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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Ish who wrote (42420)	9/6/2002 7:48:57 PM
From: Ilaine	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

No idea - but speculation is rife. Here is a story from the Singapore Straits Times, which is usually one of the more reliable foreign sources: >>US, British planes raid Iraqi airbase Biggest operation in four years involving an estimated 100 aircraft a possible prelude to a full-scale air offensive WASHINGTON - An estimated 100 United States and British aircraft raided an Iraqi air-defence installation on Thursday in what was the biggest operation over the country in four years. The attack appeared to be a prelude to possible Special Forces operations - and the speculation is that such operations could be part of initial preparations and intelligence gathering for a full-scale air offensive against Iraq. Twelve warplanes dropped 20 precision- guided bombs in the raid, but scores of other support aircraft also took part, according to the Daily Telegraph newspaper which first reported the raids. It was the first time a target in western Iraq had been attacked during air patrols of the southern 'no-fly' zone. The US military said American and British warplanes bombed 'an air-defence command-and-control facility at a military airfield 380 km west and slightly south of Baghdad' in response to 'recent Iraqi hostile acts'. One official told CNN that two to three separate targets in a military airfield known as Rutvah were pinpointed for destruction. A command centre, an air-defence radar site and a cable repeater were among those targets. At the time of the strike, the aircraft carrier George Washington was in the Persian Gulf, but a US Navy official said this was a typical placement for a carrier that is part of the Central Command region. Britain also confirmed the raid but refused to reveal its scope. More, but nothing new, at: straitstimes.asia1.com.sg

To: Ish who wrote (42420)	9/6/2002 7:51:44 PM
From: Ilaine	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

Similar speculation from the Beeb, which is as solid a news source as it gets: >>Analysis: Air attack on Iraq Western aircraft have been patrolling Iraqi skies By Jonathan Marcus BBC defence correspondent The latest attack by US and British warplanes against a command and control centre in southern Iraq has inevitably raised speculation that it may be a preliminary to a much broader air campaign. The location of the target - well to the west of Baghdad - is unusual, though the Pentagon has moved swiftly to deny press speculation that the operation involved up to 100 warplanes. Only a small number of aircraft actually released weapons: The overall "strike package" including electronic warfare planes, accompanying fighters and so on, probably numbered no more than 30 aircraft. But the key question is how this attack - described by sources in both the Pentagon and the Ministry of Defence in London as "routine" - relates to the Bush Administration's wider military plans for Iraq? Each and every operation from now on is going to be scrutinised by outsiders to see just how it might fit into any war plan. In reality all of the attacks against Iraqi radars, missile sites and so on, serve to gradually wear away Iraq's defences. Outside assistance The country's integrated air defence system was largely destroyed during the 1991 Gulf War. Since then it has to some extent been rebuilt. While still largely relying upon old Soviet-era surface- to-air missiles the Iraqis are said by intelligence analysts to have sought to re-create some sort of cohesive national defence system. China has been accused of assisting the Iraqis to lay a network of fibre-optic cables in the ground, to provide secure communications between command centres and missile batteries. The Iraqis have also mounted some static weapons onto trucks to give them a greater degree of mobility. Iraq's air defences, though, are no match for America's air power. US and British patrols enable significant quantities of intelligence to be gathered. The aim of any eventual air campaign will be to destroy the coherence of Iraq's air defence system as a whole and then to attack it piece by piece. Clearly any individual operations that destroy vital elements of this network like command centres or relay stations makes the eventual task that much easier. War footing But the real signs of US military preparation are elsewhere. Certain key reservists have had their call-up terms lengthened. Military equipment is quietly on the move. At least one additional ship has been chartered to carry armoured vehicles to the Gulf region. Reports suggest that a heavy armoured brigade's worth of equipment - 100 M1A1 tanks, 30 Bradley armoured fighting vehicles as well as some 300 other guns, rocket launchers and transport vehicles - has been moved from Qatar to Kuwait. This joins an existing brigade-set of equipment already pre-positioned in Kuwait. This gives the Americans a full division's worth of equipment in Kuwait which could be activated at short notice, its soldiers flown in from the US or Germany and then deployed into the field. This is not yet the full build-up for war. It could still be classed as prudent planning by the US military. But the pieces are slowly being moved into position. Some people believe that if there is a war against Iraq, it may involve a relatively small force initially - there will not be the long build-up of Operation Desert Storm hosted by Saudi Arabia, which shows every sign of wanting to see out this crisis on the sidelines.<< news.bbc.co.uk

To: Ish who wrote (42420)	9/6/2002 7:58:52 PM
From: Ilaine	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 281500

Wow - here's the way it's being spun in Australia >>First strike hits Iraq By Leo Schlink and Samantha Maiden 07Sep02 SADDAM Hussein has been put on notice that a full-scale military strike is looming after 100 British and US jets bombed a military complex yesterday. The attack, the largest in four years against Iraq, is widely seen as a softening-up tactic and came as British Prime Minister Tony Blair said the allies were prepared to "pay the blood price when the shooting starts". American F-15s and F-16s and British Tornados were involved in the action against an air defence command and control facility at a military airfield about 360km west of Baghdad. A British Ministry of Defence spokesman said last night the action was taken to protect Shiite Muslims persecuted by Saddam's administration. Allied forces have made frequent air raids to enforce a zone in which Iraqi jets cannot fly. But yesterday's raid was the biggest yet and clearly indicates the US and Britain are losing patience with the dictator over his refusal to allow inspectors to check whether he is making weapons of mass destruction. With the spectre of another Middle East conflict emerging: US PRESIDENT George Bush said it was critical that the allies strike first. PRIME Minister John Howard said Australians would be kept fully informed of any war against Iraq before any troops were sent. ARAB League chief Amr Mussa warned a full-scale strike against Iraq would "open the gates of hell" in the Middle East. Allied commanders are awaiting reports on the raid's effectiveness. If the installation is still working, another raid is expected to follow soon. The destruction of the facility would allow coalition helicopters to be the vanguard of an invasion force, entering Iraqi airspace undetected. The Pentagon indicated heavy armour and ammunition have been transferred to neighbouring Kuwait from Qatar. "We must anticipate problems before they occur," Mr Bush said, stressing that he was taking "very seriously" intelligence reports that Saddam has an arsenal of biological and chemical weapons. "We must deal with threats to our security today before it is too late," he said. Mr Bush said it was vital for "freedom-loving countries to address these issues today before they become incredibly serious tomorrow". "I believe we owe that to our children," he said. "This is a man who used poisons on his own people. He has invaded two countries. "I firmly believe the world cannot allow the world's worst leader to threaten America, to threaten our peace, to threaten our friends and allies with the world's worst weapons." Asked about Britain's decision to once again join forces with the US against Iraq, Mr Blair said: "What is important is that at moments of crisis they don't need to know simply that you are giving general expressions of support and sympathy. "That is easy, frankly. They need to know: Are you prepared to commit, are you prepared to be there when the shooting starts?" He said Britain was "with America in so many issues because this is in its interest, not because America snaps its fingers". Meanwhile, Mr Howard acknowledged public concern about sending Australian soldiers to support a strike was "natural". "The Australian people are not going to wake up one morning without an announcement from me that we are involved," he said. "I owe the people explanations. I owe them justification if, and this is a big if, a request is received and there's a need to be involved. "I can understand nobody wants it and I think it's perfectly reasonable at this stage that people would say `well, you know, I don't want Australia to be involved'. "I share the abhorrence of military conflict that most Australians have. I also know that, in some circumstances, in the end some kind of military action can be unavoidable."<< news.com.au P.S. There's something about today that makes me think it could be true - just possibly. I'll tell you later if it doesn't all turn out to be rumors. Been keeping my mouth shut because loose lips sink ships.