Air War, Iraq: 2006

While cluster bombs remain a point of contention, Air Force officials do acknowledge that U.S. military and coalition aircraft dropped at least 111,000 pounds of other types of bombs on targets in Iraq in 2006. This figure -- 177 bombs in all -- does not include guided missiles or unguided rockets fired, or cannon rounds expended; nor, according to a CENTAF spokesman, does it take into account the munitions used by some Marine Corps and other coalition fixed-wing aircraft or any Army or Marine Corps helicopter gunships; nor does it include munitions used by the armed helicopters of the many private security contractors flying their own missions in Iraq.

In statistics provided to me, CENTAF reported a total of 10,519 "close air support missions" in Iraq in 2006, during which its aircraft dropped those 177 bombs and fired 52 "Hellfire/Maverick missiles." The Guided Bomb Unit-12, a laser-guided bomb with a 500-pound general purpose warhead -- 95 of which were reportedly dropped in 2006 -- was the most frequently used bomb in Iraq last year, according to CENTAF. In addition, 67 satellite-guided, 500-pound GBU-38s and 15 2,000-pound GBU-31/32 munitions were also dropped on Iraqi targets in 2006, according to official U.S. figures. There is no independent way, however, to confirm the accuracy of this official count.


http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=TUR20070526&articleId=5781

reported a total of 10,519 "close air support missions" in Iraq in 2006, during which its aircraft dropped those 177 bombs and fired 52 "Hellfire/Maverick missiles."

Let me see...For 2006, 177 + 52 = 229 over 10,519 sorties..... 0.0218 bombs or missiles per sortie.



Call it 35,000 ( I'll give you 5,000 FREE) total sorties- then that would be 653 bombs and missiles. Given that during the war there WAS large scale bombing of bunkers and installations by B-1 , B-2 and B-52 bombers, I suspect 17,000 total bombs is about right. Care to give me any reason to think THAT number is propaganda, when YOU have NO basis in facts for your number at all?

Remember,
"Statistics tell the story: Air Force and Navy aircraft dropped 437 bombs and missiles in Iraq in the first six months of 2007, a fivefold increase over the 86 used in the first half of 2006, and three times more than in the second half of 2006, according to Air Force data."

WOW- I just noticed that in 2006 and the first 6 months of 2007 they dropped a TOTAL of 666 bombs and missiles on Iraq!


That only leaves 12,334 or so for 2002 through 2005 ( twice as long a time): That INCLUDES the entire attack. Care to show me any figures that might indicate we dropped more than that?