Posted on 01/14/2002 1:33:24 PM PST by truthandlife
U.S. officials say Iraq may have acquired two Tamara radar systems which have been reported missing in the Czech Republic.
The officials said the regime of President Saddam Hussein has been conducting negotiations with companies in Eastern Europe to procure a system that could detect and respond to U.S. stealth bombers, such as the B-2 F-117. The F-117 and the B-2 have been used by the United States in Afghanistan.
The Bush administration is concerned that Baghdad might have smuggled a radar system from Eastern Europe in what could mark a surprise in any U.S. military campaign against Iraq. Officials said Iraq nearly bought a $300 million radar system from the Czech Republic in 1997. The deal was blocked by the government in Prague.
U.S. officials said the Pentagon has assessed that Iraq has gained new anti-aircraft capabilities. They said this includes the ability to detect and shoot down U.S. and British aircraft. The officials said Washington has instituted changes in electronic warfare systems to better protect its aircraft.
Last week, the London-based Sunday Telegraph reported that two Tamara radar systems sought by Iraq earlier have gone missing. The newspaper said the radars — manufactured by the defunct Czech firm Tesla-Pardubice — might have been acquired by Iraq.
Over the weekend, Saddam met his military chiefs and urged them to bolster defenses against enemy attack. The president also called on his military to forge cooperation with Baghdad's allies in the Arab world.
True only to the point where the size of the aircraft is comparable to the wavelength of the radar waves. Then size counts more and shape/material properties somewhat less. However a quick search seems to indicate that the Tamara system is passive and really only listens for emissions from the target aircraft. The F-117 produeces very few emmissions, aside from radio calls which can be kept to a minimum. The B-2 does have radar systems, but with GPS it need not use them until just before bombs away if then.
They can build any sort of water purification plant they want as long as they don't mind the US bombing it to smithereens.
As USMC Pvt. Gomer Pyle noted, "Well GOLLL-EEE. SURPRISE. SURPRISE. SURPRISE".
Big surprise indeed that OKC tars GW yet again on the flimsiest of media spinnery.
And when did we bomb their rebuilt air force, high speed communication systems (milspec at that), air fields, tanks, and the like?
There are significant risks involved, not to mention shoring up public support and all that goes with it. In short, invading Iraq could ignite a powder keg.
My quote: "I am suspicious that some in the Bush administration are looking for excuses ..."
Dodger wrote "Big surprise indeed that OKC tars GW yet again on the flimsiest of media spinnery."
I did not say Bush himself was making excuses and I do not know that he has made his mind up yet. When I said "some in the Bush administration" may be looking for excuses I was thinking of some Bush advisors who are in the Scowcroft and Baker camp and I was not thinking of Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz and Woolsey who appear to be in a different camp and want to do something about Saddam.
Questions for Dodger:
Do you believe that the US should take action against Saddam Hussein, and if so when ?
How serious a threat do you perceive Saddam and his weapons of mass destruction to be for the US?
We bomb them regularly. I think we are now down to the last outhouse.
An excellent point that many seem to miss. They have a search RADAR that might detect and track our aircraft. So what, the info would then be sent to a targeting RADAR powerful enough for their beam riding missiles to follow, the Wild Weasels flying high cover would be all over them like ugly on hillary.
Saddam melted down a couple solid gold faucets from one of the bathrooms in one of his many palaces.
As my daughter used to say, "simple dimple."
Also, could you point out where Iraq's request to import marble comes into play as far as it being a humanitarian resource?
And to think we had inspectors in there to make sure Saddam wasn't making weapons of mass destruction, but 'ol Billy boy screwed that up too!
I can't believe the position America is in right now. A real leader would have been doing SOMETHING to protect Amrerica. I'm sorry, but Clinton was not qualified to be a president. Look at where we are now.
We're even sitting ducks to Red China.
What can and should the US do at the present time about Iraq and CHina, now that Clinton is no longer President?
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