B52's Leaving Fairford United Kingdom

Stratfor ^ | March 18, 2003 | Staff

[richardtavor]

http://www.stratfor.com/promo/?site=usiraq =================================================================

At 1808 GMT (1:08 p.m. EST, 9:08 p.m. Baghdad) B-52 bombers were reported taking off from RAF Fairford in the United Kingdom. Flying time to Iraq is about six hours. Earlier today, they were reportedly loaded with cruise missiles. The British press has also reported that skirmishing has commenced between Iraqi troops and U.S. and British special operations forces near Basra. Coalition aircraft also have attacked 10 Iraqi artillery pieces in the southern no-fly zone, and Israelis have been ordered to open and fit their gas masks, keeping them nearby at all times.

War has not yet commenced, but this is a war alert. More information will be forthcoming as it is available.

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[Peach]

Is this the only place we're really watching for B-52's to take off from?

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Let's hear it for the Cowboys!!!

[AlextheWise1]

We cant watch for them taking off from Diego Garcia...

[John H K]

I believe there was a request that NO MILITARY INFORMATION BE POSTED, Dude. What part of that did you NOT understand?

You don't understand ANY of it, apparently; the original FR "Loose Lips" concept dealt with people PERSONALLY reporting info, like "I just saw X take off from X"

Personally, I've never seen any info even along THOSE lines on FR that ever would be remotely useful to an enemy, but it's not all that unreasonable a request.

Following your warped thinking we need to shut down FR for the next week, as I don't think you can stop people posting major media articles containing military information.

Nothing about reposting other already public stories. Once it's out there, it's out there, and I assure you that Iraq is watching BBC, MSNBC, CNN, etc. directly, not prowling FR to find what people watching the news are seeing.

LOSE LIPS SINK SHIPS.

Err, it's "Loose" of course, and actually, they didn't; the "LOOSE LIPS SINK SHIPS" campaign was basically a US Government propaganda move in 1942 to distract the public from the abject failure of the US Navy to defend against U-boat attacks along the East Coast; as it turned out, intelligence from ports played NO ROLE whatsoever in the German success. It was bumbling by the Navy, and a failure to order coastal communities to turn their lights off; they were afraid of "hurting tourism."

Unfortunately the whole "LOOSE LIPS" thing on FR has mutated into clueless busybodies making themselves feel self-righteous and important and feel like they're "doing something" by wandering around chastising people for reposting info from the media here.

[PhiKapMom]

We have B-52's at Diego Garcia with out B-2's but wouldn't think there will be pictures coming from out of there since it is an Island in the Indian Ocean. They will be coming in from the South!

[Peach]

Thanks for the info.

[PhiKapMom]

It all started on a night around here when people were reporting the number of planes taking off, number of people called up and deployed, and a lot of inside information that just kept getting worse. At the time we were building up to go into Afghanistan and what was being reported wasn't public information. That made me post what I did and the thought police have now become active.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I think I saw on Foxnews channel one of the military analysts indicated that there might be some B-2's in England also!

[Ford Fairlane]

clueless busybodies making themselves feel self-righteous and important

Amen!!

I have gotten sick of people saying things about loose lips every time someone post a publicly reported story.

A couple of days ago the Pentagon put out a news release & a half dozen people chastized the person who posted it

[Uncle Jaque]

Re. exchanging WMD for "Cutters"; heck; let's give 'em a big ol' MOAB kiss just to show our appreciation!

As far as i know (which ain't much I'll grant you) tactical nukes were an option in response to WMD at one point. Does anyone know if that is still the plan? I would imagine that seeing a few thermonuclear fireballs rising into the night Iraqi sky and feeling the desert buck and tremble under their boots might have a vast educational impact on other surviving Crews considering a WMD launch.

If any WMD happen to fall upon Israel, coalition Forces might do well to just get well clear and upwind of Baghdad... very quickly!

I have little doubt that this ball will be over not long after Hell's first egg is laid - and that may well be happening as I post this.

The only question is what kind of mess will be left for the living to clean up, and possibly how long before the area around what used to be Baghdad might be inhabitable by any living thing.

And I hope someone is keeping a good eye on North Korea and Taiwan while all this is coming down, too. Both the KongSan and the ChiComs are known to be full of surprises.

[steveo]

Unfortunately the whole "LOOSE LIPS" thing on FR has mutated into clueless busybodies making themselves feel self-righteous and important and feel like they're "doing something" by wandering around chastising people for reposting info from the media here.

Yeah, what loosers!

[PhiKapMom]

We sent some to England and have some in Diego Garcia. The ones in England have either taken off or close to it. Although if you believe the BBC, they have been lined up to take off for sometime!

[glock rocks]

W is a big fan of punctuality :o)

[Air Force Born]

Did the report say that all the BUFF's have taken off? I would think that they would launch in waves in order to maintain a presence on station, like in the good old days of the Cold War

[Catspaw]

MSNBC.com has listed "Baghdad night camera coming up."

[tomkat]

i'd guess (conservatively, of course) that within 30 seconds of liftoff,
at least 100 rags were phoning home to the mideast with the news...

$0.02

[glock rocks]

France gave us permission to use their airspace!

we still need to bomb their embassy, just on principle

[jayef]

Exactly. Some moron chastized me for posting that plans called for simultaneous ground and air assault. Something that was WIDELY reported in the media. Not only that, but what possible freking use would this information be to our enemies.

GET SERIOUS PEOPLE.

[colette_g]

Haven't left yet as far as I can tell.... flicking between BBC News 24 and Sky News in the UK