About Iraq..

[Shadowfax]

I read unc's quote, and it made me wonder about something...

Smart bombs are expensive. Best to just use up some of that leftover ordanace from the glory days. No need to go out and make it too darn expensive.

It's pretty sure that the US is going to take Saddam out, no matter what false promises he'll make in the near future.
What I'm curious about is, how will the US attack? There is a chance that Saddam will use his weapons against his own people, or at least threat on doing so.
If the US invades Iraq, I'm curious about the kind of attack.
Of course they will send in ground troops, but will they send SEALS and Rangers in first, to get to know the locations of his important factories and the location of his weapons?
Will the US take out those first to eliminate the thread that Saddam may use those weapons of mass destruction against the US, other countries in the Middle East, or against his own people?

Or will the US launch a huge ground assault to take him out before he even gets the chance to respond?


What are your opinions?

 

[unclehobart]

Sattelite power is positively amazing these days. There isn't much use for ground spotters insofar as picking out targets goes. Ranger insertions are primarily for clearing and guarding a future position for a forward base in a standup fight. In a muddy fight they would be expected to go in for a lightning strike so as to not waste several blocks with a plane dropped bomb (aka Somalia). I also knew of Rangers being placed near major crossroads to keep an eye on military traffic and manpower. They wern't meant to do any kind of standup fight as they travel light and in small numbers. They had little laser spotters to point out targets that smart bombs could track against. It works great for helicopter rockets as well.

Plane power is still the way to be because his own air power and radar are pretty much ineffective. Might as well use the advantages as they present themselves. I just wonder if Turkey is going to be as accomodating the second time around as they were the last time.

 

[Shadowfax]

The power of satellite reconnaisance is overwhelming. But one thing I've been wondering about at that point is the location of the weapons.
Surely certain factories and depots will be seen from above, but is there anything known when it comes to underground facilities in Iraq?
I really don't know if he is thought to have large underground storage facilities. It sure makes sense if he did, that way they couldn't be discovered from the air, nor easily discovered by the UN inspectors...

When it comes to Iraqi air power, it is known that it is very ineffective. I just wonder about the air defense of Iraq. They had quite some anti-airplane missiles during the Gulf War.
Although I doubt they have the technology to spot a B-2 Bomber


And unc, that technology you described with the laser spotting, it's a great technique, 'cause it's so accurate

 

[PT]

Just what makes you think that the bunkers we have 12 miles outside of Baghdad full of Rangers and Seals aren't still there and manned?

I'm quite sure we still have intelligence in country, we just can't say so right now.

 

[PT]

Or will the US launch a huge ground assault to take him out before he even gets the chance to respond?


What are your opinions?

I think this is critical in taking him out, we are going to have to have a Ranger or Seal team in place to go in and take him out simultaneous to a massive air and land strike. If he has anything stockpiled, this time he will use it, as he knows that this will be his last stand, and he will want to take as many as he can with him.

 

[Gonz]

We're already on an escalated campaign to eliminate the AA weapons. Is that answer enough?