Article

2003-04-03 Iraq

Worrywarts Wring Hands over Iraqi Air Force

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by Steve 2003-04-03 01:33 pm|| || Front Page|| [2 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Count me among the "worrywarts". I'm not "trying like hell" to find something to worry about--I'm very happy with the news in recent days--but let's not forget Saddam and his cohorts are ruthless, deperate men who will think nothing of killing a few thousand more than they already have. Until every Iraqi plane and WMD has been accounted for, I'm not celebrating.

Posted by Dar Steckelberg 2003-04-03 13:54:36|| 2003-04-03 13:54:36|| Front Page Top

#2 A couple of things to remember, Dar: first, these planes are old and have not had proper maintenance in years, nor have their pilots had much practice flying (if any). Second, the Iraqi's don't have the means to vector them anywhere anymore: about the only way they could find anything to hit would be to take off and roam around until they see something promising. And lastly, if they do try to take off, they're not likely to get much past the end of the runway before something pounces on them.

Posted by Dave D. 2003-04-03 14:18:18|| 2003-04-03 14:18:18|| Front Page Top

#3 Considering how effective the Patriot has been against Iraqi missiles and our aircraft (unfortunately), I don't think we have a lot to worry about. Do they have any airfields left under their control at this point?

Posted by pj 2003-04-03 14:20:24|| 2003-04-03 14:20:24|| Front Page Top

#4 I talked to one of the JDAM contractors last weekend. He told me that every intersection on Iraqi airfields has been hit. Kind of hard to get up to take off speed, when there are all these nastyt craters all over the place.

Posted by Doug De Bono 2003-04-03 14:21:14|| [www.douglasdebono.com] 2003-04-03 14:21:14|| Front Page Top

#5 Well, he ain't using Saddam International Airport, we just took that. Here's a link to a sat picture: Spaceimaging
Look at that bomb damage!

Posted by Steve 2003-04-03 14:42:35|| 2003-04-03 14:42:35|| Front Page Top

#6 Maybe "worry" is too strong a verb for what I'm feeling.

I just have a suspicion that Saddam and Co. will try something with what's left of their air force akin to Operation Base Plate the Germans did in '45. One last desperate attack to try to get through and disperse chemical weapons before the Coalition can get enough assets in the local area to deal with the threat in time.

Like I've said before, it's "use it or lose it" time for Saddam. I wouldn't put it past him to use every means he's got to stay in power. He's on a one-way trip to hell, and he would have no compulsion about sending his pilots on a similar one-way mission.

Posted by Dar Steckelberg 2003-04-03 14:46:05|| 2003-04-03 14:46:05|| Front Page Top

#7 Want to bet as soon as a pilot went wheels up, he'd be calling on the radio trying to surrender?

Posted by Steve 2003-04-03 14:53:56|| 2003-04-03 14:53:56|| Front Page Top

#8 I agree with Steve.

Remember that in Gulf I, practicly the entire air Force up and flew to Iran in one big wave, rather than face us.

The only suicides we'll face are those where their families are hostage for their behavior. As has already happened.

Posted by Chuck 2003-04-03 14:57:01|| [blog.simmins.org] 2003-04-03 14:57:01|| Front Page Top

#9 Want to bet the pilot's family is being held at gunpoint?

Posted by Dar Steckelberg 2003-04-03 14:58:59|| 2003-04-03 14:58:59|| Front Page Top

#10 Ack--Chuck beat me to the comment.

I do remember the mass exodus to Iran--and that Iran kept those planes.

Posted by Dar Steckelberg 2003-04-03 15:00:53|| 2003-04-03 15:00:53|| Front Page Top

#11 Thanks for the sattellite image, Steve. I was looking and I thought, "Wow. That doesn't look very damaged - just a bunch of little holes," until I saw the plane and realized that each one of those "little holes" was a crater the size of the cockpit or better. Wow. Why'd we leave the plane?

Posted by Tadderly 2003-04-03 15:54:58|| 2003-04-03 15:54:58|| Front Page Top

#12 I'm with Dar on this. Remember right before the war opened up the Iraqis challenged the no-fly zone a couple times with a Mig-29? I wondered then on Rantburg whether that was a test to see how quickly we could respond to the proverbial bat out of hell. I'd like to think that we've accounted for what's left of the Iraqi air force, but I'm still worried that they might try to run a Mig-29 loaded with whatever WMD is handy towards Kuwait.

Posted by Steve White 2003-04-03 16:35:42|| 2003-04-03 16:35:42|| Front Page Top

#13 I don't know if they'd reach Kuwait, but perhaps Basra or Najaf or one of the northern cities--just one last stab at the Shi'as or the Kurds to remind them Saddam loves them.

Posted by Dar Steckelberg 2003-04-03 17:01:11|| 2003-04-03 17:01:11|| Front Page Top

08:42 raptor
08:34 Ernest Brown
08:12 raptor
07:51 rg117
07:30 raptor
06:25 raptor
05:43 Deep Throat
03:32 anon1
01:19 Anonymous
01:12 Anonymous
01:06 john
01:04 Anonymous
01:00 TJ Jackson
00:49 TJ Jackson
00:43 Anonymous
00:41 TJ Jackson
00:39 Kalle (kafir forever)
00:33 TJ Jackson
00:30 Anonymous
00:28 TJ Jackson
23:50 Steve White
22:29 tu3031
22:23 True German Ally
22:18 True German Ally