Military Plans More Cargo Flights to Avoid Convoy Attacks

[countryjake]

http://www.duluthsuperior.com/mld/duluthsuperior/news/columnists/10416809.htm

http://www.kirotv.com/news/3997962/detail.html

~snips~

WASHINGTON -- The Air Force is making more cargo flights over Iraq to keep Army transport trucks off the country's dangerous roads, accepting the increased risk to planes and added cost to reduce the threat on the ground, officials said Tuesday.

During the last month, the Air Force reorganized the operations of its cargo lifters and is now flying about 450 tons of cargo around Iraq daily, said Lt. Col. Mike Caldwell, an Air Force spokesman. That's an increase of about 100 tons a day over its previous average, he said."


The flights "give the ground forces the opportunity to reduce the traffic on the most dangerous routes," said Gen. John Jumper, the Air Force's chief of staff, according to a transcript of comments he made Tuesday.

"There will be increased SAMs (surface-to-air missiles)," Jumper said. "But we've also got 100 casualties a month in convoys. We're not sending C-130s in there undefended, so they have the right kind of equipment to go in there and defend themselves."


In addition, the increased flights probably will mean greater fuel and maintenance costs and stress on aircrews. Flying a C-130 costs $3,400 an hour, Air Force officials said.

"I am totally disinterested in the cost," Jumper said. "It will be paid for. We will do what it takes."


~edited to add working link~

[wtmusic]

1. Maybe we can drop freedom from a plane too

whoda thunk freedom was so damn messy?

[benburch]

2. Airlift is very expensive!

And I think we shall now find out where all of those missing shoulder-fired Anti-Aircraft missiles are...

[PurityOfEssence]

9. Aaah, don't be a killjoy; it worked great in Stalingrad

The idiocy just evolves to an ever-more baroque complexity.

From what I hear, we're already into this party for well north of a quarter-trillion dollars...

At least Junior's managed to save himself a half-million on his taxes...

[countryjake]

3. Some pilots worked for commercial airlines...I ain't flyin' anywhere!

This explains why they called up an Air Force reserve unit last month from McChord Air Force Base in Washington. Lots of them worked for domestic airlines...the way our news reported it, this has put a crunch on holiday air travel. Makes me wonder tho, if these are the most experienced pilots, who exactly have they replaced all of them with, to fly around over OUR heads. Airlines usually add flights this time of year, not cut them back.

At any rate, seems as tho those big honkers would be like sitting ducks over there, even if they only fly at night, which is what an earlier article said they'll be doing. Sure is an odd way to be safer! Here's a related story about McChord:

Air Force Reserve Units Activation Could Leave Airlines In A Pinch

[RedCon1]

4. I would call this a victory for the insurgents..

It is obvious who is in command of the ground now.

[saigon68]

5. "I am totally disinterested in the cost," Jumper said

What a FUCKING LAP-DOG. This idiot has no idea what this "WAR GAME" is doing to the poor and senior citizens who are soon going to decide between food, prescriptions or heat this winter.

This is the arrogance in today's military that pisses me off. He is another example of an incompetent spend thrift, wasting everyone's money.

He failed to state his efforts were constantly improving Halliburton's bottom line.

[countryjake]

6. That's why I had to look this up!

When they said that flying a C-130 costs $3,400 an hour, I thought surely it must be wrong! Imagine the loss once the SAMs start flying...anyone know how much a cargo plane costs?

And how can this be more cost-effective than armoring all the vehicles would be? Maybe there's more than just that one unit showing reluctance to go on the convoys. RedCon is right, the Iraqis are regaining their ground!

[leftchick]

7. wait until the Resistance pull out the SAMS!

Then what will you do, General Asshole???

[Vogon_Glory]

8. Clearly Generalissimo Gee Dubya Bus Is Winning The War

Clearly Generalissimo Gee Dubya Bush is winning against the Iraqi insurgents. It's just that liberals and the French can't see it. After all, THEY (Unlike patriotic Republicans) use the old-fashioned standard for pacified areas where attacks on aid convoys go down instead of UP.

That is why the Banana Republican Party and its for-profit propaganda arm (aka Fox news) is telling liberals and other doubters to get with the program.

[Moderator]

10. duplicate topic

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1071580