An Iraqi soldier with the 1st Iraqi Army examines one of more than 160 mortars found during Operation Charge of the Knights in Basra April 19. Some of the markings on the weapons indicate a manufacturing date in 2007. U.S. Army photo.
Posted on 04/21/2008 4:22:50 PM PDT by SandRat
Soldiers from the 1st Iraqi Army discovered the cache during the search phase of Operation Charge of the Knights. The cache consisted of a large number of weaponry with Iranian markings.
The cache included a 240 mm high-explosive war-head and approximately 160 mortars. Some of which were less than 12 months old.
The cache also contained approximately 25 artillery shells, more than 20 complete improvised explosive devices, large quantities of IED components, several explosively formed projectiles and dozens of grenades and fuses. Also included was more than 20 blocks of plastic explosives, homemade anti-personnel mines packed with ball bearings, hundreds of meters of detonation cord, improvised rocket launching rails, and thousands of rounds of small-arms ammunition.
Operation Charge of the Knights is ongoing with the Iraqi Army working in conjunction with the Iraqi Police to maintain pressure on Special Groups and criminal elements by denying them sanctuaries and safe havens through Basra and Iraq.
“Operation Charge of the Knights has been an Iraqi planned and executed operation from the very start,” said Lt. Col. Neil Harper, deputy public affairs officer for Multi-National Corps - Iraq. “The Iraqi Army demonstrated their capability to protect the people of Basra against Special Groups and criminal elements that are ignoring the rule of law.
“The success in finding these large caches was also due in part by numerous tips from concerned local Iraqis. This is another great example of Iraqis dealing with their own issues, and they should be admired for their bravery,” Harper said.
(Multi-National Division - Southeast PAO)
In related news...
Pro wrestling is fake!
I'd prefer something much larger and more effective too. You know how many independently targeted 500 lb JDAMs a B-2 can carry? Well I don't *know*, and if I did I'd have to shoot me, but according to Global Security: 80 500-pound GBU-38 JDAMs. The B-2 can also carry eight of the massive 5,000-pound GBU-37 bunker-buster bombs.
You send most of the raid with the JDAMS, a few with the bunker busters. See how much of a munitions industry, including nuclear munitions, the Iranians have left after that. If there aren't enough B-2s available, you use the B-2s to destroy the air defenses and then use B-1Bs and B-52Hs as the wrecking crew.
It would be a very short campaign. If we worked at not causing massive collateral damage, but maxium damage to the Iranian military and weapons industry, then we wouldn't have to worry about the Ayatollahs, the Persians would see to them.
I felt the same way when I saw a Vulcan fly over my house, as part of a flyby at the local Air Force base (B-47s at the time, now just Air Guard tankers, and not many of those).
Oh I knew it wasn't a UFO, but however old I was at the time (sometime between '59 and '66, and probably early 60s), I knew it wasn't one of ours and I didn't recognize the UK markings, so I didn't have a clue who might be attacking us. :)
We only have a single base where B-2s are home based (Whiteman AFB, Knob Knoster MO, southeast of KC) and two with B-1Bs,(Ellsworth AFB in South Dakota and Dyess AFB in Texas). All that remains of the B-52 fleet are the 85 -H models, about as many as the combined total of B-2s and B-1s. But they two are home based at only two Main Operating Bases, Barksdale AFB Louisiana and Minot AFB, North Dakota. Of course all three often deployed to overseas locations, especially Anderson AFB, Guam, and Diego Garcia, Indian Ocean.
Thanks.
Being in striking distance of Iran has always been an important and necessary objective in the WOT.
> Question is will Clinton or McCain have the guts to do what it takes. Obama clearly will not.
In my opinion, that is precisely why it must begin before November. It must be well underway and committed before then. Like, begin rolling tanks now.
YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DOING, TAKE OFF EVERY ZIG!!!
> I suspect McCain did not really misspeak about Iran’s support of al Qaeda in Iraq; if it isn’t true this moment, it is inevitable.
Ideologically difficult, in that Iran is Shiite and al Qaeda is Sunni, but on the basis that “the enemy of my enemy is my friend”, not impossible at all.
> Mark my words, 9/11 is nothing compared to what’s coming if we allow Iran to go nuke.
That is why it must never be allowed to happen.
MOVE ZIG!!!
FOR THE GREAT JUSTICE!
Pull all the troops. Use technology. Rename the area ‘Land of Pyrex’ after the 2’nd bombings.
This is not the first time we have found this out.
and we will do NOTHING!
The last thing Iran wants is a pro-US democratic Iraq as their neighbor. They will do everything to get us out and impose their own influence.
Those weapons must be returned to Iran! :o) Catch my drift?
The Iraqis should send them back one at a time.
Did you say B2? BINGO!
The weaponry should be returned to Iran with extreme prejudice.
Interesting post!
Yes, there is evidence linking Iran with al-Qaeda elements in Iraq. Anyone who is destabilizing Iraq and fighting the Americans has common cause with Iran, and I’m sure they are taking advantage of it.
It’s funny how many of the same leftists who claim Reagan is single-handedly responsible for the rise of bin Laden (by supporting the rebels in Afghanistan) are also so certain that al-Qaeda would NEVER cooperate with, say, Saddam Hussein or Iran, because of religious differences. I didn’t know Reagan was a devout Sunni Muslim! The “logic” is inconsistent.
Attacking Iran will be an extremely messy and costly business, the likes we have not seen in decades. But I believe the consequences of not acting will be much, much worse.
If Obama is elected, expect a “peace” treaty with Iran by the end of 2007, and nukes detonated on US soil by the end of 2012.
I don’t mean to sound alarmist, but those are my opinions.
I hope I’m wrong!
Let me guess their all marked “MADE IN IRAN c.o.d Maqtada al Sadr.”
Didn’t we “find” similar caches 18 months ago? Really our spooks need to get a little more creative.
Democrats and manpower.
We have waited way too long in dealing with Iran. Maybe we should’ve went in there first.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.