[SOC] Iraq

[Ian C. Purdie]

This comes from another [non AR] list and from a person I respect and admire.

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B-52 long-range bombers were deployed very early this morning from
Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana, bound for locations unknown. Details
of the mission were not released but officials said the crews were headed
to one of three locations: Andersen Air Force Base, Guam; Royal Air Force
Fairford, England; or Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. From these
locations, bombers can react to crises in Korea, Afghanistan or Iraq.

Prior to Gulf War I in 1991, B-52 and B-2 long-ranger bombers were also
deployed in a similar fashion within as little as 24 hours before the first
public reports the war had begun.  It may be assumed that when B-2 bombers
out of Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri are deployed, the air attack may
very well begin within 24 hours.  This is because B-2 bombers are not
positioned to forward bases.  B-2 bombers are only based at Whiteman so
they must fly non-stop from Whiteman to station, drop their bombs and
return non-stop to Whiteman.

I have no information about B-2 deployments yet.

Gulf War I began on Wednesday, 16 January 1991 @ 2400 Hours GMT (3 am
January 17 in Iraq).  The full moon occurred 15 January 1991 @ 2350 Hours GMT.

The next full moon is 03 March 2003 @ 0235 Hours GMT, followed by 01 April
2003 @ 1919 Hours GMT.

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--
72/73's

Ian C. Purdie
Budgewoi N.S.W. Australia - Co-ords S33�14', E151�34'
VK2TIP "I'll give ya the TIP mate" QRP-L #1978. SOC #171 FP#91
http://www.electronics-tutorials.com/