US/British planes fire on Iraq (closed)

Subject: RE: US/British planes fire on Iraq
From: katlaughing
Date: 16 Feb 01 - 02:10 PM

Hadn't heard about it, until opening your thread, Alice. Here is what AP has to say. I do not liek the sounds of this, at all. Thansk for bringing it to our attention.

U.S. Planes Attack Iraq Radar Sites
The Associated Press
Friday, Feb. 16, 2001; 2:02 p.m. EST

WASHINGTON –– U.S. and British planes struck Iraqi air defense sites south of Baghdad Friday in a mission meant to destroy radar systems that had been threatening American and British aircraft, Pentagon officials said.

"We fired on some integrated air defense targets in Iraq," one official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

All U.S. and British planes involved in the attack returned safely, the official said.

Some of the Iraqi radars were located north of the 33rd Parallel, which marks the outer limit of the "no-fly" zone that U.S. and British planes have been enforcing over southern Iraq since the end of the 1991 Gulf War.

The Pentagon official said Friday's strike was the first against targets outside the southern no-fly zone since December 1998, when U.S. and British planes staged a four-day air campaign against Iraq.

The official said the allied aircraft did not fly outside the no-fly zone. They used "standoff" weapons to reach their targets, he said. These are capable of zeroing in on targets from a distance after being launched from an aircraft, making it safer for the pilot.

Air-raid sirens wailed through Baghdad Friday night and explosions were heard as anti-aircraft weapons fired into the sky.

Witnesses saw nothing unusual over the Iraqi capital, but the city was tense. The explosions from anti-aircraft weaponry from the southern and western outskirts of the city began soon afterward.

State-run TV aired its regular newscast. Another station, al-Shabab TV, began playing patriotic songs and showing footage of commando training and marching.

Subject: US/British planes fire on Iraq
From: Alice
Date: 16 Feb 01 - 01:58 PM

I've been listening to the news on this for the last hour on one TV news station. A press conference coming up shortly. Anyone else watching news of this?

Alice