No Anti-Aircraft fire left in Baghdad

PBS News Hour ^ | 3/27/2003 | John Byrnes

[Forgiven_Sinner]

Heard on News Hour that the last couple of bombing attacks have NOT had any anti-aircraft fire in Baghdad.

That means the Spectre and C-130's can fly. And if C-130 comes by, can a BLU82 be far behind?

John Byrnes is one of my favorite reporters in Baghdad.

[MississippiMan]

I had blast researching and then writing a Spooky scene into my novel.

MM

[JOE6PAK]

This might sound crazy but I think the answer is...SHOPPING CARTS!...YES Shopping carts! We load a C-130 chock FULL of the swivel wheel demons,200 in a row,side by side,row after row. Drop these bad boys from a few thousand feet and watch the carnage ensue! BOMBS they understand...but SHOPPING Carts!!! I think they would surrender in no time.

[jpthomas]

I live in the Florida Panhandle, a few miles east of Eglin AFB's main complex and some miles west of the range where the AC-130s out of Hurlburt conduct their target practice. I can report that a few nights ago there was a whole lot of lead raining down on those targets. Music to my ears.

[ffusco]

Thanks. I dig the avionics blisters!

[maestro]

LOL,.........and Super Boomboxes,.......blasting/playing "Rock n Rap" 24/7

:-)

[First_Salute]

Duct tape him to the belly of a Predator UAV and fly it over Iraq --- perhaps he'll see something convincing?

[www.corvettewave.com]

Conserving Ammo, and position. I am guessing you will not see much "outbound" artilary from bagdad until we enter the city.

[sarasmom]

AAA

Thinking...oh, that stuff that shoots down slow,low aircraft who dodge the radar guided SAMs and puts lots of people in the hospital with schrapnel wounds when it comes back down!

Solution-fly higher,faster or send in cruise missiles. I would like to see Spooky get some action, but I think its time is best spent around the ground troops in this situation.

I doubt any embedded photographers will get many shots of Spooky in action.I would think they would be taking cover at the time.

[LS]

They had two Stealth B-2 pilots on yesterday, and they were laughing that they would fly over, then look over their shoulders, and a minute later, all the Baghdad AA would open up . . . on where they WERE.

[Atlas Sneezed]

"They had two Stealth B-2 pilots on yesterday, and they were laughing that they would fly over, then look over their shoulders, and a minute later, all the Baghdad AA would open up . . . on where they WERE."

I hope word of this doesn't get back to the shooters. They might increase their lead on the target! (Do you think they are shooting at the sound signature?)

[RightWhale]

the gunners are conserving their ammunition

That is part of it. The other part is distribution. There could be an Indiana Jones warehouse of AA shells, but if they can't move them by truck only a few gun sites will have ammo at any given time.

[AF68]

The Iraqis have most probably shot up half of their AAA ammo already and are now conserving it to be used against close-in coalition ground targets. They are not using their radar-guided weapons, either, because if they turn them on, an American anti-radiation missile will kill it.

[LS]

No. Another source said they are firing blindly because they "dasn't" turn on their radars or . . . HARMs.

[maestro]

Your#47)..........Conserving Ammo, and position. I am guessing you will not see much "outbound" artilary from bagdad until we enter the city.

I do NOT belisve they are conserving ammo.
Rather,....there are fewer gunners.
They've been assigned 'elsewhere'......with offensive 'RG'.

[clueless_expert]

What is a BLU82??

B2 Bombers drop an all-new redesigned BLU82 over enemy formations.



Shock and Awe

C_E

[maestro]

Your#51)......................Conserving Ammo,.....

I do NOT believe they are conserving ammo. Rather,....there are fewer gunners. They've been assigned 'elsewhere'......with offensive 'RG'.

They may be far 'forward'.......looking to shoot down helicopters.

(Duck Hunting?)

[SevenDaysInMay]

Too bad B-52s cannot be flown from within theater. These long shifts from the islands are a waste, but their huge payloads are effective. God bless our grandads who built them.

[Objective Reality]

I love the B2 and all, but I especially would enjoy seeing a good old fashioned wave of B1s streaking over Baghdad. Maybe with "suck this, Carter" painted on one of them.

I guess an Aurora would be too much to ask for piddling little Iraq. Maybe Pyongyang gets to be the first to wonder what the hell was that, and where did that freaking nuclear bomb come from?!??!

[San Jacinto]

last couple of bombing attacks have NOT had any anti-aircraft fire in Baghdad.

Good. That will make the public markets safer.

[over3Owithabrain]

I mean this question innocently and sincerely:
Does anyone know what the real effect of all the Baghdad targeted bombing is doing? It would seem to me that as many explosions and fireworks are going off, the damage would be apparent and the enemy would be near-collapse. Yet we don't hear anything to that effect.