US Planned Pre-War Attacks on Iraqi Defences: Reuters

memphis mike · Joined: 21 May 2003 Posts: 228

yes, it's called strategy and war....

debbie mannas · Joined: 30 Sep 2002 Posts: 1352

Report: U.S. Planned Pre-War Attacks on Iraq Defenses

Sat July 19, 2003 09:12 PM ET

www.reuters.com/newsArtic...ID=3120597

Citing an internal briefing on the conflict by the senior allied air war commander, the Times said the plan named "Southern Focus" called for attacks on the network of fiber-optic cable that Saddam Hussein's government used for transmitting military communications, as well as air strikes on key command centers, radars and other military assets.

The strikes, conducted from mid-2002 into the first few months of this year, were publicly justified as a response to Iraqi violations of a no-flight zone that U.S. and British officials established in southern Iraq, but Lt. Gen. T. Michael Moseley, the chief allied war commander, said the attacks also laid the foundations for the military campaign against Baghdad.

"It provided a set of opportunities and options for Gen. Franks," Moseley, in an interview, told the Times regarding the strikes and referring to Gen. Tommy Franks, who was head of U.S. Central Command.

While there were indications the United States was trying to weaken Iraqi air defenses in anticipation of a possible war, the scope and detailed planning that lay behind the effort were not generally known before, the Times report said.

One reason it was possible for U.S. forces to begin the ground campaign without preceding it with extensive air strikes was that 606 bombs were dropped on some 391 carefully chosen targets under the plan, Moseley said.

The disclosures were contained within an assessment by Moseley on the lessons of the war with Iraq, the paper said, which he presented at an internal briefing for U.S. and allied military officials at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada on Thursday.

Among other disclosures were that there was not a bunker in the Dora Farms area near Baghdad where U.S. intelligence initially believed Saddam was meeting with aides and which was attacked by F-117 stealth fighters and cruise missiles at the outset of the war; and that commanders were required to obtain the approval of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld if planned strikes were thought likely to cause more than 30 civilian deaths. More than 50 such strikes were proposed, and all were approved.

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comments?

Rev9Volts · Joined: 10 Jul 2003 Posts: 1327

LarreeMP3 · Joined: 12 Apr 2002 Posts: 1935

I was a peace and love hippy...before 9/11.

Rev9Volts · Joined: 10 Jul 2003 Posts: 1327

i knew peole who were killed on 9/11 at the pentagon. i could see the smoke from my house.

Rev9Volts · Joined: 10 Jul 2003 Posts: 1327

i have close friends who were almost killed ther. 1 in fact was in his bosses' office. he lived because of that. his office was blown up. he had to climb down firey, smokey stairs to escape. he neded up in a hospital from too much smoke inhalation.

debbie mannas · Joined: 30 Sep 2002 Posts: 1352

whats your point??

:evil

Rev9Volts · Joined: 10 Jul 2003 Posts: 1327

besides why put a picture of the devil up when you are supposed to be so full of love which going back to greek i suppose you mean agape?

Rev9Volts · Joined: 10 Jul 2003 Posts: 1327

my point is debbie you if according to the book of james the fruits of the holy spirit are "love joy peace patience goodness kindness and understanding" you catholicism does not seem to do you much good.

Edited by: Rev9Volts at: 7/20/03 7:33 pm

debbie mannas · Joined: 30 Sep 2002 Posts: 1352

I still fail to get your point. :dunno

You do acknowledge that faith is a very private thing, and differs from person to person?? Perhaps Catholism as I know it is different from what you know? that's why I prefer to call it my faith instead of my religion.

You mean people who are full of love cannot post evil faces??? :evil

BTW, I dont particularly believe in heaven or hell in the traditional sense of burning in fires etc etc...maybe I'm not Catholic after all!!! SHOCK, HORROR :eek

debbie mannas · Joined: 30 Sep 2002 Posts: 1352

Back to topic....

Quote:
i have close friends who were almost killed ther. 1 in fact was in his bosses' office. he lived because of that. his office was blown up. he had to climb down firey, smokey stairs to escape. he neded up in a hospital from too much smoke inhalation.

how does this relate to this thread?

memphis mike · Joined: 21 May 2003 Posts: 228

Debbie, fact is we have been at war with the Iraqi regime for years, don't forget they were firing on our planes daily for years in the no-fly zone and the no fly zone was set up to protect his own peolple from Sadaam.....