Iraq faces massive US missile barrage

[*d*]

Is the US out for world peace or dominance?
CBS news reported last weekend that the US war plan is to launch between 300 and 400 cruise missles in the first 24 hours on Iraq. That's more than the number of missiles launched during the whole of 'desert storm' in 1991. Another 300 to 400 missiles will follow the second day. Tens of thousands of Iraqi civilians and soldiers were slaughtered during the brief 1991 war. The new war on Iraq, Pentagon officals say, will be a saturation of bombing that exceeds anything previously seen in history. "The sheer size of this has never been seen before, never been contemplated before", "There is no place safe in Baghdad". The battle plan is dubbed "Shock and Awe" because it seeks the psychological overwhelming of the enemy and, by extension, the intimidation of the entire world population. The World Health Organization warns that such a war will maim or kill half a million Iraqi people.
The US refusal to ratify the treaty establishing the new International Criminal Court does not exempt US senior officials from facing prosecution for war crimes, crimes of humanity and genocide if the Iraq war proceeds. "US officials involved in committing certain international crimes may nonetheless be held responsible under principles of Universal Jurisdiction and the War Crimes Act".
Aware of the outrage that such a US missile barrage on Iraq will provoke around the world, the US State department has contacted all US embassies to tell Americans abroad to be ready to evacuate their resident countries quickly in the event of political unrest or terrorist attacks. It is the first such blanket warning ever issued by the State Department.
www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/01/24/eveningnews/main537928.shtml

d

 

[Willywants]

This Smacks Of.......

.........a U.S. lack of real desire to mount a full blown war against Iraq.
It reads more like an attempt to propagandize the Iraqi people and the rest of the world, into ousting Sadaam from power by more peaceful means, assasination perhaps!

Why openly advertise what the first steps of an attack will be, other than to frighten and intimidate the populace into doing your bidding!

My fear is that the U.S. would be that ruthless in the end!

Willywants (to make love, not war!)

 

[Questor]

Wow! That just shows how sick Bush really is? It will be a slaughter. Thanks for bringing that report to our attention *d*
People must stand up and stop this massacre. If we don't, we bare part of the responsibility.

 

[Jay_toronto]

I don't buy it.

What would the USA have to gain from wholesale slaughter?

It's already been proven time and time again that terror bombing does not produce military victory. Did Great Britain surrender when Hitler terror bombed them in 1940? Did the Viet Min in 1972?

Such a wanton act of destruction would not intimidate the rest of the world it would do the reverse. It would put the USA on the same level as Nazi Germany and it would cause the Eurasian states (Europe, Russia, China and Japan) to unite against it.

 

[Prophet]

Ask the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki what good wholescale bombing is good for.

 

[Remo]

Re: I don't buy it.

What would the USA have to gain from wholesale slaughter?

It's already been proven time and time again that terror bombing does not produce military victory. Did Great Britain surrender when Hitler terror bombed them in 1940? Did the Viet Min in 1972?

Such a wanton act of destruction would not intimidate the rest of the world it would do the reverse. It would put the USA on the same level as Nazi Germany and it would cause the Eurasian states (Europe, Russia, China and Japan) to unite against it.

I agree but, counterpoint :


#1. You are assuming the US learns from history their own or others.

#2. The US is dominated by the dollar. They assume others are too. So they don't care what others think of them. They believe they can buy peoples opinion when necessary.

 

[mottel]

I hope the USA start the war with Iraq ASAP and finishes with Sadam Husain once and for all

 

[TravellingGuy]

I hope the USA start the war with Iraq ASAP and finishes with Sadam Husain once and for all

I hope you happen to be in the next target of a terrorist act as well...

 

[spastar]

I hope the USA start the war with Iraq ASAP and finishes with Sadam Husain once and for all

I hope your standing next to him..........
Pull your head out of your a$$

 

[onthebottom]

You got it

It's possibly a scare tactic to oust Sadam or force then to comply to UN policies.

"Attaining 100 victories in 100 battles is not the pinnacle of excellence. Subjugating the enemies army without fighting is the true pinnacle of excellence"

Sun Tzu The Art Of War.

To have such overwhelming superiority that you don't have to fight, from Sun Tzu to Eisenhower, this has been the goal.

From the article: "If Shock and Awe works, there won't be a ground war."

""We want them to quit. We want them not to fight," says Harlan Ullman, one of the authors of the Shock and Awe concept which relies on large numbers of precision guided weapons. ""

In 91 10% of munitions were guided; now the plan is for 80%. It would not surprise me that there are 800 valid targets that have been planned. I'm sure large office buildings are not among them.

OTB

 

[onthebottom]

This sounds like

a massive bombing (600 - 800 cruse missiles in two days). When compared with 1991; in the first 10 days of the gulf war over 10,000 sorties were flown and in the first 24 hours there were 1,300 sorties.

To me it sounds like a good use of precision guided munitions ( a bit expensive at 1.3 million a pop) but better than loosing flight crews.

Anyone want to bet a thousand bucks that the WHO estimate is high? I'll take low.

OTB

 

[Toad]

Pound Iraq

I think Iraq and Saddam deserve al they get. Especially after the remarks about God destroying the space shuttle because the US is against Iraq. The whole country is full of wakos.

I for one would volunteer to go as a soldier in this war.

 

[papasmerf]

Thank you Mr. Gore

Is the US out for world peace or dominance?
CBS news reported last weekend that the US war plan is to launch between 300 and 400 cruise missles in the first 24 hours on Iraq. That's more than the number of missiles launched during the whole of 'desert storm' in 1991. Another 300 to 400 missiles will follow the second day. Tens of thousands of Iraqi civilians and soldiers were slaughtered during the brief 1991 war. The new war on Iraq, Pentagon officals say, will be a saturation of bombing that exceeds anything previously seen in history. "The sheer size of this has never been seen before, never been contemplated before", "There is no place safe in Baghdad". The battle plan is dubbed "Shock and Awe" because it seeks the psychological overwhelming of the enemy and, by extension, the intimidation of the entire world population. The World Health Organization warns that such a war will maim or kill half a million Iraqi people.
The US refusal to ratify the treaty establishing the new International Criminal Court does not exempt US senior officials from facing prosecution for war crimes, crimes of humanity and genocide if the Iraq war proceeds. "US officials involved in committing certain international crimes may nonetheless be held responsible under principles of Universal Jurisdiction and the War Crimes Act".
Aware of the outrage that such a US missile barrage on Iraq will provoke around the world, the US State department has contacted all US embassies to tell Americans abroad to be ready to evacuate their resident countries quickly in the event of political unrest or terrorist attacks. It is the first such blanket warning ever issued by the State Department.
www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/01/24/eveningnews/main537928.shtml

d

WOW
Checked D's source for the quotes and lo-and behold, only one quote appears in the story.

You emblish in order to incite unrest?????

Or did you emblish inorder to add validity to your stance??????

 

[Timberwolf]

Get Real

Nicely done Papasmerf. Just goes to show you the lengths people will go to in order to attempt to assasinate the character of the Americans.

I was involved in a thread earlier which was primarily involved with besmerching the Americans. Thanks for making my points again guys!!

Propohet: Do you really stand by your comment? Have you read history? Do you understand human nature?

What is interesting is that NOBODY ever presents a VIABLE alternative. Just bitch, bitch, bitch and provide nothing positive or in the alternative.

 

[Quest4Less]

Just do it!

I too hope the US goes in soon. As for the thought of overkill, there's no such thing. If you show that when someone messes with you then the reaction will be massive, severe, and VERY messy, the chances of anyone else taking you on will be very slim.

As for the pacifist element on here: You guys make me laugh. On the one hand you are saying war is bad, killing is bad, and then you turn around and say things like "I hope you are the next terrorist target", and "I hope you are standing next to Hussein". Make up your mind, is all killing bad, or is it o.k. sometimes?

 

[luckyjackson]

It's a sad story.

Strange as it seems to me to write it, I actually agree with George Bush on this one. I think the world will be a better place without Mr. Hussein having an entire state's resources at his disposal.

However, I'm dismayed by the way the U.S. has decided to go about it. I don't have a weapon fetish, and so cannot argue with any authority about the U.S.'s capabilities. However, it seems to me that the U.S. MUST have other means at its disposal to get rid of Mr. Hussein and see the Iraqi government replaced with a more humane and democratic bunch.

Why is the loss of innocent life unavoidable? I don't get it.

As well, such an attack is unwise in the long term. It will only confirm American cowardice in the minds of millions - and make them all the more determined to take pot shots like Sept 11 at them in the future.

Papasmerf, you did a good thing by pointing out the less than faithful reporting carried out by D, but then you messed it up with your own inaccuracy. The World Health 'fact' D included is not in the CBS story, but most of the other quotes are. What did you mean only one quote was there?

D, shame on you. That kind of stunt only undermines the credibility of the cause you support.

 

[papasmerf]

It's a sad story.



Papasmerf, you did a good thing by pointing out the less than faithful reporting carried out by D, but then you messed it up with your own inaccuracy. The World Health 'fact' D included is not in the CBS story, but most of the other quotes are. What did you mean only one quote was there?

D, shame on you. That kind of stunt only undermines the credibility of the cause you support.

In Fact our gender non-spacific D did not quote the World Health Orginization, he/she did refrence them. This was done in the middle of refrenceing CBS. As Suggested before......"add validity to your stance??????"

He/she even gave us a web page to check its his/her source.


I don't believe it should take the W H O to indicate that an offencive such as reported by CBS would be devistating.

Hope this clears up your questions

 

[Jay_toronto]

....so I'm repeating myself.

As Dubya happily kicks the crap out of Iraq, does he expect Kim Jong Il and his nuclear warheads to just stay put. Or will Osama come calling?

 

[papasmerf]

....so I'm repeating myself.

As Dubya happily kicks the crap out of Iraq, does he expect Kim Jong Il and his nuclear warheads to just stay put. Or will Osama come calling?

In a word YES.

Do you think Russia and China are willing to allow that?

And if so why?

 

[*d*]

Hulagu Khan(1258), Tamerlane(1401), Bush(2003)

Papasmerf, you did a good thing by pointing out the less than faithful reporting carried out by D,...
D, shame on you. That kind of stunt only undermines the credibility of the cause you support.

Luckyjackson and Papasmerf
My post covers more than the CBS story, as do my quotes. The CBS article isn't the only report out there on the 'Shock & Awe' battle plan. And I certainly never claimed everything I said came from the one source. Instead of just trying to attack one's credibility, do some damn searching yourself and maybe you can help expand on the subject. You'll find most of the (other)quotes come from editorial writer Henry Michaels and cover the facts.
www.gvny.com/columns/schiff/

d