In the space of four hours yesterday, the Medes and the Persians took Dire Revenge™ for the death of Qassem Soleimani. Anyone who has ever been involved in actual military operations is laughing their asses off today.
The Experts® who had been on the teevee telling us that nothing was going to happen because blah blah blah, whatever it was, were left not really red-faced, since there's no shame among them, but maybe a little less sure in their convictions. I don't think the news networks stop payment on their checks, but they probably should think about it. I know those Expert® opinions don't come cheap.
It all started out scary enough. A senior US source told Fox News, who presumably told everybody else, that they were under missile attack "all over the country!" That turned out to be Ain al-Asad Airbase, Taiji, and Irbil. No Kirkuk, Mosul, Baghdad, not even Basra or al-Kut.
The IRGC said they were going to attack any regional state that became a platform for US aggression, which meant pretty well everybody in the region with the possible exception of Oman. I think they had fantasies of showering Dubai with missiles, since they mentioned them by name. That's assuming they could hit Dubai, of course. They did hit Saudi Aramco a while back, but the missile came in from the north. Maybe they were in sight of the place when they launched. They haven't really hit much else.
They did hit Ain al-Abas Airbase, which is about the size of Vermont, and two missiles did hit Irbil, which is even bigger. Khamenei was right there in the bunker, directing operations. If I'm ever in a military operation again, I sure hope the Pope or maybe the Archbishop of Canterbury or the Dalai Lama is running things.
The Persians, or maybe it was the Medes (who can tell these days?) crowed that they had launched "tens" of missiles. Actually it was about fifteen, which would be 1.5 tens, according to the CENTCOM guy. Four were duds. Of the remainder, one hit an open field in the middle of nowhere, one landed in an open field in Irbil and gave up the ghost without going kaboom.
The US and presumably the Iraqi commands were in heightened readiness after Soleimani departed this Vale of Tears for a Warmer Place. We can assume the intel people were hard at work. The sirens went off in plenty of time. Everybody headed for the bunkers and counted the 500kg explosions. One tweet did say there was a plane or two damaged. Guess the Iraqis will have to buy replacements. They're the ones who reported the damage, so I'm guessing they were theirs.
Nobody was hurt in “Operation Martyr Soleimani.” Or maybe it was "Operation Fierce Revenge." I'm sure the grimaces were fearsome, whatever they decided to call it. They announced both.
There were two waves of attacks, not that the guys playing pinochle in the bunkers really noticed. The waves weren't really well-defined. The IRGC did announce that if there was any retaliation, any at all, they would launch the third wave and destroy Haifa and Dubai, and maybe Copenhagen or someplace like that. Someplace with a Jewish Community Center anyway. We'd really be sorry.
The White House said that President Trump was going to address the nation, then changed its mind so the Iranians could stew until tomorrow, which would be today. Robert De Niro suggested Twitter should suspend Trump's account for getting us into another war. Tucker Carlson was in high dudgeon on the teevee, I'm not too sure over what. I lost interest pretty quick and changed the channel to CNN, where Fredo Cuomo sounded more reasonable, almost respectful of the Commander-in-Chief.
IRGC claimed thirty American casualties to none of theirs. Since they were back in Iran pushing buttons, nowhere near the impact zone, it's not surprising none of them were hurt. Everybody else said there were no American casualties, which is why they still have Qom.
Singapore Airlines was first, but they were followed by a bunch of others, diverting from Iranian airspace. Ukraine didn't get the memo, and one of their planes with 180 souls on board crashed in an enormous fireball on takeoff from Tehran International. The Boeing 737 had "technical problems," stemming from an antiaircraft missile in the starboard engine.
On social media, whatever they use, IRGC said they took out "command and control infrastructure, detection, radar, electronic warfare and, more so, the American brains, eyes, and ears in the region." These consisted of dirt and maybe some concrete when they damaged the Iraqi planes. Their own planes, a collection of F4's, F5's, F14's, biplanes, triplanes, blimps, and dirigibles, took to the skies. A half dozen American F35's took off from Dubai. The pilots probably waved to the antiques as they flew rings around them.
After that... Nothing happened. The war was over. At 9:37 pm, four hours after the whole thing started, Iran surrendered to the UN Security Council. Javad Zarif, the foreign minister, tweeted:
Iran took & concluded proportionate measures in self-defense under Article 51 of UN Charter targeting base from which cowardly armed attack against our citizens & senior officials were launched.
We do not seek escalation or war, but will defend ourselves against any aggression.
As I wended my weary way up the stairs to go to bed, I could hear the Experts® on the teevee stating with certainty that the missiles had missed intentionally and our guys were just lucky to be alive.
And Trump is dumb.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/08/2020 1:55:44 AM ||
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#4
As a side note, it seems the plane was mostly full of Iranian college students returning the school in the Ukraine after Winter vacation. I am assuming any evidence of an anti-aircraft missile will promptly vanish. Is that correct or can we establish that through other methods (radar, satellites, etc.). If Iran did shoot down a plane full of their own college kids, that's a mistake so big you can't really put a number on it.
#6
Ref #4: Excellent comments and insights from Beau. I'm glad the Orange Man didn't initiate an immediate response to Iran's rocket attack. The Iranians and our leftest media would have wasted no time conflating the two events and of course blaming President Trump.
#8
So they managed to kill all those involved in Biden clinton Obama has board money Iran pallets **** ******* [REDACTED] sell out the United States op! So blart mall security stock is worth more? Hey if Iran uses human shields what do you call only a hand full of us forces dispersed in buildings in iraq? An excuse to sell out the country more and double double down on dumb! We gonna invade Iran in techs and humvees sarge those plywood ones from canada?
#13
They blame Trump for the embassy attack. The one in Tehran.
Posted by: Rob Crawford ||
01/08/2020 8:07 Comments ||
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#14
Radar data available (Besoeker's link in another thread here) shows that the Ukrainian aircraft was gaining altitude and maintaining airspeed when it just 'quit'.
Posted by: Mullah Richard ||
01/08/2020 8:11 Comments ||
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#16
In Billy Wilder's Berlin comedy "1, 2, 3" Coca Cola boss Mc Namara is offered a Cuban cigar by the Russian trade delegation. After a few puffs he bursts into coughs and says:
"The Cubans sent you crummy cigars!"
"No problem, we sent them crummy rockets!"
Posted by: European Conservative ||
01/08/2020 8:18 Comments ||
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#17
The Persian version of 'I fart in your general direction!'?
#18
About 20 years ago, when the Ukrainians accidentally shot down a Russian Tu-154 airliner over the Black Sea during a military exercise, the US early warning satellites picked up the SA-5 missile launch just before the airliner went down. US satellites likely did the same here and records will confirm it.
In addition, the US had plenty of warning that Iranian TBMs were headed to US bases in Iraq. Again, US early warning satellites.
Some might argue that the drone strike at Baghdad Airport was another example of a high-tech operation by the US against its foes that was a tactical success but a strategic failure. Holders of this view might infer, in light of the Iranian regime’s newly strengthened ability to stir outrage against the US, that it is coming out of this series of clashes as the winner despite the loss of Soleimani.
This is an erroneous reading.
Soleimani’s death is a major blow to Iran.
Ayatollah Khamenei’s designation of Esmail Ghaani, Soleimani’s second- in-command, as Soleimani’s successor as head of the Quds Force is an indicator of the magnitude of that blow. Ghaani is in his sixties (as was Soleimani)—not the ideal age to take over a major undercover organization with tentacles throughout much of the Middle East and beyond.
Over 20 years ago, sometime between the fall of 1997 and the first months of 1998, a younger, more vibrant Islamic revolutionary leadership chose 40-year-old Soleimani over his superiors to head this elite unit. Khamenei is older and less willing to take the risk of choosing a daring young commander, but that is not the only reason why he did not do so.
Even if the ayatollah were inclined to select a younger replacement, the targeting of Soleimani prevents him from making such a choice. The killing proves beyond doubt that the Iranian security system is riddled with informants. They knew when Soleimani left his secret hideout in Damascus, what plane he boarded, at which airport he was going to land, which vehicles he and his retinue entered upon landing, and exactly what time those vehicles were heading out of the airport.
This suggests an information flow involving tens if not hundreds of informants closely connected to the upper echelons of the Quds Force. These informants could and did provide this information to their American counterparts in real time to get the US helicopters in position for the kill.
The killing of Number Two in any country creates a devastating chain of destructive suspicion and anxiety in the corridors of power.
Khamenei’s only choice in naming a successor was to choose from among old stalwarts who are above suspicion. Every individual who is newer to the organization and to the wider security network is now suspect.
Many will no doubt be removed if not executed as Iranian counter- intelligence teams try to identify the informants. The problem for the regime is figuring out who is going to replace them.
Posted by: Frank G ||
01/08/2020 11:55 Comments ||
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#33
Note one informant but dozens. See above:
This suggests an information flow involving tens if not hundreds of informants closely connected to the upper echelons of the Quds Force. These informants could and did provide this information to their American counterparts in real time to get the US helicopters in position for the kill.
curious how the Iranian missiles could have missed key American assets
1. they are that bad
2. they targeted open areas
3. The US hacked into the iran missile targeting system
number 3 would be a pleasant surprise
Posted by: lord garth ||
01/08/2020 12:06 Comments ||
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#35
The enemy is not persia it is islam. I worked with a persian national in 1979 and asked him for his thoughts on the new leader. his response was "if he says jihad i go" where did he get that thinking from if not from his religion?
Posted by: jim murray ||
01/08/2020 12:26 Comments ||
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#37
Meanwhile the crash of a Ukrainian jet airliner full of passengers is being attributed to one of the 7 missiles that never made it to anywhere. Because Iran claims to have fired 22, with only 15 landing around two bases, in various states of FAIL.
This one never exploded. I'm not sure I've seen this one ever. What is it ?
#38
So Trump's speech was interesting beyond the actual subject matter.
While I generally support his policies, his peripatetic speech patterns (usually for the Twitter audience) have always turned me off; makes him seem disorganized to me. This speech was quite different.
Cogent, coherent and to the point - no disjointed asides. And if I read his eye movement correctly, it was all from memory - no teleprompter stare. (Take that, Barry!)
The other takeaway was the opening - no intro, just a straight statement: "While I'm President, Iran will never have nuclear weapons". For some reason it reminded me of Cato who opened every speech with "Carthago delenda est". The thing to remember is Carthago WAS delenda'd.
#40
Iran reportedly alerted both Baghdad and Washington, quietly, that an attack was imminent, and then made sure the missiles were badly targeted. Hence, zero casualties. The harmless explosions were mostly for domestic propaganda purposes,
I've seen this in a couple places. Don't have an authoritative source, but it makes sense as a theory and accounts for Iran's position that they have responded to Washington's aggression so let's everyone make peace AND it does account for Trump going all diplomatic.
I heard the speech on radio (NPR). A few observations:
It seemed unusually halting, even staccato, for Trump.
I had the impression-- not seeing him, again, just from the tone of his voice, his cadence & delivery -- that he did not sleep very much or well last night.
Another impression was that it lacked his usual affect: no swagger or braggadocio or teasing/taunting.
Only at ONE POINT did he seem to get his usual verbal/tonal mojo back, and that was when he addressed the UK, Germany, France re the nuclear deal and then launched into his usual "carrot" or open-hand dealmaker mode.
My conclusion is that he is clearly uncomfortable with saber-rattling and/or military matters generally and does not want to be sucked into any more military operations. His comfort zone is obviously dealmaking and he views any/all military or operational decisions within the context of his overall dealmaking strategy.
It looks to me the remain of the 737 APU, (located in the tail of the 737) the thing to the left looks like the air intake ducting for the APU. The image to the right is cut off so I cannot verify for sure, but that's what it looks like to me.
I did some looking around and it seems it depends on where the picture was taken. I had the impression that the picture was taken in Iran at the site of the 737 crash. Now it seems this on was taken in Iraq which would make it part of the tail end of a missile.
#53
Trump may need to repackage this: "We'll keep pressure on Iran until the mullahs recognize gay marriage."
Posted by: Matt ||
01/08/2020 16:28 Comments ||
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#54
From #31 - These informants could and did provide this information to their American counterparts in real time to get the US helicopters in position for the kill.
And they probably did it before, too, only to be ignored.
Posted by: Bobby ||
01/08/2020 16:29 Comments ||
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#55
^ Someone may have planted a beacon on him somehow , but what you suggest is more likely. Still, inside information maybe supplemented with someone using a laser designator on the ground at the airfield would be a great Tom Clancy type story.
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
01/08/2020 16:46 Comments ||
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#57
Ref #55: Very likely. Laser-beacon combo, possibly.
"Eye's on target", no other vehicles or civilians around. About the only way to confirm (positive ID) that is with a man on the ground - man in the link with a laser target designater.
[AnNahar] Eleven Yemen ...an area of the Arabian Peninsula sometimes mistaken for a country. It is populated by more antagonistic tribes and factions than you can keep track of... i soldiers were killed and more than 20 maimed on Tuesday in a rebel missile attack on a military camp housing government troops, a military source said.
The missile hit the al-Sadrain Camp in Ad-Dali province while soldiers were gathering in the morning, the source told AFP.
It is the second rebel attack in the province in little more than a week. On December 29, five soldiers of the southern separatist-dominated Security Belt Forces were killed in a similar attack in Ad-Dali.
Despite a lull in fighting in most of Yemen in recent months, Ad-Dali province has remained a flashpoint.
The province straddles the old boundary between north Yemen and the formerly independent south and the rebels are in close proximity to government forces along the front line.
Despite a Saudi-led military intervention launched in March 2015, the Iran's Houthi sock puppets ...a Zaidi Shia insurgent group operating in Yemen. They have also been referred to as the Believing Youth. Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi is said to be the spiritual leader of the group and most of the military leaders are his relatives. The legitimate Yemeni government has accused the them of having ties to the Iranian government. Honest they did. The group has managed to gain control over all of Saada Governorate and parts of Amran, Al Jawf and Hajjah Governorates. Its slogan is God is Great, Death to America™, Death to Israel, a curse on the Jews They like shooting off... ummm... missiles that they would have us believe they make at home in their basements. On the plus side, they did murder Ali Abdullah Saleh, which was the only way the country was ever going to be rid of him... s, who are allied with Riyadh for Tehran, remain in control of the capital Sanaa and much of the north.
Tens of thousands of people have been killed and millions more displaced in what the United Nations ...the Oyster Bay money pit... has described as the world's worst humanitarian crisis.
[ENGLISH.ALARABIYA.NET] A member of Iran’s Quds Force, the overseas arm of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), was killed in Yemen ...an area of the Arabian Peninsula sometimes mistaken for a country. It is populated by more antagonistic tribes and factions than you can keep track of... on Friday, according to a report.
Mostafa Mohammad Mirzaei, 38, was killed on Friday, the semi-official Fars news agency reported, without providing any information on where or by whom he was killed. "Natural Causes™"
Prominent military commander Qassem Soleimani , who headed the Quds Force, was killed in a US Arclight airstrike ...KABOOM!... in Baghdad on Friday. Iran ...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for spontaneously taking over other countries' embassies, maintaining whorehouses run by clergymen, involvement in international drug trafficking, and financing sock puppet militias to extend the regime's influence. The word Iran is a cognate form of Aryan, the abbreviation IRGC is a cognate form of Stürmabteilung (or SA), the term Supreme Guide is a cognate form of either Shah or Führer or maybe both, and they hate JewsZionists Jews. Their economy is based on the production of oil and vitriol... has vowed retaliation.
Mirzaei was killed in one of the countries of the "Resistance® Front," a term used by Iran to refer to its regional allies and proxies, according to the official IRIB news agency, but did not give any further details.
According to exile-run website IranWire, Mirzaei was killed in Yemen, which is why Iranian state media is refraining from providing any information about him.
A funeral procession was held for Mirzaei in the Iranian city of Shahr-e-Rey on Tuesday, Fars reported.
Iran officially denies any direct involvement in the Yemeni conflict, however its military commanders have admitted on several occasions to assisting the Iran's Houthi sock puppets ...a Zaidi Shia insurgent group operating in Yemen. They have also been referred to as the Believing Youth. Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi is said to be the spiritual leader of the group and most of the military leaders are his relatives. The legitimate Yemeni government has accused the them of having ties to the Iranian government. Honest they did. The group has managed to gain control over all of Saada Governorate and parts of Amran, Al Jawf and Hajjah Governorates. Its slogan is God is Great, Death to America™, Death to Israel, a curse on the Jews They like shooting off... ummm... missiles that they would have us believe they make at home in their basements. On the plus side, they did murder Ali Abdullah Saleh, which was the only way the country was ever going to be rid of him... militia.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/08/2020 00:00 ||
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#1
Making the world safer, one cockroach at a time.
[OxfordMail] A GANG of child abusers on trial for historical sex offences which took place across Oxford have been convicted.
During the major trial into child sexual exploitation, which began in October, prosecutors said that some of the men groomed their victim and repeatedly raped and ‘pimped' her out for sex.
The jury of four men and eight women were told at the start of their trial at Oxford Crown Court that one girl was treated as a 'sexual commodity.'
Naim Khan, 41, of no fixed abode, Mohammed Nazir, 44, of Wood Farm Road, Oxford, and Raheem Ahmed, 42, of no fixed abode had all denied a string of charges alleging rapes, indecent assaults and drugs supply.
After a total of 28 hours and 25 minutes of deliberations jurors returned verdicts to 35 of the counts they faced yesterday afternoon with no decision forthcoming on the four remaining counts.
Khan was convicted of eight counts of rape and seven counts of indecent assault.
He was also found guilty of a further count of supplying a controlled drug of class B to another.
Nazir was convicted of seven counts of rape and eight of indecent assault, as well as one count of supplying a controlled drug of class B to another.
Ahmed was found guilty of two counts of indecent assault and supplying a controlled drug of class B to another.
Afzal Mohammed, 42, of Randall Street, Oxford, was cleared of any wrong-doing and found not guilty of the single count of rape that he faced.
As he was acquitted he lowered his head and covered his face with his hands, visibly emotional.
During the two-month long trial prosecutors told jurors that the offences had involved three girls, aged between 13 and 15, between 1999 and 2001 in Oxford.
Outlining the case Alan Gardner for the Crown Prosecution Service said: “The case is about sexual exploitation of young girls in Oxford between 1999 and 2001.
Oh my. They’re clearing out old files with this one — though it’s a sucker bet that the lads were still carrying on with a new stable until the day of their arrest.
“The prosecutions case is […] that the sexual exploitation took the form of rape, sexual assaults, conspiracy to commit those offences, the supply of drugs in order to facilitate these offences, and kidnap and false imprisonment.
“You will hear during the course of the trial three women […] who will say when they were in their early to mid-teens they were the victims of some of these offences at the hands of these defendants.”
Detailing the extent of the abuse Mr Gardner said the victims – none of whom can be named for legal reasons – were all ‘vulnerable.’ Speaking of one of the women – who was the subject of the large majority of the allegations – he said she was ‘treated as a sexual commodity for the use of older men.’ He said: "Naim Khan, the prosecution say, began to pimp her out to other Asian males, made her sexually available to other men in return for payment."
That girl – now a woman – was aged between 14 and 15 - at the time of the offences.
He told jurors: “She was routinely sexually exploited over a period of time by numerous men [...] to whom she was made available for sex.”
That same victim endured several hours of cross examination in which her account was tested at court by defence barristers representing the accused men.
Paul Hinds, for Nazir, asked the woman if she was 'prepared to lie' in order to avoid prison, which she denied.
He also asked her if there was a 'link between the amount of trouble [she] was in' and what she told officers.
He put to her: "I suggest you are making allegations in order to improve your position."
She replied that she had not.
She went on: "I am still on drugs now, I take drugs most days."
After the guilty verdicts to the majority of the counts were returned yesterday presiding Judge Peter Ross thanked the jury for their dedication to the case.
Once he had discharged them from the case he went on to exempt all 12 jurors from carrying out any further jury service for the rest of their lives.
The final sentencing date for the convicted men was adjourned and a hearing will be held at the same court today to decide whether a re-trial will be sought on the four outstanding counts.
[KhaamaPress] According to Spanish media reports, Afghan men have raped 3 US sisters in Spain, suspects have been arrested.
The Epoch Time reported that three men have been arrested in Spain over the alleged sexual assault of three sisters from the United States on new year’s eve, authorities said.
The alleged victims, aged 23, 20 and 18, who are from Ohio, were reportedly attacked on New Year’s Eve in the southeastern Spanish city of Murcia by three Afghan men aged between 20 and 25.
In a presser on Jan. 3, Francisco Jiménez, the Government delegate in Murcia, said the alleged sexual assaults took place in two different homes, one of which was in the Plaza de la Candelaria, where the youngest of the victims lived while she was studying in the city reported Euro Weekly News.
The second location belonged to the three arrested Afghan citizens, he said.
Local newspaper, La Opinión de Murcia, reports that the alleged victims and attackers initially met in a pub during the New Year’s Eve celebrations before one of the sisters left with one of the men to go to his home.
The other two sisters stayed in the bar before leaving with the two remaining men to continue celebrations at the apartment belonging to the youngest woman, they said.
According to Jiménez, at the time the incident took place, the older sisters were on vacation and visiting the younger sister, who was due to return with them to the United States after finishing her studies.
La Opinión de Murcia says that two of the women reported being raped and the third was assaulted and beaten before managing to escape.
Police found indications not only of sexual assault but also other injuries to one of the girls who was attacked, Euro Weekly News reports.
The men were taken to different cop shoppes after spending the night in a station located in Plaza Ceballos, near the neighborhood of Santa Eulalia where the events took place, Jiménez said.
Two of the three men had recently been granted political asylum in Spain and one of them is studying professional training in the country. None of them has a criminal record, he added.
They are now facing charges of sexual assault, threats, and battery.
Meanwhile, ...back at the comedy club, Boogie ducked another tomato... the three women, who have since reportedly flown back to the United States, were treated by doctors and were said to be in contact with the National Police unit for sexual and domestic violence cases.
According to Euro Weekly News, the National Police are continuing to investigate the incident and officials are reportedly collecting footage from surveillance cameras in the central district of Santa Eulalia where the women met the detainees.
#3
Lie down with dogs and you get fleas. These birds were stupid to believe that when they said no, the Afghans would meekly fold their tents and go back to their goats.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/08/2020 00:00 ||
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#1
A bike, blown up by IED planted by Hizbul Ahrar, splinter faction from the TTP. Led by Omar Khalid Khorasani who was thought killed in airstrike. They pose as hardliners, but I assure you they are very mercenary, almost lickspittle capitalists. A bit sloppy though. If in the 'Stain looking for local muscle, you call Jammaat ul Ahrar, their handlers.
#6
So far it looks like Iran shot down their own plane with 176 on board by accident and 56 people were killed in a stampede at Soleimani's funeral. Iran better call off all weddings in a national emergency. It's hard telling how many people would be killed at these weddings in celebretory shootings.
#12
From #10: The nationalities of those dead, according to Ukraine Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko, were as follows: 82 Iranians, 63 Canadians, and 11 Ukrainians -- nine of which were crew members -- 10 Swedes, four Afghan, three German and three British.
63 Canadians? Does Canada have their own Tehrangeles?
Well, lessee. They had to travel to iran at some point if they were now travelling from iran. Whatever their business or pleasure was in travelling there, it's concluded now.
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
01/08/2020 8:44 Comments ||
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#14
The Iranian Student News Agency (ISNA) shared a video online that claimed to show the plane catch fire as it descended. The video has not been independently confirmed.
“The only thing that the pilot managed to do was steer the plane towards a soccer field near here instead of a residential area back there,” witness Aref Geravand said. "It crashed near the field and in a water canal.” It last underwent routine maintenance on Monday, Ukraine International Airlines said.
"It was one of the best planes we had, with an amazing, reliable crew," Yevhen Dykhne, president of the Ukraine International Airlines, said at a briefing.
Canada is urging Canadians to avoid non-essential travel to the Middle Eastern country "due to the volatile security situation and the regional threat of terrorism.
"Canadians, particularly dual Canadian-Iranian citizens, are at risk of being arbitrarily questioned, arrested and detained," the warning adds.
"Iran does not recognize dual nationality and Canada will not be granted consular access to dual Canadian-Iranian citizens. Canadian-Iranian dual citizens should carefully consider the risks of travelling to Iran."
#19
Don't think it a man portable IR SAM. Previous hits by them on modern 20K Lb thrust engines have damaged the exhaust but the engines kept running.
This (suspected) missile not only destroyed at least one engine and ruptured fuel tanks/lines but destroyed enough control surfaces/lines that the airliner wasn't able to turn around. Medium/long range radar guided SAM.
#26
I wonder how many of the dual cit Iranian/Canadian passengers were heading to the US for mischief? Just a thought and should feel bad about it but ...
#2
Heh, right after they launch a missile barrage. I'd be tempted to find a statue of Khomeini somewhere in downtown Tehran and TLAM it into rubble along with a nice diplomatic message "We accept your terms".
#5
Crazy Gijan strategy works.
When Reagan spoke the media portrayed him as a bloodthirsty barbarian itching for war. Soviets believed them and chose to back down. I believe a similar effect is probably taking place.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
In the space of four hours yesterday, the Medes and the Persians took Dire Revenge™ for the death of Qassem Soleimani. Anyone who has ever been involved in actual military operations is laughing their asses off today.
They did hit Ain al-Abas Airbase, which is about the size of Vermont, and two missiles did hit Irbil, which is even bigger. Khamenei was right there in the bunker, directing operations. If I'm ever in a military operation again, I sure hope the Pope or maybe the Archbishop of Canterbury or the Dalai Lama is running things.
There were two waves of attacks, not that the guys playing pinochle in the bunkers really noticed. The waves weren't really well-defined. The IRGC did announce that if there was any retaliation, any at all, they would launch the third wave and destroy Haifa and Dubai, and maybe Copenhagen or someplace like that. Someplace with a Jewish Community Center anyway. We'd really be sorry.
Singapore Airlines was first, but they were followed by a bunch of others, diverting from Iranian airspace. Ukraine didn't get the memo, and one of their planes with 180 souls on board crashed in an enormous fireball on takeoff from Tehran International. The Boeing 737 had "technical problems," stemming from an antiaircraft missile in the starboard engine.
After that... Nothing happened. The war was over. At 9:37 pm, four hours after the whole thing started, Iran surrendered to the UN Security Council. Javad Zarif, the foreign minister, tweeted:
Ref #20: Does anyone else get the feeling that maybe the Ayatollahs and many Iranians aren't all that sorry that Soleimani got zapped?
...a Zaidi Shia insurgent group operating in Yemen. They have also been referred to as the 
[OxfordMail] A GANG of child abusers on trial for historical sex offences which took place across Oxford have been convicted.
[KhaamaPress] According to Spanish media reports, Afghan men have raped 3 US sisters in Spain, suspects have been arrested.
