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| Axis of Evil |
| Iraq: We Downed Spy Plane |
| 2003-01-22 |
| Iraq shot down an unmanned U.S. aircraft that entered its airspace from Kuwait, the state news agency reported Wednesday. It would be the second time in a month that Iraqi defenses had brought down one of the American reconnaissance drones. "The spy plane that breached the sanctity of Iraq's international airspace is used by the American enemy to spy on our civilian military installations," an unnamed spokesman for the air defense command was quoted as saying by the Iraqi News Agency. "Now you must excuse me, I have to get back down in the bunker before the American ememy comes back" The spokesman identified the aircraft as a Predator, but the report did not say where or when it was downed. After Iraq brought down a Predator on Dec. 23, U.S. officials called it a "lucky shot" and did not treat it as a significant hostile act. American warplanes have been patrolling the skies of southern and northern "no-fly zones" in Iraq since 1991, keeping Iraqi aircraft from flying in those areas. There was no immediate confirmation from the Pentagon of Wednesday's reported incident. In the previous encounter, Iraqi warplanes penetrated the southern no-fly zone and fired at the $3.7 million Predator, the Pentagon reported. CBS had camera video from the Predator that was shot down in the last incident. Here is the report: the Predator's camera spots an Iraqi MiG, that white blip in the middle of the screen. The MiG fires a missile and the trail can be seen moving left to right. The Predator fires back. The trails of the two missiles streak by each other. But one falls short and the other doesn't. That second white dot is the Iraqi missile just before it hits the Predator. The Predator shot back! Wonder if it was a Hellfire, or are they using air to air missles now? The camera-equipped Predator drones presumably have been overflying Iraqi territory monitoring troop movements and other intelligence that would be useful for any U.S. attack resulting from the current international crisis over Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction. They may also be looking for information useful in the ongoing U.N. weapons inspectors' hunt for such arms programs. Iraqis seem to be taking more chances now, going after the Predators. Hope we're getting our money's worth of intel. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #4 Why deny, this is another material breach if true. |
| Posted by: anonymous 2003-01-22 16:43:11 |
| #3 A spokesman for U.S. Central Command said no Predators — or any other aircraft operating in the region — were known to have gone missing. "As far as I know, everything's accounted for," said Lt. Col. Martin Compton, at the command based in Tampa, Fla. Either the Iraqis are lying, CENTCOM misplaced one, someone else besides CENTCOM is flying Predators(CIA?), or it's some other countries UAV. Israel has some very good ones, I hear. |
| Posted by: Steve 2003-01-22 10:59:41 |
| #2 Accordin to Yahoo, the US is denying it. |
| Posted by: Pink & Fluffy 2003-01-22 10:15:01 |
| #1 "spy on our civilian military installations"? |
| Posted by: Caton 2003-01-22 09:41:23 |