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U.S. pounds Najaf rebels
Reuters ^ | 8/19/04

Posted on 08/19/2004 12:35:55 PM PDT by saquin

NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - Suspected U.S. AC-130 gunships have pounded positions held by Sh'ite militiamen in the Iraqi holy city of Najaf and large orange multiple flashes have lit the night sky.

A large cloud of smoke was rising from an ancient cemetery on Thursday where rebels loyal to radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr have fought U.S. troops for two weeks.

The explosions from the bombing, that went on for more than 30 minutes, were loudly heard several km (miles) away.

The Iraqi government earlier gave Sadr a few hours to agree to its demands or face a major offensive.


TOPICS: Breaking News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: ac130; iraq; najaf
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To: finnigan2

I believe U.S. military does not even have tear-gas.

The use of gas is against the Geneva convention, so as not to get into a pissing contest, the Military does not even inventory civil usage gas.

That said, this is an INF or Iraqi Police Action. They are free to use any civilian gas to quell a civilian uprising.

Semantics, but important.


61 posted on 08/19/2004 3:06:43 PM PDT by Prost1 (Why isn't Berger in jail?)
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To: kinghorse
"this is way beyond that. This isn't any old corner Mosque and the chief bad guys like Nasrallah and Khamanei know it. This is a set up, a call to arms. This is their Alamo."

One can only hope.
62 posted on 08/19/2004 3:46:18 PM PDT by oneoftheothers
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To: Prost1
I believe U.S. military does not even have tear-gas.

Well it sure was being pumped out of a tank at the Branch Davidian Compound outside Waco...

63 posted on 08/19/2004 4:01:08 PM PDT by ChefKeith (Life is GREAT with CoCo..........NASCAR...everything else is just a game!(Except War & Love))
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To: saquin

"Say hello to my little friend"


64 posted on 08/19/2004 4:02:52 PM PDT by ChadGore (Vote Bush. He's Earned It.)
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To: RISU
These rebels have made their point now, and neeed to be sent up.

If these guys are foreigners as alleged, countless innocent people will be beheaded in attempts to get them out of prison. I don’t believe that they can allow them to come out of that mosque alive. We need a creative way to kill them without doing damage to the structure or violating international law.

65 posted on 08/19/2004 4:15:26 PM PDT by al_possum39
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To: al_possum39

What about aiming a large radar antenna at the building and microwave them?


66 posted on 08/19/2004 4:35:06 PM PDT by al_possum39
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To: r9etb
You gotta love the AC130, but there is another weapon about to be used ... a new secret weapon. Not much has be said about this weapon, but it is a non-destructive weapon that renders Islamic terrorists inoperable and mosques unusable. The weapons program has been a carefully gaurded secret, based in a remote corner of Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico.

Sandia National Laboratories and Boeing have spearheaded in what is being called a first in weapons programs. What is amazing is the amount of time spend on the program. The development started in May, 2003 and has moved from drawing boards, to prototype, to deployment in Iraq.

Based on the KC-135 Stratotanker, the new weapon, has the designation of PF-135. Military sources have refused to publicly acknowledge the development of the PF-135. Sources close to the weapons program have stated that development was able to proceed at a "blistering" pace due to the relative few modifications to the KC-135.

Sandia Labs, in conjuction with an unnamed and secret Los Alamos project, have been able to quickly adapt the world's smallest and most stable nuclear reactor as a power plant. While development efforts existed in the 1950's for nuclear powered aircraft, this project bears no relation. According to unnamed sources, the nuclear power plant is not used to power the aircraft, but to be an internal heat source.

There is much speculation over exactly how the new weapon system will work. One project scientist, with an PhD in Astro Physics from Cal Tech, and a PhD in Theology from Liberty University, has stated that the weapon will completely render any Muslim terrorist or Muslim place of worship inoperable. Information obtained from deep background, which only today has allowed be released in this exclusive report, may reveal just how this weapon fuctions. The new aircraft designation, PF, stands for "Pig Fat". It is speculated that the aircraft's power plant literally renders pig fat, which in turn when dumped from the aircraft will make any Muslim or Muslim places of worship inoperative.

67 posted on 08/19/2004 4:40:30 PM PDT by PattonReincarnated (Rebuild the Temple)
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To: Centurion2000

Exactly what other aircraft can spit out 10,000 rounds a minute ?

A 10?


68 posted on 08/19/2004 4:41:59 PM PDT by bert (Peace is only halftime !)
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To: been_lurking
Reuter's ought to ... hire somebody who knows something about military hardware. it is possible for the AC-130 crew to lean out a window and throw bombs

They could make some huge explosiongs by tossing out handgrenades

69 posted on 08/19/2004 4:45:48 PM PDT by AndyJackson
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To: AndyJackson

Actually they drop MOABs out of 130s. (We can dream can't we?)


70 posted on 08/19/2004 4:54:44 PM PDT by abnegation (If I must choose between righteousness and peace, I choose righteousness TR)
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To: Diogenesis

The worlds largest meat tenderizer!


71 posted on 08/19/2004 5:54:27 PM PDT by airborne (Death From Above)
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To: Prost1

(snip)I believe U.S. military does not even have tear-gas.

They always had plenty to train with when I was in. I believe they can get away with using it as it's considered non lethal even though in an inclosed area it will eventually kill ya.


72 posted on 08/19/2004 6:53:48 PM PDT by edchambers (Where are we going and why am I in this hand-basket?)
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To: saquin

Hey Sadr that "political movement" stuff's starting to look pretty good about now aint it?


73 posted on 08/19/2004 6:57:00 PM PDT by edchambers (Where are we going and why am I in this hand-basket?)
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To: been_lurking
("Bombing" should most likely read "Shelling" )

Probably, they are equipped with a 105 howitzer but the C130 which the specter is based on also has a huge cargo bay with a loading ramp they could roll truck loads of bombs out if its not completely filled with ammo.
74 posted on 08/19/2004 7:09:11 PM PDT by edchambers (Where are we going and why am I in this hand-basket?)
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To: edchambers

The kind of bombs that get pushed out the back of a C-130 are of the UNMISTAKEABLE variety.


75 posted on 08/19/2004 7:23:23 PM PDT by EricT. (Join the Soylent Green Party...We recycle dead environmentalists.)
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To: bert

A10? Oh yeah for about 90 seconds...


76 posted on 08/19/2004 7:27:55 PM PDT by Woodman ("One of the most striking differences between a cat and a lie is that a cat has only nine lives." PW)
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To: saquin

bump


77 posted on 08/19/2004 7:30:20 PM PDT by VOA
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To: bondjamesbond

EXCELLENT!!!


78 posted on 08/19/2004 7:32:31 PM PDT by loboinok
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To: darkwing104
I honestly doubt that the AC-130 can ever be sensitive....

I dunno. I hear it is extraordinarily sensitive to any movement on the ground.

79 posted on 08/19/2004 7:33:55 PM PDT by Rightwing Conspiratr1 (Lock-n-load!)
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To: bert
Let me correct myself before I get in trouble:

"The Thunderbolt II's 30mm GAU-8/A Gatling gun can fire 3,900 rounds a minute[...]" Also other specs list 30mm capacity at 4000 rounds.

I guess that makes both of us wrong.
80 posted on 08/19/2004 7:35:12 PM PDT by Woodman ("One of the most striking differences between a cat and a lie is that a cat has only nine lives." PW)
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