05-04-2003 05:00									#1
	Does Baghdad Airport have any strategic value? Inflate your Upload Space

Or is it just a symbolic victory?

A analyst from the Swedish Military Academy interviewed on the TV news, doubted that the Airport was anything else than symbolic. A very important symbol, but still useless in practice.

I mean, just imagine US flying in reinforcements by jumbo jets into the Bagdhad airport. A lucky shot from Iraqi air defenses would kill 350 Americans soldiers, more than anything else in this war so far. The Yanks would not risk that... Those guys have to move into the war zone by other means...

Last edited by Chemical Ollie on 05-04-2003 at 14:01

	05-04-2003 05:06									#2
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It may have value as an air base if they can secure a perimiter and keep the arty and mortors from landing on the field.

It's kind of funny that just yesterday the Iraqi were saying the US/UK force weren't with in 100 miles of Baghdad and now we're up to 10 miles from downtown. The Iraqis have been lieing about everything since this started.

Heck, the whole thing started because the Iraqis wouldn't stop lieing.

	05-04-2003 05:13									#3
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Edit: Don't post after 2.00 in the morning. Nothing you write make sense that late at night.

Last edited by Chemical Ollie on 05-04-2003 at 23:07

	05-04-2003 05:29									#4
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I understand the 101st Airborne are already using it as a base.

	05-04-2003 05:32									#5
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The wide tarmac fields are perfect for the 101st. The biggest problem for the airborne has been the lack of decent air bases; brown out (from the sand dust) has caused more than a few operational loses.

	05-04-2003 05:40									#6
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It has two major strategic purposes:

1) It can and will be used to resuply US troops. Obviously not right away, but all you have to do is secure a decent perimeter around it and control the flight paths, and then there isn't much risk.

2) Taking the airport largely in tact means that the single biggest facility for air transport after the war won't need to be rebuilt. This will be greatly beneficial in bringing in everything from aid to diplomats, as well as keeping a valuable asset for post-war Iraq's economy.

	05-04-2003 05:45									#7
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Do you mean that USA would be flying in more troops by the Bagdhad airport? I seriosly doubt, that you would not!!!

	05-04-2003 05:48									#8
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Why not? Once the area is secure enough to safely handle incoming flights (again, through well-managed flight paths), the US can use the airport to land in more supplies and troops if needed. Also, the troops will need to be rotated eventually. Remember, the US will need to be there for quite a long time, so just because you may not be able to use the airport in the next day or so doesn't mean that it isn't incredibly valuable in the long run.

	05-04-2003 05:52									#9
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Choppers can use the airport, for one. Also, I'm guessing that it might have some special uses--for instance, it might be connected to the main tunnel system set up a while ago by Saddam and definitely is connected to the sewerage system.

	05-04-2003 06:01									#10
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Helos will fly in and out, in prescribed traffic patterns that take into account the perimeter and potential anti-air threats. That's what air assault pukes do for a living at forward bases.

	05-04-2003 06:03									#11
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Rivera, and I hope they let him get back with the 101st, had some interesting reports from the 101st desert base. Each time a chopper landed or took off it created a dust cloud that enveloped the chopper leading to all sorts of hard landings and mishaps. I think it must alse be hell on every aspect of the chopper's moving parts.

No, I can see most of our chopper force moving into Baghdad international ASAP.

	05-04-2003 06:04									#12
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If I was in charge of the US forces I wouldn't fly anything in untill I was sure that all of the Iraqi artillery anywhere near the Airport (within 20km) had been taken out.
Which would probably be after Baghdad has fallen.

	05-04-2003 06:09									#13
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Suicidal guys don't count....

	05-04-2003 06:23									#14
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Seizing the airport reletively intact is mostly important for post-war Iraq. Like the oil fields, anything that isn't destroyed does not have to be rebuilt and can immediately contribute to getting Iraq going after the war is over.

As for now it is just an emergency airfield, safer than landing in non-secure areas.

	05-04-2003 06:32									#15
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(response to title)

There's probably a lot of bannanas there.

	05-04-2003 06:33									#16
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Artillery is relatively easy (not totally easy, but relatively) to hit once it starts firing. American technology can supposedly pick up its location through seismic data and radar. I don't know how effective those are, but they should allow American firepower to put the kibosh on any Iraqi guns that threaten the airport.

	05-04-2003 06:40									#17
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quote: Originally posted by Felch X Artillery is relatively easy (not totally easy, but relatively) to hit once it starts firing. American technology can supposedly pick up its location through seismic data and radar. I don't know how effective those are, but they should allow American firepower to put the kibosh on any Iraqi guns that threaten the airport.

It's called "counter-battery" firing. On my ship we used to do counter battery live fires, it is relatively easy to hit artillery once you know where it's coming from. Some radars will be able to pick up the incoming shells and reverse the trajectory to it's point of origin, lock in, and fire.

ACK!

	05-04-2003 06:49									#18
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That's why most artillery batteries are highly mobile (the radar tracking of incoming shells is a technology that dates from WW2).

I'd be pretty sure that the Iraqi's have 'ranged' most important spots in the airport so they could easily hit anything there quickly.

	05-04-2003 09:41									#19
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quote: Originally posted by Ned Rivera, and I hope they let him get back with the 101st, had some interesting reports from the 101st desert base. Each time a chopper landed or took off it created a dust cloud that enveloped the chopper leading to all sorts of hard landings and mishaps. I think it must alse be hell on every aspect of the chopper's moving parts. No, I can see most of our chopper force moving into Baghdad international ASAP.

Rivera is goddamned lucky he's not locked up facing charges of aiding and abetting the enemy. I think it was chickenshit of the Pentagon to settle for letting Rivera leave Iraq voluntarily, as opposed to being ordered out. Peter Arnett just ran his mouth like an ignorant collaborationist asswipe, Rivera endangered lives of troops in the field. Rivera should never again under any circumstance be allowed to cover US military operations.

	05-04-2003 09:49									#20
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quote: Originally posted by MichaeltheGreat Rivera should never again under any circumstance be allowed to cover US military operations.

I'm somewhat shocked they even let him stay in Kuwait.

	05-04-2003 09:59									#21
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the airport has been used already by 101.

it's not like we're going to park all our planes there, it's more of a "drop point" for supplies or troops we'd need on the fly.

	05-04-2003 12:33									#22
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quote: Originally posted by MichaeltheGreat Rivera is goddamned lucky he's not locked up facing charges of aiding and abetting the enemy. snip Rivera should never again under any circumstance be allowed to cover US military operations.

Ever heard words "an acceptable risk"?

	05-04-2003 13:31									#23
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I dunno if this has been said already, but the location of the airport may be strategic in some way, and by taking it, may present a tactical advantage to coalition forces massing around Baghdad

	05-04-2003 14:42									#24
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quote: Originally posted by raghar Ever heard words "an acceptable risk"?

What's that got to do with Rivera?

	05-04-2003 15:50									#25
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Fox News believes it's acceptable to risk his ass in a shooting war.

	05-04-2003 22:59									#26
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To risk lives of small group of soldiers in hypothetical threat could be less damaging for democratic society than abruptly deny citizen right on information.


BTW Not only FOX believe that risk live or personal freedom of lets call them journalists could be less dangerous than losses in TV rating. This is acceptable by FOX "monkeys". On other side, some journalist would like their work done properly even if this means pissing of US troops and goverment. Some of them believs that this case was acceptable for totalitarian system, but not for "democracy".
To put it simply US goverment crossed the line and in long terms it could severaly backfire.

	05-04-2003 23:08									#27
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BBC thinks so

quote: Like an island surrounded by outlying fields, the airport is just 20 kilometres (12 miles) to the southwest of Baghdad with an approach road that runs straight to the heart of the capital

quote: "The communications are good - airport communications always are. It is the perfect distance from the city centre. It doesn't look as if there will be a great missile threat to incoming aircraft."

So, odds are it's earmarked for a future coalition HQ, if the facilities can be taken intact.

	05-04-2003 23:08									#28
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quote: Originally posted by raghar To risk lives of small group of soldiers in hypothetical threat could be less damaging for democratic society than abruptly deny citizen right on information.

Why does the public have the right to know the exact position and planned routes of troops?

	06-04-2003 22:51									#29
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They've started flying C-130s in to airport, apparently.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm...port_landing_dc

	06-04-2003 22:57									#30
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some questions (i've been avoiding the news particularly since i don't want to swallow so much spin from every which way):

1. what did peter arnett do?
2. what did geraldo do?
3. did congress ever officially declare war?
4. have basra and nasiriyah fallen yet?