Posted on 01/09/2020 3:38:54 AM PST by Zhang Fei
Pentagon officials believe that the more than a dozen missiles launched at two bases in Iraq housing U.S. forces Tuesday night were designed to kill Americans, but the Iranian efforts were thwarted by the military's Early Warning Systems, Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Gen. Mark Milley told reporters on Wednesday.
“I believe based on what I saw and what I know is that they were intended to cause structural damage, destroy vehicles and equipment and aircraft and to kill personnel," Milley said.
U.S. military officials were warned about Iran's pending ballistic missile strike "when the air defense systems went active," he said.
Milley added that “a little bit of early warning” and “normal defensive procedures” at Al-Assad Air Base prevented American troops from being killed in the missile strike.
“In my estimation from what I know now, I think it has more to do with the defensive techniques that our forces used as opposed to intent,” Milley said, adding that U.S. forces "took sufficient defensive measures.”
Speaking to reporters after a returning from a briefing with Congress, Esper said that the 16 short-range ballistic missiles (originally estimated to be 15), were fired from three locations inside Iran during the attack early Wednesday local time, and were intended to avenge the death of Iranian Quds Force Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a U.S.-led drone strike at Baghdad International Airport last week.
Milley said that between 1,000- to 2,000-pound warheads were sitting on top of the Iranian missiles fired into Iraq.
Esper confirmed that the missiles hit two military bases -- the Al-Assad Air Base and a separate military base in Erbil, which house U.S. forces in Iraq. Eleven of those missiles hit Al-Assad and one hit Erbil. Four of the missiles malfunctioned and failed to hit their target.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
[We will save American lives, that might otherwise be lost as long as the Mullahs think they can escape harm from such attacks - “successful” or not.]
Trump may need dozens of US dead to get the political capital to initiate significant operations against Iran. The Democrats are lockstep opposed. There is apparently also significant opposition within the GOP, if Rand Paul and Mike Lee are any indication.
[Kinda like the illogical ad potentially lethal mindset of someone who has a firearm, has been shot at and hesitates to respond to stop the threat. Just in this case, it isn’t the POTUS who is in the (active) beaten zone.
Maybe I am reverting to my warhawk mentality. It worked when I was in harms way many times...]
“The Israeli solution is to pound the enemy’s assets until he’s leery about even looking in their direction. Trump has eschewed this option.”
Trump has eschewed this option?
Where have you been the last few days. Check the news for a terrorist named Solimani
This post must be for the fools who believed the ludicrous assertion that Iran missed on purpose.
I say again, they don’t have the ability to miss on purpose!
[This post must be for the fools who believed the ludicrous assertion that Iran missed on purpose.
I say again, they don’t have the ability to miss on purpose!]
I know it's hard to believe, they want to be nuked! Totaly cerial! It's their "prophecy" that their ultimate leader that conquers the world has to crawl out of a well after being nuked. No wonder their population hates them? They want them vaporized.
“He showed weakness, The Iranian govt will take that further, just wait. “
I agree.
Failure to respond to a ballistic missile attack IS weakness, embodied.
The worst decision of his presidency so far. This will cost many dead Americans.
With a 400M CEP, they were all fired at the center of the compound.
They hit in a random distribution not unlike rocket artillery.
However, they have hundreds such missiles and could cause some damage. But it’s damage that would not be militarily significant.
And they have absolutely no means to defend against the counter assault measured in thousands of tons.
[But it’s damage that would not be militarily significant.]
*** Still skeptical? Anyone could have been in that hanger and be dead now. ***
I think the vid I posted shows the one destroyed building as you can see the wall surrounding the base, and the vehicles near the wall.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1215198458182762497
I stand corrected.
[I stand corrected.]
Not Patriots enough to guard...our troops...
Air bases forward used to have CIWS, they at times, maybe not since the big pullout?
Not sure CIWS could intercept a BM though. But they did pop a few incoming mortars when I was there last.
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