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U.S. deploys B-52 bombers to Qatar for fight against Islamic State
Reuters ^ | April 9th, 2016 | by Andrea Shalal

Posted on 04/09/2016 11:36:22 AM PDT by Mariner

The U.S. Air Force deployed B-52 bombers to Qatar on Saturday to join the fight against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, the first time they have been based in the Middle East since the end of the Gulf War in 1991.

U.S. Air Forces Central Command said it last flew the long-range bombers operationally in the region in May 2006 as part of the war in Afghanistan, and during a U.S.-led military exercise in Jordan in May 2015.

"The B-52 demonstrates our continued resolve to apply persistent pressure on Daesh and defend the region in any future contingency," said Air Force Lieutenant General Charles Brown, commander of U.S. Air Forces Central Command.

Daesh is the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State militant movement.

Lieutenant Colonel Chris Karns, spokesman for the Central Command, said he could not provide the exact number of B-52 bombers to be based at Al Udeid Air Basein Qatar due to "operational security reasons."

Washington's decision to deploy its powerful B-52 bombers to Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar came as the U.S. military stepped up the fight against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

Brown said the bombers would be able to deliver precision weapons and carry out a range of missions, including strategic attack, close-air support, air interdiction, and maritime operations.

(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: b52; daesh; qatar
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Strategic bombers being used for...close air support?

Are equipment shortages this severe?

1 posted on 04/09/2016 11:36:22 AM PDT by Mariner
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To: Mariner

“Strategic bombers being used for...close air support?”

That caught my eye as well.


2 posted on 04/09/2016 11:38:12 AM PDT by MichaelCorleone (Jesus Christ is not a religion. He's the Truth.)
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To: MichaelCorleone

Always say QAAA TAAR . Never say “gutter”


3 posted on 04/09/2016 11:39:16 AM PDT by WENDLE (I guess)
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To: Mariner

If they actually use them I would expect them to drop bombs on Assad’s forces in support of Isis.

Obama supports Isis IMO... it’s his proxy army.

And he’s in love with the Muslim Brotherhood.


4 posted on 04/09/2016 11:39:30 AM PDT by Bobalu (I'm spitting on my hands, and hoisting the black flag!)
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To: Mariner

Same thought here. This is the same PR crap that has them announcing, “The US flew 24 sorties against ISIS today,” while the Russians were flying hundreds.


5 posted on 04/09/2016 11:39:50 AM PDT by sparklite2 ( "The white man is the Jew of Liberal Fascism." -Jonah Goldberg)
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To: Mariner

Now comes the carpet bombing.


6 posted on 04/09/2016 11:42:04 AM PDT by IndispensableDestiny
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To: Mariner

These planes are 50 years old. What are we going to do with them?


7 posted on 04/09/2016 11:42:11 AM PDT by WENDLE (I guess)
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To: WENDLE

you are wrong

cuhtter is more correct to rhyme with gutter


8 posted on 04/09/2016 11:49:04 AM PDT by Thibodeaux (leading from behind is following)
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To: WENDLE

The airframes are 50. The avionics and weapons are much more modern.

L


9 posted on 04/09/2016 11:52:46 AM PDT by Lurker (Violence is rarely the answer. But when it is it is the only answer.)
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To: Mariner

General “Buck” Turgidson: “If the pilot’s good, see, I mean if he’s reeeally sharp, he can barrel that baby in so low... oh you oughta see it sometime. It’s a sight. A big plane like a ‘52... varrrooom! Its jet exhaust... frying chickens in the barnyard!”

B-52s in close air support, there you are.


10 posted on 04/09/2016 11:55:12 AM PDT by elcid1970 ("The Second Amendment is more important than Islam. Buy ammo.")
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To: Mariner

Any actual effective O attack on his Islamonazi friends and comrades will be purely accidental.


11 posted on 04/09/2016 11:57:03 AM PDT by faithhopecharity ("Politicians are not born, they're excreted." Marcus Tullius Cicero (106 -- 43 BCE))
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To: Mariner

Uh Oh Carpet bombing!!! Go Ted Go!!!


12 posted on 04/09/2016 12:00:39 PM PDT by tallyhoe
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To: Mariner

We did it in Vietnam.


13 posted on 04/09/2016 12:02:51 PM PDT by DuncanWaring (The Lord uses the good ones; the bad ones use the Lord.)
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To: Mariner

Carpet bombing?


14 posted on 04/09/2016 12:05:01 PM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of Colorado scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: WENDLE
These planes are 50 years old. What are we going to do with them?

  1. Provide lots of flight time to our aircrews and ground personnel.
  2. Provide lots of calibration data to Russian anti-aircraft missile crews.

15 posted on 04/09/2016 12:05:23 PM PDT by Steely Tom (Vote GOP: A Slower Handbasket)
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To: IndispensableDestiny
"Now comes the carpet bombing."

That was my first thought...Raaqa and Mosul with 500lb iron bombs...80,000lbs at a time.

Alas, probably just wishful thinking.

16 posted on 04/09/2016 12:08:51 PM PDT by Mariner (War Criminal #18)
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To: Mariner

Islamic State ?

WTF?

“Can’t we all just get along?”

I know, we should send in “John Kerry” to negotiate for “Peace”.

I mean, like, after all, Hillary has left everything in turmoil and everything “misunderstood”.

An Islamic State.

Who would have thought?


17 posted on 04/09/2016 12:11:27 PM PDT by Zeneta (Thoughts in time and out of season.)
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To: DuncanWaring
Re: "We did it in Vietnam"

Operation Linebacker – B-52’s over Hanoi
The 11 Days of Christmas - December 1972
498 sorties – 15 losses
884 SAM’s fired – 24 hits
10 crashed inside North Vietnam
5 “ “ “ outside “ “ “ “ “

18 posted on 04/09/2016 12:15:08 PM PDT by Cribb
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To: tallyhoe

Will be used to drop high tonnage of bombs on yet more non strategic ISIS targets, so Obama and his generals can say they are dropping a lot of bombs on ISIS.

Doesn’t matter what platform you use to drop the bombs, if the air campaign is flawed, you’re just doing more of the same.


19 posted on 04/09/2016 12:18:02 PM PDT by Chauncey Gardiner
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To: Mariner

http://scintelligencer.blogspot.com/2016/02/us-troops-train-in-close-air-support.html


20 posted on 04/09/2016 12:18:55 PM PDT by ameribbean expat
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