The Full Moon War?

US Navy ^ | US Navy

[Neanderthal]

2003 Phases of the Moon Universal Time

NEW MOON MAR. 3 2:35 AM GMT

FIRST QUARTER MAR. 11 7:15 AM GMT

FULL MOON MAR. 18 10:34 AM GMT

LAST QUARTER MAR. 25 1:51 AM GMT

NEW MOON APR. 1 7:19 PM GMT

[Neanderthal]

Is all this UN delay going to cause us to attack under a full moon? Is this likely to cause US casualties?

[error99]

When you least expect it...
expect it.

[tessalu]

USA should not subject it's troops to biological and chemical warfare until it bombs the heck out of Iraq.
USA has no business taking unnecessary and foolish risks.

[dalereed]

With todays arms and technology I don't think it makes any difference at all.

[blam]

"With todays arms and technology I don't think it makes any difference at all."

The air war could begin as early as wednesday, 3-12-2003...after the UN vote.

[efnwriter]

Correct

[error99]

or before...
or during...

[Brett66]

Doesn't matter when we go, we'll be unstoppable.

[xm177e2]

If Bush wanted to go on the new moon, he would have gone on the new moon. The UN is just for show.

[BellStar]

Night Vision technology. No moon necessary.

[Newbomb Turk]

Speaking from a military background a full moon is not the way to go at least on the ground.

We train to operate in full darkness. Moonlight actually makes it harder for us to see. You get whiteout when using NVDs and it makes you much more visable to enemy fire.

[DTA]

Night Vision technology. No moon necessary.

Nah. It's the other way around. Full moon = no tactical advantage for attack.

Even AAA can easily shoot down cruise missiles when there is moonlit night. It happened a lot over Serbia.

[WilliamWallace1999]

It's not gonna be a problem. Remember, the phase of the moon is irrelevant if it is up during daytime hours. Got this data right from the Alamanac on Sky and Telescopes website, so don't flame me for giving out state secrets. I joked about just this occurance with my astronomy buddies when Katie Communist was telling everyone on the Today show that we would attack on a new moon. The moon rises full but with the sun. It will be dark all night and perfect for stargazing and targeting Iraqis with thermal sites.


Basra, Iraq Mar. 17, 2003

Twilight begins: 7:36 pm
Sunrise: 8:56 pm
Sunset: 8:58 am
Twilight ends: 10:18 am

Moonrise:
7:56 am
Moonset:
9:05 pm

times are local for Basra.

[BenLurkin]

Outstanding!

[Steven W.]

I had not seen this before - you are a wise man indeed :)

[Russian Sage]

A full moon rises more or less around sunset. Always.

It is full because it is on the oposite side of the earth from the sun.  It can not rise and set with the sun. Somehow, your ephemeral data is mistaken.  Are you sure these are Basra times?

[TheMightyQuinn]

Holy Crap! The sun rises in Iraq at 8:56 pm local time?!
That's some crazy daylight saving time they have!

[Damagro]

What difference does the moon phase make to 800 cruise missiles?After the first hours, it doesn't matter what they see. They will be running from it in horror

[Damagro]

Even AAA can easily shoot down cruise missiles when there is moonlit night. It happened a lot over Serbia

---

Easily? How easy is it? How many did they shoot down? Yes, I realize they did get off a golden bb on a stealth fighter, but there are no "easy" ways to shoot down cruise missiles

[error99]

I think something is wrong with your calculations.
I will try to look round and get back to you on this.
It may take a while, though...
some non-freeping things are trying to interfere...