This sounds like light artillery or heavy mortars, with a forward observer inside the base who knew when lunchtime would be. When troops go into garrison, even in a forward base like Mosul, they adopt routines that can play into the hands of the other side.
There will be several more days like this until the January 30th elections change all of this and bring a legitimate government to pass in Iraq. Warfare, after all, is a series of catastrophes that result in victory for one side or the other. We simply have to make sure that it is us. That doesn't make this reality any less painful, but it is the reality of where we are at as a nation.
Like it or not, the bad guys had a good day today. We have to acknowledge that, mourn our dead, and move forward, because in the end, if we get even something close to a democracy in Iraq, it is game over for the fascists.
Be Seeing You,
Chris
I think that is the operative word in the above paragraph.
This has all the hallmarks of something that would be carried out by the group formerly known as Ansar al-Islam.
Or Hezbollah.
DUBAI (AFP) - The Al-Qaeda linked Army of Ansar al-Sunna group claimed responsibility for an attack against a US military base in the Iraqi city of Mosul, which reportedly killed at least 22 people, in a statement attributed to it on an Islamist website.
"One of the mujahedeen of the Army of Ansar al-Sunna carried out a martyrdom-seeking (suicide) operation in a restaurant of the infidel occupation forces at the Ghazlani camp in Mosul," said the statement, whose authenticity could not be independently confirmed on Tuesday.
US media, citing Pentagon officials, said at least 22 people were killed and more than 50 injured in a lunchtime blast at the base in Mosul, the largest city in northern Iraq.
Fox News reported that three rockets slammed into a dining hall on the base.
Why does everyone from the President on down believe that these attacks will magically stop after January 30th? Do we actually believe that the insurgents will stop fighting because of an election? Let's review all of the previous goalposts, the post invasion phase, end of major conflict, "NEGOTIATIONS" with Al Sadr (who is unbelievably on the Jan 30 ballot), Bremer pre-dawn swap-out, and lastly Fallujah. Attacks increased after all of these goal posts so why does our government believe that once we reach 30 January the insurgents will fade away?
Thanks Chris - I'll keep that in mind. Especially the "game over" part.
sneakers
No need for an FO. Mealtimes are set normally timeblocks of about 90 minutes - you could vary it a bit, but not that much
GPS is comercially available. the bad guys have the capability to know exactly the coordinates of their chosen FP.
They can figure out the range and what elevation and azimuth would be required, pre cut the charges on a mortar round to save time
When they set the tube up they wouldn't even need a sight. Just compass azimuth lay with correct elevation.
Drop one - do a 1/4 turn on the azimuth wheel. Repeat that 4 times you get a good spread and are running before the 1st one hits the ground.
Rockets are even easier. Set a 122 up with two sticks crossed in an X. Adjust elevation by moving the sticks. Use compass azimuth lay technique to get center sector on your prospective target
Put a chemical time fuze on it and be in the next county before it launches.
BIG CEP (Plus or minus 500 meters) but you'll probably get it inside the perimeter more often than not.
They do this to our guys over there every day, most times the rockets don't hit anything. Last time I was in Baghdad we got rocketed every day for a week and no one got hurt
Occasionally they get lucky. Damned shame - a bit more to the left or right and it probably would have landed outside a blast wall (never been to that Mosul mess hall)
God rest the souls of those troops and comfort their families
Qatar-6