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jnuts
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http://www.af.mil/news/Mar2003/32203127print.shtml
'Shock air forces' hit Iraq
03/22/03 - OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM (AFPN) -- Coalition "shock air forces" aircraft flew nearly 1,000 strike sorties March 21, hitting targets intended to end the regime of Saddam Hussein. The strikes marked the beginning of the air campaign portion of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
During his first press conference since combat operations began, Gen. Tommy Franks, U.S. Central Command commander, spoke about the coalition "shock air forces" which flew nearly 2,000 sorties. Coalition airpower operations began a few minutes before 9 p.m. local time March 21.
For the first time in combat, only precision-guided munitions were used in an effort to minimize collateral damage while targeting a large number of military sites, according to defense officials. During Desert Storm, less than 10 percent of the munitions used were precision guided.
U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancers, B-2A Spirits, B-52H Stratofortresses, F-117 Nighthawkss, F-15E Strike Eagles and F-16 Fighting Falcons, plus Navy F/A-18 Hornets and F-14 Tomcat, Marine AV-8B Harrier and coalition Tornado GR-4, Harrier GR-7 and F/A-18 aircraft flew the strike missions.
Hundreds of Tomahawk land-attack missiles from coalition ships and conventional air-launched cruise missiles were also used in the strikes.
Targets included Iraqi regime leadership, regime command and control, regime security, integrated air defense systems and weapons of mass destruction.
The remaining sorties included intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; close-air support; electronic jamming; air refueling; intra- and inter-theater airlift; search and rescue; and interdiction.
Sorties were vital to the success of the strike sorties flying into the heart of Iraq's heavy air defenses, which included anti-aircraft artillery and surface-to-air-missiles, officials said.
Sorties originated from as far away as Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., the Indian Ocean, and the United Kingdom, as well as being flown from 30 locations throughout the CENTCOM area of responsibility and five Navy aircraft carriers. The B-2s flew the longest missions, lasting approximately 34 hours round-trip.
All coalition air missions are planned and controlled by the Combined Air Operations Center at an air base in Southwest Asia. The center functions as the brain for the entire coalition air campaign. CAOC officials plan, monitor and directs everything that goes into the air campaign, from picking the targets and determining what aircraft and munitions will be used to overcoming Iraqi air defenses and coordinating the flying routes of hundreds of aircraft at any given time.
Nearly 1,700 coalition aircraft and thousands of people are required to fly, maintain and support the missions directed by the CAOC.
'Shock air forces' hit Iraq
03/22/03 - OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM (AFPN) -- Coalition "shock air forces" aircraft flew nearly 1,000 strike sorties March 21, hitting targets intended to end the regime of Saddam Hussein. The strikes marked the beginning of the air campaign portion of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
During his first press conference since combat operations began, Gen. Tommy Franks, U.S. Central Command commander, spoke about the coalition "shock air forces" which flew nearly 2,000 sorties. Coalition airpower operations began a few minutes before 9 p.m. local time March 21.
For the first time in combat, only precision-guided munitions were used in an effort to minimize collateral damage while targeting a large number of military sites, according to defense officials. During Desert Storm, less than 10 percent of the munitions used were precision guided.
U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancers, B-2A Spirits, B-52H Stratofortresses, F-117 Nighthawkss, F-15E Strike Eagles and F-16 Fighting Falcons, plus Navy F/A-18 Hornets and F-14 Tomcat, Marine AV-8B Harrier and coalition Tornado GR-4, Harrier GR-7 and F/A-18 aircraft flew the strike missions.
Hundreds of Tomahawk land-attack missiles from coalition ships and conventional air-launched cruise missiles were also used in the strikes.
Targets included Iraqi regime leadership, regime command and control, regime security, integrated air defense systems and weapons of mass destruction.
The remaining sorties included intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; close-air support; electronic jamming; air refueling; intra- and inter-theater airlift; search and rescue; and interdiction.
Sorties were vital to the success of the strike sorties flying into the heart of Iraq's heavy air defenses, which included anti-aircraft artillery and surface-to-air-missiles, officials said.
Sorties originated from as far away as Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., the Indian Ocean, and the United Kingdom, as well as being flown from 30 locations throughout the CENTCOM area of responsibility and five Navy aircraft carriers. The B-2s flew the longest missions, lasting approximately 34 hours round-trip.
All coalition air missions are planned and controlled by the Combined Air Operations Center at an air base in Southwest Asia. The center functions as the brain for the entire coalition air campaign. CAOC officials plan, monitor and directs everything that goes into the air campaign, from picking the targets and determining what aircraft and munitions will be used to overcoming Iraqi air defenses and coordinating the flying routes of hundreds of aircraft at any given time.
Nearly 1,700 coalition aircraft and thousands of people are required to fly, maintain and support the missions directed by the CAOC.
D
DcupSheepNipples
Guest
You don't know what the fuck you are talking about! The core agents and employees are not bumbling idiots! Don't blame the CIA and NSA organizations themselves! Politicians won't let them do their job! Osama and Saddam would have been taken care of a long time ago! They don't have enough money allocated for missions, Intel. Gathering and general overall support! Politicians appoint political friendly heads of each organization! When those that need to be taken out are in the cross hairs, most of the time they are not given permission by higher ups to pull the trigger! There is to much micromanaging within the organizations! You would not believe the shit that is going on even to this day! Blame the appointees, Presidents, Congress and the American people, but dont blame the CIA and NSA! They are doing the best they can with the tools they are allowed to use!
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interesting that inspectors couldnt find that HUGE plant in months of searching, and here it is with all the equipment and chemicals needed to make weapons (as i am assuming they will probably find and show on tv) LOL.....so iraqis knew they were being inspected just 4 days ago, and just didnt bother getting rid of everything, and risking inspectors finding it all, since as somebody pointed out it couldnt have been built over last 4 days......makes you think doesnt it.
for arguments sake, IF iraq really didnt have any WMD, is there anybody here who actually thinks that US will just leave it at that, or would have to justify all the casualties and war to the public?
for arguments sake, IF iraq really didnt have any WMD, is there anybody here who actually thinks that US will just leave it at that, or would have to justify all the casualties and war to the public?
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DcupSheepNipples
Guest
Apache helicopters attack Republican Guard
Three-hour firefight
Sunday, March 23, 2003
Apache helicopters wait to take off on Sunday.
SOUTHERN IRAQ (CNN) -- U.S. Apache attack helicopters attacked Iraq's elite Republican Guard units early Monday in an intense firefight that lasted about three hours, CNN's Karl Penhaul reported.
Penhaul said the helicopters encountered a "heavy, heavy barrage" of anti-aircraft fire in the battle, about 60 miles south of Baghdad. He could not immediately say whether all of the U.S. helicopters returned safely.
The attack started sometime after midnight (4 p.m. ET) and lasted about three hours, said Penhaul, who was aboard a Black Hawk helicopter that served as the command and control craft of a unit of Apache attack helicopters. The helicopter in which Penhaul was riding was about 15-20 miles from the scene of the strike.
The Apache unit went up against the 2nd Armored Brigade of the elite Medina Division, which is part of the Republican Guard, the troops most loyal to Saddam Hussein, Penhaul said. They also attacked positions between Karbala and Hillah, which straddle the Euphrates River south of Baghdad.
Stiff resistance
As the Apaches flew in, they encountered stiff resistance, he said.
Penhaul said he could not see the extent of the anti-aircraft fire, but the pilots of his helicopter reported the Republican Guard "laid up a heavy, heavy barrage."
Some of the U.S. aircraft flying in the mission reported taking fire.
Following the mission, aircraft returned to an undisclosed location farther south of the location of the attack, and Penhaul said he expected to learn more about the specific locations of the units targeted.
Some of the elements the Apaches tried to strike were Iraqi T-72 battle tanks, the most advanced tank used by the Iraqi forces. The Republican Guard was estimated to have at least 90 of those tanks, along with multiple pieces of field artillery and armored personnel carriers, Penhaul said.
Penhaul is embedded with the U.S. Army's V Corps, 11th Attack Helicopter Regiment.
Three-hour firefight
Sunday, March 23, 2003
Apache helicopters wait to take off on Sunday.
SOUTHERN IRAQ (CNN) -- U.S. Apache attack helicopters attacked Iraq's elite Republican Guard units early Monday in an intense firefight that lasted about three hours, CNN's Karl Penhaul reported.
Penhaul said the helicopters encountered a "heavy, heavy barrage" of anti-aircraft fire in the battle, about 60 miles south of Baghdad. He could not immediately say whether all of the U.S. helicopters returned safely.
The attack started sometime after midnight (4 p.m. ET) and lasted about three hours, said Penhaul, who was aboard a Black Hawk helicopter that served as the command and control craft of a unit of Apache attack helicopters. The helicopter in which Penhaul was riding was about 15-20 miles from the scene of the strike.
The Apache unit went up against the 2nd Armored Brigade of the elite Medina Division, which is part of the Republican Guard, the troops most loyal to Saddam Hussein, Penhaul said. They also attacked positions between Karbala and Hillah, which straddle the Euphrates River south of Baghdad.
Stiff resistance
As the Apaches flew in, they encountered stiff resistance, he said.
Penhaul said he could not see the extent of the anti-aircraft fire, but the pilots of his helicopter reported the Republican Guard "laid up a heavy, heavy barrage."
Some of the U.S. aircraft flying in the mission reported taking fire.
Following the mission, aircraft returned to an undisclosed location farther south of the location of the attack, and Penhaul said he expected to learn more about the specific locations of the units targeted.
Some of the elements the Apaches tried to strike were Iraqi T-72 battle tanks, the most advanced tank used by the Iraqi forces. The Republican Guard was estimated to have at least 90 of those tanks, along with multiple pieces of field artillery and armored personnel carriers, Penhaul said.
Penhaul is embedded with the U.S. Army's V Corps, 11th Attack Helicopter Regiment.
D
DcupSheepNipples
Guest
SOS to Moscow to save Saddam? Intercept indicates dictator in desperate need of surgeon
Posted: March 24, 2003
1:00 a.m. Eastern
In need of a surgeon to save his life, Saddam Hussein's aides have sought help from Moscow, according to the British daily The Sun.
The paper cited a senior UK government official who said British intelligence intercepted a message Saturday suggesting that Saddam is still alive in a secret hideaway in Baghdad but requires medical intervention the Iraqis cannot provide.
British intelligence chiefs believe the Iraqi leader suffered abdominal injuries when cruise missiles struck a bunker Thursday where he was reported to be meeting with his inner circle
Saddam's two sons, Uday and Qusay, also are believed to have been injured, or possibly killed, in the attack.
The sources say Saddam was pulled from the rubble and whisked away in an ambulance, The Sun said. They believe he underwent a major operation and a blood transfusion, and at one point thought he might be dead.
The senior British official said Saddam's aides "requested urgent medical assistance for a senior government official who was injured."
"Saddam's name was not mentioned during the conversation – but there is little doubt it was him they were talking about," the official said.
"They said he was not critically injured but demanded urgent treatment because he had lost blood and could get worse. This regime wouldn't go to that trouble for anybody else – including members of his family."
Some intelligence sources believe a video of Saddam after the missile attack was pre-recorded. Yesterday, Iraqi state television showed Saddam chairing meetings with top officials, but American officials said there was no way to tell whether the footage was current or taped before the war began.
In the call for help, picked up by British intelligence in Cheltenham, the victim was described as having suffered third-degree burns, a crushed abdomen and trauma, which are typical of a bomb attack.
"There was some discussion of having the injured man medevaced out of Baghdad to be treated elsewhere," the source said. "But no mention was made of where that would be. The official who took the call said the request would be passed on to Moscow."
© 2003 WorldNetDaily.com
Posted: March 24, 2003
1:00 a.m. Eastern
In need of a surgeon to save his life, Saddam Hussein's aides have sought help from Moscow, according to the British daily The Sun.
The paper cited a senior UK government official who said British intelligence intercepted a message Saturday suggesting that Saddam is still alive in a secret hideaway in Baghdad but requires medical intervention the Iraqis cannot provide.
British intelligence chiefs believe the Iraqi leader suffered abdominal injuries when cruise missiles struck a bunker Thursday where he was reported to be meeting with his inner circle
Saddam's two sons, Uday and Qusay, also are believed to have been injured, or possibly killed, in the attack.
The sources say Saddam was pulled from the rubble and whisked away in an ambulance, The Sun said. They believe he underwent a major operation and a blood transfusion, and at one point thought he might be dead.
The senior British official said Saddam's aides "requested urgent medical assistance for a senior government official who was injured."
"Saddam's name was not mentioned during the conversation – but there is little doubt it was him they were talking about," the official said.
"They said he was not critically injured but demanded urgent treatment because he had lost blood and could get worse. This regime wouldn't go to that trouble for anybody else – including members of his family."
Some intelligence sources believe a video of Saddam after the missile attack was pre-recorded. Yesterday, Iraqi state television showed Saddam chairing meetings with top officials, but American officials said there was no way to tell whether the footage was current or taped before the war began.
In the call for help, picked up by British intelligence in Cheltenham, the victim was described as having suffered third-degree burns, a crushed abdomen and trauma, which are typical of a bomb attack.
"There was some discussion of having the injured man medevaced out of Baghdad to be treated elsewhere," the source said. "But no mention was made of where that would be. The official who took the call said the request would be passed on to Moscow."
© 2003 WorldNetDaily.com
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