Gates: Bombs tie Iran to Iraq extremists

[GaryC 7]

Personally I would send 1/2 the troops that are in Iraq now to the border and seal it.

I expect 'sealing' a border is tougher than it sounds.

It's an open desert.

No, it's not. Part of it may be but parts are marshland and parts of it are mountainous.

Controlling the traffic of fighters and weapons, as well as smuggled goods, is difficult due to the rugged terrain along the eastern border with Iran, and the presence of close-knit tribes that straddle the western border with Syria, US and Iraqi officials say. "On the Iranian border, you're talking about miles and miles of mountainous terrain. There's no way you can seal off that kind of a border," Secretary Wolfowitz said.

http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0706/p01s02-woiq.html

Then there is only two alternatives. Cry uncle and let Iran have Iraq or do airstrikes in Iran. I wouldn't want to see either happen. It may not be easy but we could at least expose the Iranian hands in the cookie jar.

[William33 110]

Although I agree with Gary's assessment, it would be nearly impossible to seal that border.

This Iraq thing is now a quagmire, simple as that.

We should acknowledge that, train the Iraqi troops quickly; and get the F out.

Any other strategy, is going to dig a deeper hole for this country. More lives lost, more misery; and more loss of confidence in the USA, in the international arena. We need to get out of there now.

[Lurker 0]

Personally I would send 1/2 the troops that are in Iraq now to the border and seal it.

I expect 'sealing' a border is tougher than it sounds.

It's an open desert.

No, it's not. Part of it may be but parts are marshland and parts of it are mountainous.

Controlling the traffic of fighters and weapons, as well as smuggled goods, is difficult due to the rugged terrain along the eastern border with Iran, and the presence of close-knit tribes that straddle the western border with Syria, US and Iraqi officials say. "On the Iranian border, you're talking about miles and miles of mountainous terrain. There's no way you can seal off that kind of a border," Secretary Wolfowitz said.

http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0706/p01s02-woiq.html

This is true, as I was there during desert storm in that same area. This is formidable terrain to deal with especially when you jump out of a black hawk on some thorny little shites.

Personally I would send 1/2 the troops that are in Iraq now to the border and seal it.

I expect 'sealing' a border is tougher than it sounds.

Agreed, we have a problem sealing our own border.

On our border we have to go after them with the intent of arresting them. Over there if we see an Iran convoy that is in Iraq we could just bomb the hell out of them. It's a lot easier if your not worrying about hurting someone.

As long as they didn't put restrictions on our rules of engagement.

Edited February 10, 2007 by Lurker

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Why not let the Iranians take Iraq? Can a wider Arab-Persian conflict be such a bad thing?

[GaryC 7]

Why not let the Iranians take Iraq? Can a wider Arab-Persian conflict be such a bad thing?

I am hoping your just joking. You really want Iran to control that much of the worlds oil supply? I know I wouldn't

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Why not let the Iranians take Iraq? Can a wider Arab-Persian conflict be such a bad thing?

I am hoping your just joking. You really want Iran to control that much of the worlds oil supply? I know I wouldn't

I don't mind. Not like they can drink oil. They still have to sell the stuff, not like Allah is gonna turn oil into wine.

Besides, the greater benefit would be a civil war in the Muslim world. I think that would make for great TV.

[GaryC 7]

Why not let the Iranians take Iraq? Can a wider Arab-Persian conflict be such a bad thing?

I am hoping your just joking. You really want Iran to control that much of the worlds oil supply? I know I wouldn't

I don't mind. Not like they can drink oil. They still have to sell the stuff, not like Allah is gonna turn oil into wine.

Besides, the greater benefit would be a civil war in the Muslim world. I think that would make for great TV.

Ok.......

[William33 110]

Why not let the Iranians take Iraq? Can a wider Arab-Persian conflict be such a bad thing?

I am hoping your just joking. You really want Iran to control that much of the worlds oil supply? I know I wouldn't

Is it really about oil Gary? Not.....

Did you hear of the connection between the Iranian president and the US Embassy hostage situation of 1979? It is control tactics mate, psychological warfare. An overall hate for the US.

[GaryC 7]

Why not let the Iranians take Iraq? Can a wider Arab-Persian conflict be such a bad thing?

I am hoping your just joking. You really want Iran to control that much of the worlds oil supply? I know I wouldn't

Is it really about oil Gary? Not.....

Did you hear of the connection between the Iranian president and the US Embassy hostage situation of 1979? It is control tactics mate, psychological warfare. An overall hate for the US.

Oh I realize that. But this nutjob in Tehran will use oil to try to bully us. In the end it would be very bad for all of us.

[Ban Hammer 13,625]

Personally I would send 1/2 the troops that are in Iraq now to the border and seal it.

I expect 'sealing' a border is tougher than it sounds.

not as difficult as it might seem though.

check out these bad boys:

The Remotely Monitorer Battlefield Sensor System (REMBASS) and Improved REMBASS (I-REMBASS) contain passive sensors that, once emplaced, can be unattended for up to 30 days. The sensors are normally in an idle mode with very low power dissipation. When a target comes into detection range, the sensors note a change in the ambient energy level (seismic/acoustic, thermal, and/or magnetic), and are activated. The sensors identify the target (as a person or a tracked or wheeled vehicle), format this information into short digital messages, and transmit the messages to a monitoring device (either the SMS, the PMS or M/P). Information received at the monitoring device is decoded and displayed, showing target classification and direction of travel. The sensors send a test message on initial power-up to verify operational status. The repeaters send periodic test messages. Operator calculations, based upon the sensor data, can be used to determine target location, speed, direction of travel, and number of targets.

link

something detected by the above gets some of this:

The family of scatterable mines adds new dimension to mine warfare, providing the maneuver commander with a rapid, flexible means of delaying, harassing, paralyzing, canalizing, or wearing down the enemy forces in both offensive and defensive operations. Mines can force the enemy into kill zones, change their direction of attack, spend time in clearing operations, or take evasive actions. FASCAM presents an array of air and FA-delivered scatterable mines available to maneuver force commanders. The systems- GATOR (USAF Delivered), VOLCANO (ground or air delivered), ADAM/RAAM (artillery delivered) and MOPMS (Modular Pack Mine System) have special considerations such as planning time, availability, survivability of system and logistical requirements.

link

[Killer_Clown_2009 0]

Well Bush is suddenly all for developing alternative energy (too bad he didn't come up with this several years back). Oil's on it's way out. Probably be using garbage for energy in 50 years or so.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Still paying the price for 1953, and learning nothing from the experience.

Not learning too much from Russia either which has surely one of the most blatantly corrupt governments in Europe.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Personally I would send 1/2 the troops that are in Iraq now to the border and seal it.

I expect 'sealing' a border is tougher than it sounds.

not as difficult as it might seem though.

check out these bad boys:

The Remotely Monitorer Battlefield Sensor System (REMBASS) and Improved REMBASS (I-REMBASS) contain passive sensors that, once emplaced, can be unattended for up to 30 days. The sensors are normally in an idle mode with very low power dissipation. When a target comes into detection range, the sensors note a change in the ambient energy level (seismic/acoustic, thermal, and/or magnetic), and are activated. The sensors identify the target (as a person or a tracked or wheeled vehicle), format this information into short digital messages, and transmit the messages to a monitoring device (either the SMS, the PMS or M/P). Information received at the monitoring device is decoded and displayed, showing target classification and direction of travel. The sensors send a test message on initial power-up to verify operational status. The repeaters send periodic test messages. Operator calculations, based upon the sensor data, can be used to determine target location, speed, direction of travel, and number of targets.

link

something detected by the above gets some of this:

The family of scatterable mines adds new dimension to mine warfare, providing the maneuver commander with a rapid, flexible means of delaying, harassing, paralyzing, canalizing, or wearing down the enemy forces in both offensive and defensive operations. Mines can force the enemy into kill zones, change their direction of attack, spend time in clearing operations, or take evasive actions. FASCAM presents an array of air and FA-delivered scatterable mines available to maneuver force commanders. The systems- GATOR (USAF Delivered), VOLCANO (ground or air delivered), ADAM/RAAM (artillery delivered) and MOPMS (Modular Pack Mine System) have special considerations such as planning time, availability, survivability of system and logistical requirements.

link

Ok, let's do a pilot project on the US-Mexico border first and then maybe I'll be convinced

[Ban Hammer 13,625]

Ok, let's do a pilot project on the US-Mexico border first and then maybe I'll be convinced

it would work. i figure about 3 battalions of these plus a battalion or two of bradley ifv's would do the trick.

eta: rembass is awesome stuff

Edited February 10, 2007 by charlesandnessa

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Mexico first. Then on the british columbia border just to see if we can do it on a mountain border.