U.S. Attacked Iraqi Defenses Starting in 2002

[Nambe]

American air war commanders carried out a comprehensive plan to disrupt Iraq's military command and control system before the Iraq war, according to an internal briefing on the conflict by the senior allied air war commander.

Called Southern Focus, the plan called for attacks on the network of fiber-optic cable that Saddam Hussein's government used to transmit military communications, as well as airstrikes on key command centers, radars and other key military assets.

The strikes, which were conducted from mid-2002 into the first few months of 2003, were justified publicly at the time as a reaction to Iraqi violations of a no- flight zone that the United States and Britain established in southern Iraq. But Lt. Gen. T. Michael Moseley, the chief allied war commander said that the attacks also laid the foundations for the military campaign against the Baghdad government.

Indeed, one reason it was possible for the allies to begin the ground campaign to topple Mr. Hussein without preceding it with an extensive array of airstrikes was that 606 bombs had been dropped on 391 carefully selected targets under the plan, General Moseley said. ---

[expatriot]

1. Just proves that the wheels were in motion long before....

...this war was a sure thing from the start.... i mean we knew it but it just sucks.

[NYC]

2. I remember repeated bombings of radar from back then,

U.S. kept saying it wasn't civilian. There were pictures in the newspapers.

So now we have an admission.

[wtmusic]

3. I remember that too

'Iraqi violations of the no-fly zone' and that was it. You never heard anything more about it. I remember being suspicious in the same way when * kept saying 'disarm, disarm, disarm' and there weren't any arms.

What a bunch of crap.

[lightbulb]

4. Zones? Hmmm they don't show up on my map

In April 1991, claiming a false authority under Security Council Resolution 688, the US, UK and France began to patrol the skies over northern Iraq, excluding Iraqi aircraft from this zone. The same powers started to enforce a second “no fly” zone in southern Iraq a few months later. Announced as a means to protect Iraqi Kurds (in the north) and Iraq’s Shi’a population (in the south), the no-fly has offered dubious humanitarian protection, while engaging Iraq’s government in ceaseless military pressure. France eventually withdrew from the no-fly process. The US-UK turned no-fly into an even more aggressive operation after 1998, when “more robust rules of engagement” have led to regular bombing of ground targets and substantial civilian casualties.

http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/issues/iraq/flyindex.htm

These zones were never recognized by most of the world. They were designed by the US purely to antagonize Iraq and create excuses for bombings of convenience.

In general the behavior of the US in Iraq reminds me of a naughty child who's being scolded not to do something by his parents, and responds " But I'm not!" while obviously continuing to do whatever it is they're being scolded for.

The phrase "easier to get forgiveness than to get permission" comes to mind. I wonder if that will end up being true in this case.

[snippy]

5. But . . but . . but . .

May 23, 2002
Bush: 'No war plans on my desk' for Iraq

http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/05/23/gen.war.on.terror/

"F___ Saddam. we're taking him out." Those were the words of President George W. Bush, who had poked his head into the office of National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice. It was March 2002, and Rice was meeting with three U.S. Senators, discussing how to deal with Iraq through the United Nations, or perhaps in a coalition with America's Middle East allies. Bush wasn't interested. He waved his hand dismissively, recalls a participant, and neatly summed up his Iraq policy in that short phrase. The Senators laughed uncomfortably; Rice flashed a knowing smile. The President left the room.

http://www.time.com/time/archive/preview/from_covers/0,10987,1101030331-435968,00.html

Does this mean Bush lied?

[w13rd0]

6. Depends..

...on your definition of "desk" I guess.

[Gingersnap]

7. I think the plans were on his NIGHTTABLE, not desk

so he didn't lie.... :eyes:

[goforit]

8. Yes ...It's been a "Wild Wild West " attitude for 2.5 years!!!

Unbelievable!!!

[foole]

9. drip drip drip

[foole]

10. check...test...check...test...

Is this thing on?


Which is to say, I don't understand why this thread isn't getting more attention.