[x1stcav]

"In the Gulf War in 1991, the tons of iron bombs dropped on the demoralised Iraqi troops in the southern desert did not prove too effective. Touring across those wastes after the ceasefire, the dunes and wadhis were littered with the carcasses of bombs - many yards wide of their targets. In Afghanistan the B-52s' satellite-guided bombs proved more accurate-and were decisive in breaking the Taliban lines."

This writer doesn't know what he's talking about. Having lead BDA (Bombing Damage Assessment) patrols after Arc Light missions, I can personally attest to the devestation that occurs when 3 B52 loads of iron bombs are put in a "box". It doesn't matter that many bombs are yards wide of their targets. The whole target area is so physically disrupted that drainage patterns are re-arranged. They are indeed very effective - just ask any VC/NVA who were on the receiving end of this treatment and who happened to survive, only to wander around totally dazed and combat ineffective sometimes days after the attack.

I would agree that guided munitions are more accurate/selective, but there is still a role for the Arc-Light type of mission.

[stumpy]

I have a friend who was on some of the raids in the gulf war, and they were ORDERED to drop the bombs wide. And they did demoralize the ones they dropped them next to.