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| Axis of Evil |
| Iraq lays barriers to a U.S. invasion |
| 2002-12-18 |
| Iraqi military forces have begun placing obstacles on the runways of their key air bases, the most overt steps yet by Baghdad to prepare for a possible U.S. invasion, according to U.S. defense and intelligence officials. The obstacles, detected recently by U.S. spy satellites, could stop or delay an attack in which fixed-wing aircraft would bring ground troops to seize the bases for U.S. invasion forces. Use of the obstacles shows that the Iraqis fear the Pentagon will try to occupy the remote bases as staging areas for an attack on Baghdad and other parts of central Iraq. U.S. intelligence has been closely following Iraqi activity at a cluster of bases in western Iraq called H-3. Pentagon planners have signaled that these bases are likely to be primary targets in a U.S. attack. As they say in real estate, location, location, location In addition to using them as a steppingstone to further strikes inside Iraq, the Pentagon wants to position forces to stop Iraqi missile attacks against Israel. Because of the limited range of Iraq's Scud missiles, an Iraqi strike that could reach Israel would likely have to come from western Iraq. The H-3 military complex is a cluster of four airfields within a few miles of an oil pipeline pumping station of the same name. The airfields have long runways that can accommodate heavy transports. They have been little used by the Iraqi air force because they lie within a zone where flights by Iraqi aircraft have been banned since the 1991 Gulf War. You fly, you die U.S. defense intelligence officials suspect that some missiles may be stored at or near the bases. Officials also suspect that Iraqi military personnel operating out of the bases have surveyed pre-set locations for mobile missile launchers. Suspect = we got pictures Spy satellites have also detected similar defensive moves by Iraq at air bases in southeastern Iraq and around Baghdad. The Iraqis are blocking the runways by parking trucks in landing areas and dragging concrete highway barriers across airstrips. The Iraqis could move the obstacles aside quickly to allow their own forces to use the airfields. But the barriers would force U.S. planners to consider riskier or more time-consuming approaches during an invasion, such as a helicopter-borne assault or a land attack. Somebody read the Ranger training manual. He missed the part on how fast we can clear runway obstacles though. If they block the runways, we don't have to bomb them. Rangers jump or chopper in, either hotwire a dozer or fly one in under a chopper, and clear enough strip for a 130. That will bring in the engineers and after that it won't take long to return to full ops. Despite the growing likelihood of war, Iraqi military forces have been relatively inactive in beefing up their defenses, U.S. military and intelligence officials say. There have been no major Iraqi troop movements in recent months and few observable steps to bolster the defense of the main approaches to Baghdad. Even so, there have been some moves. Spy satellites have detected the installation of additional gun emplacements around key points in Baghdad, particularly around Saddam Hussein's main Baghdad palace on the Tigris River. Iraqi commanders have ordered ammunition stocks dispersed from vulnerable central storage sites to battle-ready sites outside Baghdad. Iraqi authorities also have conducted civil-defense exercises with civilians. Although its supply of missiles was severely depleted during the Gulf War, Iraq might have preserved about 20 missiles that intelligence officials believe could be capable of reaching Tel Aviv from launch points in western Iraq. Western Iraq is most likely already crawling with Special Forces, U.S., SAS, Israeli, etc. The Defense Department is also concerned about Iraqi L-29 drone aircraft fitted with sprayers that might be used in a chemical or biological attack. But U.S. intelligence has picked up little Iraqi training activity involving the drones. If you don't train with them, lots of luck using them in a real world operation. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #2 Might be a good mission for the V-22 Osprey to come in fast on the airfield and then repel troops on the airbase to clear the barriers. Meanwhile the Osprey can then bug out at high speed. |
| Posted by: Hefty 2002-12-18 14:06:21 |
| #1 Usually, the big concrete road leading up to the airport makes a better runway than the very possibly mined and obstructed runway. |
| Posted by: Frank Martin 2002-12-18 11:48:10 |