IKE/CVW-7 STRIKE IRAQ
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**MacDill AFB, Fla.** -- Four U.S. Navy F-14 “Tomcat” aircraft enforcing the Southern No-Fly Zone used precision-guided munitions to strike Iraqi military anti-aircraft artillery batteries in Southern Iraq at approximately 2 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time Tuesday.
The aircraft are operating from *USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69)*, on station in the Arabian Gulf.
All coalition aircraft have returned safely and battle damage assessment is ongoing.
The coalition strikes came in response to anti-aircraft artillery fire against coalition aircraft yesterday and today.
Monday, Iraqi forces fired anti-aircraft artillery at coalition aircraft. These violations are only the latest in a series of actions directly violating UN Security Council resolutions and international demarches. Iraq’s actions continue a nine-year pattern of provocations in the No-Fly Zone.
Coalition aircraft struck anti-aircraft artillery sites near As Samawah, approximately 130 miles south-southeast of Baghdad, and near As Sulayb, approximately 190 miles southeast of Baghdad.
To date, there have been more than 480 separate incidents of Iraqi anti-aircraft artillery and surface-to-air missile fire directed at coalition pilots since December 1998. Additionally, Iraqi aircraft have violated the Southern No-Fly Zone more than 150 times during the same period.
The last coalition strikes were against Iraqi anti-aircraft artillery sites on May 22. Coalition aircraft struck Iraqi anti-aircraft artillery batteries near As Samawah and a military radar site near Ash Shuaybah. The strikes came in response to anti-aircraft artillery fire against coalition aircraft on May 21.
A U.S. Central Command press release says this isn’t merely a continuation of the low-level conflict that the U.S. and Great Britain have been waging against Iraq.
“Today’s strike is a measured response to Iraq’s continued provocations,” it reads. “These responses focus on degrading Iraq’s ability to threaten coalition aircraft while minimizing the potential for collateral damage and risk to civilians. The coalition presence continues the enforcement of the United Nations Security Council resolutions and international demarches established at the end of the Arabian Gulf War and thereafter. To reduce the conflict in the No-Fly Zones, Iraqi president Saddam Hussein and his military need only abide by the agreements they made at the end of the Arabian Gulf War in 1991, and stop targeting and firing upon coalition forces.”
Coalition aircraft do not target civilian populations or infrastructure and seek to avoid injury to civilians and damage to civilian facilities.
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Yeah, we’ve been busy.
Y’know, I’m sure it’s very exciting for you boat jockeys and all that, but I was expecting dirt on the Ukulele’d one. That must be some sort of bait & switch going on there…
And why the heck is the dateline in Florida? Don’t’cha allow any reporters in the same hemisphere as the operation?
Central Command HQ is at MacDill.
Yep, I was expecting some lurid stories about Uke Ike, too. Especially since this thread sitting up against the thread about hitting on Wally’s daughter.
On to the topic. This continuing gulf action is one of those things you never hear about in the news anymore. Many people are unaware we are maintain what what amounts to an ongoing air battle.
I appreciate the the update Chief, and as always, be safe and thanks for serving us.
Chief, thanks for the sitrep; I’m glad everyone returned safely.
Good luck on the BDA.
Da Ace: Regarding reporters: Not if we can help it, pal! They get in the way.
Oh, thank god. You’re talking about that aircraft carrier of yours.
For a minute there I thought you were going to put me to work.
A thread primer, if you will:
IKE = 25-year-old nuclear-powered carrier launching aircraft
Ike = Middle-aged Doper swilling beer
Hang on a minute. You did or didn’t bomb Iraq with musical instruments ?
And was it an orchestrated attack ?
Chief, way to go kid. Just do us all a favor, i for one have been following whats been going on out there, i have family and friends out there, and i’ve been out there myself for Uncle Sam, just make it home alive! ya bastid, you got me likin’ to see your posts, so just keep it up.
shame about it all though really, that part of the world holds so many secrets still, and there’s so much history and magic buried there and it’s being defiled by greed and violence. I can only hope for it to all end soon. peace bro.
~Soul
Glad to hear everyone is safe and sound!! Keep sending the updates.
Thanks for the update, Chief.
I was thinking about you last week, because it was (relatively)hot and humid here. I’d get to feeling sorry for myself and then remembered your “heat sucks” post. It put relative discomfort right into perspective, and very much to my shame.
And that’s before I knew you were coping with a few little things like combat as well.
Thanks for what you do, all of you “in harm’s way”. Stay well and come home safely.
Veb
P.S. Thought of you again today. It’s the anniversary of D-Day. By chance I got to talking w/ a WWII veteran who was in the 29th Division (the Blue and Gray, he said) which was one of the first onto Omaha Beach. I listened to him talk for almost an hour. His talk of past battles reminded me that people–like you–are still serving. Couldn’t ask for a finer tradition.
I was going to ask why we don’t drop the big one on them, but everyone will get mad, so I won’t.
Thanks, Chief for the update. I’m glad to know that you’re on our side! Keep us informed, please, as the media obviously isn’t.
Sobering stuff.
Keeping you, and all of our men and women ‘in harm’s way’ in my prayers.
<Selfishly hoping that Mr Bear is far enough away from the action that he’s as safe as any American can be in that neck of the woods.>
Note: No smilies were used in the creation of this post, honoring the wishes of ChiefScott.
I just had to point out the London Calling’s post cracked me up.