Why I am skeptical we are attacking Iran [UPDATED]
Sun Sep 02, 2007 at 04:47:14 PM PDT
Maccabee's diary written yesterday talks about an impending attack on Iran. While I do worry about what this administration is capable of, while reading his diary I became very skeptical about his claims.
I've spent four years in the Marine Corps as a machinegunner, some of which was on ship. I have a lot of friends who are in the navy. In addition military history, military tactics, and military equipment (especially our carriers) greatly interests me.
Why I am skeptical around the turn.
From Maccabee's diary: (emphasis from me)
She started in the Marines and after 8 years her term was up. She had served on a smaller Marine carrier, and found out through a friend knew there was an opening for a junior grade LSO in a training position on a supercarrier. She used the reference and the information and applied for a transfer to the United States Navy. Since she had experience landing F-18Cs and Cobra Gunships, and an unblemished combat record, she was ratcheted into the job, successfully changing from the Marines to the Navy. Her role is still aligned with the Marines since she generally is assigned to liason with the Marine units deploying off her carrier group.
First off, the Marine Corps has no carriers. Our airwings which have F-18s do deploy off of United States Navy Carriers. We also deploy off of "smaller Marine carriers," however that label is incorrect. Those ships are amphibious ships. There are LHAs and LHDs which have flat decks and resemble carriers, however they are still navy ships which marines simply deploy off of.
Secondly, the Marine Corps does not launch F-18s off of LHDs or LHAs. We only launch AV-8B Harrier jumpjets, Cobra Gunship Helicopters, CH-46 Cargo Helicopters, and CH-53 Cargo Helicopters. The characteristic these platforms all have in common is that they take off vertically. All the F-18 variants need the steam catapults off the super carriers. So there is no way Maccabee's friend has experience launching F-18s from "smaller Marine carriers."
Another quote:
"I don’t think it’s limited at all. We are shipping in and assigning every damn Tomahawk we have in inventory. I think this is going to be massive and sudden, like thousands of targets. I believe that no American will know when it happens until after it happens. And whatever the consequences, whatever the consequences, they will have to be lived with. I am sure if my father knew I was telling someone in a news organization that we were about to launch a supposedly secret attack that it would be treason. But something inside me tells me to tell it anyway."
This sort of information does not leave the VERY secure environment of the Combat Information Center onboard of any ship. It is assigned on an extremely need to know basis. The guy working on the engines doesn't need to know where the Tomahawks are going. The woman landing and sending off airplanes doesn't even need to know where that airplane is going. Let alone where the Tomahawks are going on different ships in a carrier battle group. When I was on a couple of Navy Ships as a grunt I tried really hard just to see inside one of these combat information centers on our ship (the ships only purpose was carrying us around for amphibious missions), but they would never ever let me.
Also from Maccabee's diary:
She had to hang up. She left by telling me that she believes the attack is a done deal. "It’s only a matter of time before their orders come and they will be sent to station and told to go to Red Alert. She said they were already practicing trapsFARP and FAST." Trapping is the act of catching the tension wires when landing on the carrier, FARP is Fleet Air Combat Maneuvering Readiness Program- practice dogfighting- and FAST is Fleet Air Superiority Training).
This one I am not completely sure about. The Marine Corps practices TRAP missions. I do not know if the Navy has a different abbreviation for it, but TRAP is Tactical Recovery of Aircraft and Personnel). I think being on a carrier this would be a widely practiced mission. (The Navy has its own rescue helos as well). I do not know for sure if they have a different usage of this, but it makes me skeptical because TRAP is a widely practiced mission across the military.
All of this being said I still don't trust President Cheney and we do need to be diligent about making sure they do not try to widen the AUMF given for Iraq in order to attack Iran (we should be repealing it but thats a different story).
So please everyone calm down and lets not lose our minds. (I know... Its hard with Bush in office)
I wont be responding to comments. Off to a sign making party for a counter rally against Move America Forward.
On the Net
CH-46 Cargo Helicopters
CH-53 Cargo Helicopters
AV-8 Harrier Jumpjets
USS Iwo Jima (LHD type ship)
USS Ronald Reagan (Super Carrier)(thought this would be the coolest one to link HA!)
(Tactical Recovery of Aircraft and Personnel)
UPDATE by DemMarineVet: I lied, I looked at the comments on my blackberry. Jumped back real quick because I realized I made a typo or two that I wanted to fix. In addition, I changed the diary title after I read a comment that we shouldn't put user names in a diary title. To clarify, F-18s land on land and on supercarriers like the USS Ronald Reagan. They DO NOT land on "small Marine Carriers." Back to countering Move America Forward tommorow in Carson City.
