Several explosions heard in Baghdad - staff at coalition headquarters instructed to head to bunkers

APNewsAlert | March 21, 2004

[HAL9000]

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Several explosions heard in Baghdad and staff at U.S.-led coalition headquarters are instructed to head to bunkers, U.S. military official says.

MORE...

[HAL9000]

Two mortars land inside coalition headquarters, a third lands nearby

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- Two mortar rounds landed in the headquarters of the U.S.-led coalition on Sunday, a U.S. official said, while a third round landed on a street outside the compound.

The U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said it was not clear if anybody was killed or wounded.

Smoke was seen coming from the area, which is in central Baghdad.

Another U.S. military official said staff at the headquarters were instructed to move to bunkers following the blasts.

Residents of the neighborhood outside the compound earlier said an explosion damaged some cars but caused no casualties.

[KQQL]

"ISLAM IS PEACE,' W.

[GeronL]

These Baghdad terrorists need mortar training

[Mo1]

move to bunkers ??

Is that normal procedure?

[zarf]

"ISLAM IS A PIECE OF SH*!@,'

[blastdad51]

"These Baghdad terrorists need mortar training"

Are you serious!!!? If you do that, someone might get hurt!!!!

[GeronL]

If I do that, they'd probably kill themselves.

[blastdad51]

In that case go ahead

[goldstategop]

It could be worse. They certainly have had plenty of target practice but they haven't been able to actually penetrate the "Green Zone" and directly take on the Yanks. Big deal that they shoot off at a distance to make it look like they're winning.

[Wally_Kalbacken]

I have no experience with artillery or mortars, thank God, but am very curious: What is the maximum range of a mortar? (i.e. how much of a radius around the HQ would you have to "sterilize" to prevent mortars from being launched and landing in the base?)

[BurbankKarl]

Length: 56 inches (142.24 centimeters) Weight: Mortar Assembly: 35 pounds (15.89 kg) Bipod: 26 pounds (11.80 kilograms) Baseplate: 25.5 pounds (11.58 kilograms) Sight Unit: 2.5 pounds (1.14 kilograms) Total: 89 pounds (40.41 kilograms) Bore diameter: 81mm Maximum effective range: 5700 meters Rates of fire: Maximum: 33 rounds per minute Sustained: 16 rounds per minute Elevation: 45 to 85 degrees Unit Replacement Cost: $24,717

Features: The M252 81mm Medium Extended Range Mortar is a crew-served, medium weight mortar which is highly accurate and provides for a greater range (4,500 meters to 5,650 meters) and lethality than the previous 81mm mortar. The cannon has a crew-removable breech plug and firing pin. The muzzle end has a short tapered lead-in which acts as a blast attenuator device. The breech end is finned for better cooling. This mortar also uses the standard M64 mortar sight of the 60mm mortar, M224.

Background: This mortar replaced the previous Marine Corps 81mm mortar in 1986. The M252 is an adaptation of the standard British 81mm mortar developed in the 1970s. It is mostly commonly found in the mortar platoon of an infantry battalion.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Anti-U.S. guerrillas fired rockets into central Baghdad in a rare daylight salvo Sunday, killing a civilian and wounding two, police said.

The rockets, apparently fired from the south of the city, followed a rocket attack Saturday night that killed two U.S. soldiers and wounded seven near the flashpoint town of Falluja.

Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt, deputy director of U.S. army operations in Iraq, said three rockets hit a base near the town west of Baghdad and two landed outside. The wounded comprised six from the army and one from the navy.

The deaths brought to 395 the number of U.S. troops killed in action since the Iraq conflict began a year ago. U.S. political and military efforts now focus on preparations for a handover of sovereignty to Iraqis at the end of June.

[snip]

[Dr. Eckleburg]

When Dan Rather was interviewing Bremer the other day, Bremer said he has to head for the bunkers weekly -- though the look on his face seemed to imply it was more often.

[Tricorn]

With all the stuff going on in Iraq and Iran and everywhere else, and the media breathlessly reports every cockeyed mortar round fired by their terrorist allies? Gimme a break.

[BOBWADE]

Yeah, tied to the tracks and trained.

[thoughtomator]

I wonder, if we strung up nets to catch the mortar rounds, would that be effective? Even if they blew up against the nets, that would do less damage than them landing on their targets.

[Mo1]

OK .. Thanks for the info

[Tunehead54]

If I do that, they'd probably kill themselves.

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Start by teaching them to drop the pointed end - opposite the fins - in first. Then teach them to ram it in repeatedly with an iron pipe. Works every time. ;-)