Kesher Talk

More war clues -- this time from Britain -- with no prizes for naming the target: U.S. officials tell UPI Hears that Prime Minister Tony Blair will announce an emergency call-up of British Army reservists in early September. These sources say there has already been a substantial boost in Royal Air Force training flights, especially air-to-ground support missions. And in a crash program, British Challenger II main battle tanks and other key armored fighting vehicles are being taken out of mothballs and restored to full combat efficiency.

... A 5,000-strong Jordanian strike force is being trained by U.S. military advisers in the desert specifically to find and destroy Iraqi Scud missiles. In the event of an Iraqi offensive administration officials are concerned about western and southern "Scud boxes" that would target installations and forces in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Since the Scud has a fixed firing range, it has to be placed precisely at that range from the target in order to hit it. Taking out the launchers would reduce Saddam's ability to retaliate. One bit of comfort: the Scud is designed to deliver nuclear weapons. So much heat builds up in the nose cone of a Scud during launch that it would "fry" any chemical or biological warheads and render them harmless, said one U.S. analyst. "I don't see Saddam being able to use anything but high-explosive warheads," he said. (UPI Hears, July 22)

posted by Howard @ 7/23/2002 11:06:47 AM