Terrorist attack backfires

Multi-National Force, Iraq ^ | December 04, 2005 | Edward Loomis

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

December 04, 2005

Release A051204d

Terrorist attack backfires

TIKRIT, Iraq – Army and Air Force units teamed up to crush an ill-conceived terrorist attack against an Army patrol near Balad the morning of Dec. 3.

The attack began with a hail of small-arms fire directed against the patrol. The Soldiers quickly located and engaged the gunmen, forcing them to take cover. The patrol called for close-air support and two Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons responded by dropping laser-guided bombs. Two terrorists were killed in the short engagement.

One Soldier was treated at the scene for minor injuries and returned to duty.

-30-

For more information, please contact the 101st AIRBORNE DIVISION Public Affairs Office at EDWARD.LOOMIS@US.ARMY.MIL

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

You need more lead in your diet, Ahkmed.

[dighton]

Bombs 2, Cover 0.

[Bahbah]

Beautiful work. Come out, come out where ever you are, our guys will be there to meet you.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Wrong title. Should be "Terrorist attack backfires".

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Thanks!

[Izzy Dunne]

Two terrorists were killed

Terrorists?

I thought we were fighting insurgents!

[King Prout]

but... but... it IS "Terrorist Attack..." oh.
the Mods are swift today

[Diver Dave]

Keep those bombs and bullets comin'.

[splint]

Confirmed! Terrorists named. IBin Pharteen and his cousin Ubin Pharteen.

[SolutionsOnly]

Yikes! Laser guided bombs? Two take out only two terrorists wielding small arms?

Hate to nitpick here, but couldn't a grenade launcher have done it for about 1/10,000th the cost?

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

They changed it. I had the wrong title on this originally.

[splint]

Then don't

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Usually when this happens, it's because there's already aircraft flying nearby that can come in and hit them real quick. It's not like they launch a special mission just to take out two guys. The laser guided bombs aren't real expensive either. They're conventional dumb-bombs with a seeker head installed and fins that move on command to steer the bomb.

Considering only 1 American got hurt in the original terrorist attack and he's good to return to duty, I'd call it a hell of a bargain.

[beezdotcom]

Then don't

It was a reasonable question...and since I see that a reasonable answer was posted later, all is well.

[SolutionsOnly]

It's certainly a bargain when measured up against the lives and medical expense our soldiers.

My point is that the terrorists aren't worth the cost of a bomb.

[Valin]

Actually they're reformers.
/sarcasm

[RightOnline]

Re: your #10.........my thoughts precisely. Talk about overkill.......sheesh.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

I could buy that, I don't think the terrorists are worth the cost of the bomb fuse. But it isn't worth sending 20 guys into a dug-in position to get shot-up when you can immediately solve your problem by dropping a 500-pounder, which frees up the squad to go do something else.

And, consider the cost savings (and not just in dollars) of having nobody get hurt and having the squad immediately freed up to go do something else. I would opt for doing what's quickest and safest.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

But it sure beats having a good guy get killed by some cornered terrorscum who knows he's going to die, and consider the time invested in spending an afternoon trading shots with two guys who are well under cover. They took the quickest and safest option.

In the grand scheme of things, the cost is minimal. We dropped more ordnance during 'Shock and Awe' than in the whole rest of the conflict combined.

[ASOC]

I believe it is a Marine axiom that

"Using a sledgehammer to kill an ant make perfect sense - it does no harm to the hammer, and the ant will never return to battle you again"

I'll stand by to be corrected if I got this wrong.

CAS=Death on call