droids we're looking for.
An inventory of the earlier crashes
Crash in Najaf, presumably Shia faction responsible
Blackwater observer copter brought down in central Baghdad. Four of five slain reportedly shot in head, execution style. Presumed Sunni faction responsible.
Black Hawk brought down in Diyala province, 12 dead. Al-Qaida affiliate claims responsibility. They're Sunnis. - This crash was diaried, as the dead included a number of key military personnel.