Why Hasn't Iraq attacked Israel

[Kropotkin]

Maybe the do, maybe they don't. Regardless of this the last wars attacks against Israel where quite pathetic afterall and it's not likely that they can reach even that level today. They probably have few of them if any and the AA is improved since then.

[Az]

Regardless of this the last wars attacks against Israel where quite pathetic afterall and it's not likely that they can reach even that level today

well, they were conventional. A nerve agent could cause more damage. Nothing on the scale of a nuke, still many civilian casualties.

[Kropotkin]

Considering that Israel has to put up with the risk of suicide bombers on a daily basis one wouldn't think the minimal risk that a scud with something else than a conventional warhead would be lanched and reach its target is something one can live with.

[Az]

That's why almost noone is really afraid here.

[Kontiki]

It seems to me that the best Saddam can hope for now is to not launch any SCUDS (if he has any) or use any WMD's (again, if he has any) so that he becomes the ultimate martyr for the Arab people. "See, there was no justification for the US/British invasion. Pure war of aggression".

[Jack the Bodiless]

I doubt that he will refrain from using Scuds. After all, they're not "nasty" banned weapons (as nerve gas or anthrax would be). Scuds, without those payloads, wouldn't qualify as WoMD.

Of course, it's still possible that Saddam is either dead, injured, or trapped in a bunker buried under rubble. He may not be physically capable of authorizing the use of whatever they still have.

[Willem]

Re: Why Hasn't Iraq attacked Israel

Originally posted by TheStinger
They did last time, I would have thought it would be their first move. Do they not have the missiles

Yeah, and it was really effective then wasn't it? What was it, one casualty because someone had a heart attack? And if they do have the missiles, they will have alot less than they did then. So they'll be saving what they have left for the defence of Baghdad.

[Traianvs]

True willem, but you can't use SCUDS in defending Baghdad (hat's not the kind of weapons you need for that)

idd, I wouldn't fear a rocket attack from Saddam, his rockets (if he has any left) are so badly constructed that they will miss their target anyway

[Tolls]

"Of course, it's still possible that Saddam is either dead, injured, or trapped in a bunker buried under rubble."

But then who's running the show for Iraq then? I'm assuming someone's in charge that their forces feel obliged to fight for...

[Willem]

Originally posted by Trajanus
True willem, but you can't use SCUDS in defending Baghdad (hat's not the kind of weapons you need for that)

Maybe not, but if it looks like everything is going down in flames, they will come in handy for his final revenge. Saddam knows that if he uses weapons he's not supposed to have that he will lose whatever support he has. He may be twisted, but he's not stupid! He won't fire off any illegal weapons until the last moment, when it looks like all is lost.

[Jack the Bodiless]

Originally posted by Tolls
"Of course, it's still possible that Saddam is either dead, injured, or trapped in a bunker buried under rubble."

But then who's running the show for Iraq then? I'm assuming someone's in charge that their forces feel obliged to fight for...

Well, reports seem to be suggesting that the Iraqui response is so uncoordinated that it's as if nobody IS running the show.

[Tolls]

In which case we should get a mass of surrenders over the next 24 hours, when they realise there's no one in Baghdad...though I would have expected them to give up sooner.

[Jack the Bodiless]

Probably those in positions of power in Saddam's regime would have a vested interest in preserving the illusion that he's still alive. At least for a while. Their own authority depends on him.

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Kontiki
It seems to me that the best Saddam can hope for now is to not launch any SCUDS (if he has any) or use any WMD's (again, if he has any) so that he becomes the ultimate martyr for the Arab people. "See, there was no justification for the US/British invasion. Pure war of aggression".

Quite.

If he has any NCB weapons before, you can count on him destroying them. Thus, when all else fails, he and his sons and slip away under the cover of darkness.

[Tolls]

I'm just not terribly convinced the structure underneath him was strong enough to hold up the pretence for even this long...and I think we (CNN) have just been given the boot from Baghdad, which says to me that there is still someone in charge, and not just a hodge podge of lieutenants.