The rocket's white plume

By Steve Gilliard

Our adventure in Iraq took another ominous turn today with another rocket attack on a C-130 at Baghdad Airport.

The Iraqi guerrillas, obviously husbanding their stocks of surface to air missiles, now feel it is time to up the ante.

It only takes one successful shootdown to alter the perceptions of the war and they're ready to take the risk. Its a risky thing to do, since the missile leaves a trail and the shooter might well be hunted down and killed by helicopters. Now, they're about to make using the airport more difficult.

Which is not a good sign. Nothing like SAMs and low-flying cargo planes to make a man sweat.

More importantly, it means all those anti-partisan sweeps have done little to prevent the spread of the war. Ivy Serpent is more like Ivy swing and miss, when the guerrillas can up the threat level.

Combined with the increasing intimidation of Iraqis working with US forces, and Gen. Abizaid's announcement of a "guerrilla war", the idea that we can hold on for years, instead of months, needs to questioned. Without reenforcements, facing a genuine threat from North Korea, is Iraq too draining on our resources to hold for anything like what is needed?

Posted July 17, 2003 01:53 AM