Benjamin Mixon, commander of Task Force Lightning, also reflected a less lofty American goal for Iraq's future.

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John "Mick" Bednarek, part of Task Force Lightning in Diyala province, one of the war's major battlegrounds.

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The dead were all members of the Army's Task Force Lightning and comprised four Black Hawk crew members and 10 passengers.

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One Task Force Lightning soldier died and another soldier was injured in the incident, which occurred in Nineveh province, where Mosul and Tal Afar are located.

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Benjamin Mixon, commander of Task Force Lightning and Multinational Division-North.

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One criticism: the new Lightning connector, which will force current iPhone users who want to keep using their accessories to buy an adapter plug.

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Mr Hammond said that the Lightning II squadron based at RAF Marham would be a joint RAF and Royal Navy force and the station would be responsible for support and maintenance of both land-based and aircraft carrier planes.

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