Bombs Can't Bust Saddam Bunker, Builder Says

Yahoo News ^ | Fri Mar 28,10:49 AM ET | By David Crossland

[vannrox]

A radar-avoiding U.S. B-2 bomber dropped two earth-shattering 4,600-pound 'bunker-buster' bombs on Friday on a major link in Iraq's communications network in downtown Baghdad, defense officials said. It was believed to be the first use of the big bombs on Baghdad. Allied jets have pounded targets in the Iraqi capital with hundreds of bombs and missiles in the week-old war to depose President Saddam Hussein. (Reuters Graphic)

Bombs Can't Bust Saddam Bunker, Builder Says
Fri Mar 28,10:49 AM ET
By David Crossland

BERLIN (Reuters) - The German architect of one of Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s main bunkers in Baghdad said on Friday the Iraqi leader can survive anything short of a direct hit with a nuclear bomb if he stays within its four-feet-thick walls.

"It could withstand the shock wave of a nuclear bomb the size of the Hiroshima one detonating 250 meters away," said Karl Esser, a security consultant who designed the bunker underneath Saddam's main presidential palace in Baghdad.

U.S.-led troops will also find it hard to fight their way in through its three-ton Swiss-made doors, Esser told Reuters in an interview.

A retired Yugoslav army officer who helped build other bunkers for Saddam also told Reuters this week that the shelters were impenetrable and could survive an atomic bomb.

CNN reported on Friday that U.S. B-52 bombers dropped a two ton "bunker busting" bomb on the capital for the first time in the campaign.

The palace bunker can accommodate 50 people and has two escape tunnels, one leading 200 meters to the Tigris river.

It was built in 1982 and 1983 by German firm Boswau & Knauer, which merged into what is now the Walter-Bau AG building group.

At the time Esser was a consultant for a German government-sponsored civil protection body and had his own company, Schutzraumtechnik Esser GmbH, which supplied equipment for Saddam's bunker.

Whether Saddam is using the bunker or is even still alive is unclear, with London and Washington saying they were not convinced that television broadcasts he has made since the war started were live.

The U.S. and Britain launched the war on Iraq (news - web sites) last week with a bombing attack on Baghdad intended to target Saddam, and have pounded the city for nine days.

But Esser said "bunker busting" bombs like the one dropped on Friday would fail to penetrate the bunker because they first have to get though the palace built directly above it.

"The presidential palace above gives natural protection so the bunker can only be cracked by ground troops or a tactical nuclear bomb," said Esser.

The bunker ceiling itself, made of steel-reinforced concrete and up to two meters (yards) thick, was designed to withstand the direct impact of a 230 kg bomb, said Esser.

"It's not a combat bunker, it's an air raid shelter, otherwise it would have had to be built with gun slits and a variety of other features," said Esser.

"Ground troops could get in by taking out the doors with bazookas and explosives."

Construction took place at a time when western companies were legally supplying Saddam with arms and equipment during the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war.

Esser said he assumes the plans of the bunker had been passed on to Germany's foreign intelligence service.

Esser remembers giving Saddam a personal tour of the bunker's features, which include a water tank, electricity generator, air filter, 30 square meter command center and so-called electromagnetic pulse protection system -- to shield electrical circuits from the impact of an explosion.

"He was satisfied," said Esser. "He was totally friendly. He was wearing civilian clothes and looked like an ordinary civil servant but you could tell he was important because everyone immediately went quiet when he started talking."

Esser said he had no qualms about having helped to protect a dictator likened to Hitler.

"It's not just one person getting protection, it's several people, it's the palace staff as well. I just see it as an achievement of bunker technology," said Esser.

[Grampa Dave]

Yep, more propaganda to make our whiners, cry, moan and ask Daddy "Are we there yet? Have we lost the war yet? Daddy don't waste your time bombing Uncle Soddomite's bunkers! Daddy, I'm scared, and I want to go home!

Below is an important health warning from the conservative Doctors who have been monitoring the whining and moaning of so called conservatives on Free Republic.

THIS JUST IN: "Americans who only watch ABCNNBCBS and only read the Compost, NY Slimes, Reuters or AP, are at risk for developing depression, shingles, and other DSM V symptoms and signs.

Rx : FREE REPUBLIC 1x q6h or prn" Rx : FREE REPUBLIC 1x q6h or prn"

[TaRaRaBoomDeAyGoreLostToday!]

I am sure you are right. Like the DOD/Pentagon did not know this, before this warning from the German bunker builders.I think Saddam's days are numbered.

[Grampa Dave]

The 4-6 day pause was just another lie from the drugged out bozos writing wet dream fantasies for Reuters.

[sweetliberty]

"Geraldo could make it another special!!"

Special nothing; Fox could make it another regular weekend show, "The Last Days of Saddam".

[TheLion]

That is funny!

Can you imagine the headache you would get from a direct hit on top of the bunker with a 5000 lb bomb, even if it didn't penetrate or severely damage the bunker.....ouch! I doubt old Saddam is in one anymore, unless it is a lot deeper underground.

[Grampa Dave]

What we are doing is having at least two big bunker busters dropped by a B1 bomber. They hit at different times in basically the same hole a couple of meters wide.

This creates a chimney a couple of meters wide. Then they Tomahawk it with at least 12 Tomahawk cruise missiles arriving at different times.

Each missile flies down the new chimney and then explodes.

If this doesn't work, which is not likely. They repeat the process starting with the new bunker busters.

[sweetliberty]

"I needed a good laugh today."

I know what you mean. I got some giggles off of this thread too.

[Myrddin]

Laying down a thermobaric bomb at the exit would be an attention getter inside the bunker.

[Grampa Dave]

Medical doctors say that if you don't die from the bunker busters and then the multiple tomahawks, your internal injuries will more than likely kill you. Some of the process to kill you will be lower gi infections and infections of damaged internal organs. Most will have pneumonia in a day or two.

[Hugin]

"Fixed fortifications are monuments to human folly"--Gen. George Patton

[TaRaRaBoomDeAyGoreLostToday!]

Late last night on Fox it said (they got it from Reuters) we are awaiting more reinforcement and our supplies were behind. Down to 2 MRE's per person a day and we were low on gas. blah blah blah

What a thing to lie about.A-holes!!!

[TheLion]

Has anybody seen anything depicting what Bagdad's underground systems are like. Bet it will be a real hornets nest. We have to know plenty about it. We even have former Iraqui military people over here that we have interviewed.

[sweetliberty]

""Sharon intends to shatter the growing anti-war movement," a source close to Mr Sharon said."

Kind of a liberal mentality bunker buster. I like it.

[TaRaRaBoomDeAyGoreLostToday!]

I now remember this explained outright on TV at one point. This thread is OLD NEWS!!!Most news organizations are worse than the National Enquirer for a story. And they dare at war time. Shame, shame, shame.... it is like they want failure but is it they want failure for a story or to make Bush and conservatives look bad-is the question. I think both.

[John Lenin]

AS James Bond once said, 'never say never'.

[TaRaRaBoomDeAyGoreLostToday!]

Wait tho...Geraldo confirmed the 4-6 day pause and another Fox News embedded reporter would not confirm nor deny, they said this was not a surprise to them. I will hav to turn on the TV.

[KiaKaha]

Well if it’s a German Bunker, let try an old fashion RAF solution.


http://danshistory.com/ww2/bombs.shtml#tallboy

[Kay Soze]

Ha Ha HA

yeah just cap all of them and then open them up next year!

Cap the vents as well.

[Mr. Mojo]

Nothing that a 50kt-100kt nuclear bunker buster can't deal with.

[Don W]

Actually, it was the PRESS that claimed the Titanic unsinkable. The shipping line (White Star?) NEVER made that claim.