Article

2003-12-17 Iraq

TASK FORCE âALL AMERICANâ DISCOVERS WEAPONS CACHES

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Posted by Chuck Simmins 2003-12-17 8:48:41 AM|| || Front Page|| [1 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 With all that material, you could have one hell of an Iraqi wedding party.

Posted by Baltic Blog 2003-12-17 10:21:33 AM|| [http://balticblog.blogspot.com] 2003-12-17 10:21:33 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 "All ammunition, except ten RPGs, was destroyed in place"

Don't know quite what to make of this piece of the article...

Posted by snellenr 2003-12-17 11:23:02 AM|| 2003-12-17 11:23:02 AM|| Front Page Top

#3 Kept for testing purposes? QA? As evidence?

Posted by Chuck Simmins 2003-12-17 11:29:21 AM|| [http://blog.simmins.org] 2003-12-17 11:29:21 AM|| Front Page Top

#4 If they are self propelled, they might just take off when you blow them up.

Posted by Grunter 2003-12-17 1:24:58 PM|| 2003-12-17 1:24:58 PM|| Front Page Top

#5 Sounds like they kept the 10 RPG launchers, perhaps they will be "customized" and remarketed at a profit to the US (in more ways than one).

Posted by Shipman 2003-12-17 2:03:06 PM|| 2003-12-17 2:03:06 PM|| Front Page Top

#6 Question: how does this work? I assume it's not as simple as, "hey, freshly dug earth, you guys grab some shovels." How are such caches safely excavated? (Expected answer: "very very carefully")

Posted by (lowercase) matt 2003-12-17 3:22:55 PM|| 2003-12-17 3:22:55 PM|| Front Page Top

#7 Question: how does this work?
Sometimes it's a hands-and-knees job, sometimes you can use small excavators, other times you drop in a charge and get somewhere safe before detonating it. Depends on what you think you've found. Whatever is used, it's usually nerve-wracking, and you use someone specially trained in Explosive Ordinance Disposal to do the work. When a contractor discovered a dozen unexploded bombs at Lindsey Air Station, they sealed off the corner where the work was being done, sent in some experts who "safed" the weapons, hauled them out, and let the construction crew go back to work, all in the same day. Most of the folks at Lindsey didn't know about it until the next day, when there was a story in Stars 'n Stripes.

Posted by Old Patriot 2003-12-17 7:43:40 PM|| [http://users.codenet.net/mweather/default.htm] 2003-12-17 7:43:40 PM|| Front Page Top

#8 Neat. Thanks, Old Patriot.

Posted by (lowercase) matt 2003-12-17 11:39:35 PM|| 2003-12-17 11:39:35 PM|| Front Page Top

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