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"Shock and awe" bombing- what's the bloody point?

I see that the US has begun its much-trumpeted "shock and awe" campaign.

The very name of this blitz is disgusting. Only the more sick among us could find the mass bombing of a city "awesome".

Its purpose is not entirely clear either. I think it is obvious to everybody including the Iraqis that the US has the capability of turning whole countries into dust by their massive arsenal of weapons and their willingness to drop tens of thousands of tons of high explosives without batting an eyelid. The Iraqis have chosen to face the invaders in full knowledge of this, so it would appear that bombing Baghdad back to the stone age will not provoke the mass surrenders the allies had hoped for.

The Americans are going ahead with it anyway, and we should pray that none of these hundreds if not thousands of bombs and missiles miss their target. Chances are that a number of them will though, so all this ego-massaging, boys-and-their-toys display of power will achieve nothing other than killing a good number of civilians.

Still, I'm sure shares of Boeing and Lockheed Martin are soaring through the roof as we speak so everything is well. Bring on the B52s and the "smart" bombs! :rolleyes:
Beep boop. I'm a bot.

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I heard it described somewhere, maybe here, as a "unilateral show of muscle" rather than a war.

    And it's being proven.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I could see why people are against the war if they truly believe this has nothing to do with stopping Al Qaeda.

    The only justification for this heavy bombardment would be if it ends the war sooner and if it only targets people who are very loyal to Saddam...and saves lives of our troops. I just hope the bombs are as accurate as they say.

    A section of Deerborn Michigan is called Little Baghdad. And CNN went in their last night...into this social area of a Mosque. And men, when they saw the cameras couldn't wait to show the camera their...it wasn't even scars...but like parts of their backs and legs that had healed but looked dug out. And then they asked how many people here have lost a family member to Saddam...and they all raised their hands. And just when you thought this was some great PR piece for America and the UK, the Shiite Mosque leader said: the West put Saddam in...they should go to war to take him out. Took the "glory" or "moral imperitive of the war" out of this war for me. It's a complicated mess. I don't know who to believe. I don't want to take the chance on another 911 or worst. I'm furious at the peace movement in America for their civil disobedience because I'm afraid they'll distract the police and terrorist will strike.

    And one thing the Shiites said was innocent people may die in the war...but they will also die under Saddam. So why couldn't the West have gotten some hot shot strike force together...and assinated Saddam and his small group of lackeys.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Still blathering on about Al Qaeda knowing full well that every intelligence agency in the world, with much more accurate scope on the situation than a NJ HS student, has dismissed that nonsense. You truly lack any capacity for critical reasoning.

    Go right ahead and be angry at the peace movement, if not for them and those like them who care about how our country is being lead down the wrong path by corrupt men youd have precious little of your constitutional freedoms left when the government got through establishing its power-grasping agenda.

    Poor deluded and propagandised boy.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    you didn't read my post dude
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Yes actually I did read it, and saw you twist and turn ever so slightly and then return back to your consistent position of refusing to look beyond the spin to what our government is really up to.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by pnjsurferpoet
    [B It's a complicated mess. I don't know who to believe. I don't want to take the chance on another 911 or worst [/B]
    your great leader has ensured just that! if people like me are filling up with hatred, how the hell do you think people in the arab world are feeling. i'll be free of my hatred when i see bush swinging from a lampost. how long will it be before i can no longer say that? maybe they are on their way to arrest amd torture me right now ...
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by morrocan roll
    your great leader has ensured just that! if people like me are filling up with hatred, how the hell do you think people in the arab world are feeling. i'll be free of my hatred when i see bush swinging from a lampost. how long will it be before i can no longer say that? maybe they are on their way to arrest amd torture me right now ...

    I second that.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    You cant see the point Aladdin..

    Scaring an army into submission is infinately preferable to having to blow them into submission.

    Which would you rather see? Massive bombing of select military targets(which hasnt happened incidentally) which demoralises the iraqis and ends the war sooner, or a long protracted war of attrition which kills a far higher number.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    It's obviously not working, and that has been clear now for a while. So far Saddam has done a very good job of keeping the population in high spirits. Hell, as far as many are concerned they are “winning” the war, and mass bombing of Baghdad will do nothing but increase their defiance.

    As the BBC was reporting this morning, all government offices and military HQ that were considered a target have now been bombed. They're bombing them again for the sake of it (and risking the lives of innocent people while they do that) when it is obvious that the Iraqis are going to lay in waiting and fight the Allied troops when they reach Baghdad.

    Equally, Iraqi troops waiting in the desert are hardly going to be "shocked and awed" by the mass bombing of a city 100 miles away they can't even see.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Its not working because they didnt do it...Shock and Awe has not been carried out.

    Which Iraqi troops in the desert would these be? The vast majority of regular troops are in the cities. The irregulars are in the desert causing trouble for the rear troops.

    PS, do you know how many innocents have been killed so far?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    According to Pentagon sources and the media (although the latter is not an official military source of course) the 'shock and awe' phase began on day 3 of the hostilities late last week.

    However I admit that it has not been the 3,000 missiles in three days they had talked about.

    The troops I was referring to are the Republican Guards stationed about 60 km South of Baghdad (and those to the North of the city, which might now move south since a northern front has not been established).
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Re: "Shock and awe" bombing- what's the bloody point?
    Originally posted by Aladdin


    The very name of this blitz is disgusting. Only the more sick among us could find the mass bombing of a city "awesome".

    awe·some adj.
    Inspiring awe

    awe n.
    A mixed emotion of reverence, respect, dread, and wonder inspired by authority, genius, great beauty, sublimity, or might: We felt awe when contemplating the works of Bach. The observers were in awe of the destructive power of the new weapon.

    Not the stereotypical Californian surfer meaning of the word, then.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Perhaps so, although I don't think the Iraqis would feel reverence or wonder (or even respect) towards mass bombing. Only dread and hatred in equal measures.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Aladdin
    Perhaps so, although I don't think the Iraqis would feel reverence or wonder (or even respect) towards mass bombing. Only dread and hatred in equal measures.

    But perhaps wonder how they can possibly win against the coalition when shown this example of only part of their full military strength.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Thats the aim but they seem to have misjudged the psyche of the Iraqi army, they do not seem so willing to roll over........
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Nor, from what Independent (non-embedded) journalists have apparently encountered, are the iraqi civilians cheering US/UK troops as liberators.

    One report I heard briefly the other night suggested that the attitudes of many Iraqis leans more toward "yes we have no love of Saddam but neither do we want you here...". I suspect those sentiments will chill even further when it becomes apparent to the Iraqis that Bush will simply install a bunch of pampered compliant exiles as the next government regardless of the will of the Iraqi people.

    That and Tommy Franks staying on as some kind of modern day military governor until the puppets are in place will galvanise Iraqi public opinion against us far more than the current hostilities are more than likely doing.

    Come what may, I wouldnt bet on any Western-styled democracy flourishing there.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Yes from what I have read the nationalist sentiments appear to outweigh the hatred of Saddam for many people.

    Interesting to see lots of iraqi exiles in Jordan coming back to Iraq to repel the invader.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Popular uprising in Basra.

    I guess they were waiting until they were sure we werent gonna abandon them and were serious.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2885713.stm

    These are the Shias in the South though, they were expected to rise up.....
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    We shall see...

    Lets just hope they get it over with quickly and the army dont kill too many :(
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Shock and awe hasn't been used yet. Heavy bombing has. I have no doubt the Shiite Muslims and kurds are glad to see Saddam's reign of terror end. Only people who are loyal to his enablers, France, Germany, Belguim, would defend such a horrible man.

    I hope they use whatever they have to use to save the lives of our troops. I don't consider old Europe and Russia to be allies - who cares what they think.

    I wrote turds by mistake. :lol:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Do you think our army should risk more casualties to try and prevent Iraqi casualties amongst the uprising?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    'Turds' pnj?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Toadborg
    Do you think our army should risk more casualties to try and prevent Iraqi casualties amongst the uprising?

    If its a good strategic move then yes. Im not a military tactician so i dont know what would be involved.

    but it seems logical to attack at the same time, for our guys to attack now..

    Although there might be problems with identification and with so many civilians on the streets, they may do damage themselves.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I agree with you Balddog. We have an obligation to the people we sent over there to protect our freedoms.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    "Your" freedom pnj?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    So what freedoms specifically could Iraq possibly threaten pnj? Id like to see you give an intelligent documented account in defense of your reguritated rhetoric for once.

    Michael Moore obviously got it right in Bowling for Columbine, the nation is perpetually paranoid and willing to believe they are under threat no matter how ridiculously weak the "enemy" may be.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Al, I suppose Saddam would prevent him from surfing from halfway around the world. :lol:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    from CNN: British forces say popular uprising against Saddam Hussein's rule under way in Basra, according to ITN reporter.


    Basra is a center for Shiite Muslims. Why aren't we happy for them? Are we only Sunni Muslims on this board?

    Dude, no one could prevent me from surfing.:p
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Dude, no one could prevent me from surfing

    Just as there is no viable threat except that which is being made on world peace by Washington.
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