Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!att!cbnews!military
From: convex!quattro@uxc.cso.uiuc.edu (Marc Quattromani)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: US military options against Iraq
Message-ID: <1990Aug6.031122.1992@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 6 Aug 90 03:11:22 GMT
Sender: military@cbnews.att.com (William B. Thacker)
Organization: Convex Computer Corporation; Richardson, TX
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Approved: military@att.att.com



From: convex!quattro@uxc.cso.uiuc.edu (Marc Quattromani)
In all the press coverage about the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and on
options for the US in any Iraqi invasion of Saudi Arabia, two important
points seem to be studiously avoided.

First off, with the B52s based at Diego Garcia, isn't it possible to
launch significant, conventionally armed cruise missile attacks
against Iraqi oil, military, and power facilities sufficient to
seriously cripple Iraq, or at least send them a powerful message? My
understanding of our cruise missile accuracy was that they are capable
of causing damage with conventional warheads to large targets such as
oil refineries, holding tanks, power plants, and what not.

Second, in the face of a huge Iraqi land army, is it possible to build
up a US troop presence in Saudi Arabia while it is under a
hypothetical Iraqi attack, without acknowleding the fact that it may
be necessary to use tactical nuclear weapons to forestall serious
Iraqi advances?

There are all sorts of scenarios were US military action could be tied
in with Soviet, Iranian and/or Egyptian forces, but in such a volatile
situation, it seems highly likely that small US elements may be forced
to face overwhelming Iraqi forces. We should be prepared to  support
our troops to the full or we should not send them in.

[To the ed- I know the nuclear question borders heavily on political
issues but it is just as much a military issue as well.]


[mod.note:  In fact, the entire question of the Iraq-Kuwait war
and related possibilities is beyond the scope of sci.military; the
group exists only to discuss technical aspects of the military.
I consider this post acceptable, though, because it focusses on
technical issues such as the capabilities of cruise missiles in
this environment.  I urge readers to keep their articles likewise
relevant to the group.
    I would also propose that a home for this topic be quickly found 
to allow wider discussion of the issues.   Both misc.misc and
misc.headlines would be appropriate, but those two groups tend to be
very cluttered and I doubt much productive discussion can be achieved
there; talk.politics.mideast, ditto.  If anyone has any suggestions,
let's hear them !  - Bill ]

-- 
Marc Quattromani			Convex Computer Corporation
					Richardson, Texas
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