Re: NJC Two great articles on war

[sl . m]

Colin, there's an interesting article in Newsweek, I believe the Feb 17 edition, about how the U.S. intends to use electromagnetic bombs (E-bombs) on the first night of the war. These let out an electronic pulse that disables all electronic equipment. Cars will stop working, phone lines will melt, computers will stop, lights will go out. The idea is to isolate Saddam's command-and-control centre from his army and from the Iraqi people. The Americans then intend to use psy-ops to persuade the Iraqi people and army to surrender immediately, not to fight. There will be an appeal directly to them from the Americans. The army will be told no-one wants to kill them, because a professional army will be needed to keep law and order in the new Iraq. They will be asked to lay down their arms, with a guarantee of good treatment.

Using spy satellites, E-bombs, and SAS and Special Marine forces on the ground, the Americans/Brits will try to disable all Iraqi weapons-of-mass-destruction before they can be deployed. (This is one of the problems they have with telling Blix where these weapons are - they don't want Saddam to keep moving them, because they currently know where the main targets are).

Army commanders are saying we will see a new type of warfare, and that the last Gulf War was the last of the old-fashioned type of war. As I see it, they are hoping it will be as high-tech and as bloodless as possible - a war against infrastructure, rather than against people. If that is the case - and I accept it's an IF - the outcome should be very good: a new regime for Iraq with minimal (and possibly no) loss of life apart from Saddam's inner circle.

I accept what you say Coln - "minimal" loss of life is 100 per cent to the person involved.

Sarah


At 7:27 PM +0000 02/11/2003, colin wrote:

I was thinking of the people of Iraq. If we were in similar cuircumstances, would we thinkit is worth the killing of our friends and neighbours and familyto achieve an aim? 'minimal loss of life' is not minimal to those involved.