Do we need the SR-71?

One of the most important lessons, I think, coming from the war on terrorism
is that poor intelligence is becoming very costly. Satellites are
predictable and are unable to loiter over an area, while drones can cover
only relatively small areas. From Desert Shield up to now we have been
basically blind in our search for WMDs, terrorist and troop concentrations,
mobile Scuds, etc.

I think we are shooting ourselves in the foot, here. The SR-71 is relatively
cheap, there are enough spare parts to last virtually forever, and it would
be enormously effective in giving us better intelligence. The planes are in
pretty good shape; in fact, their airframes are stronger than they were when
first built. I believe these planes should be re-activated.

--
Christopher J. Campbell
World Famous Flight Instructor
Port Orchard, WA


If you go around beating the Bush, don't complain if you rile the animals.

In a previous article, "C J Campbell" said:
is that poor intelligence is becoming very costly. Satellites are
predictable and are unable to loiter over an area, while drones can cover
only relatively small areas. From Desert Shield up to now we have been
basically blind in our search for WMDs, terrorist and troop concentrations,
mobile Scuds, etc.

I think Predators and Global Hawks would do a better job on almost all of
those jobs.

But what the US really needs is spies on the ground. The biggest problem
in the lead-up to Iraq is that they put too much emphasis on the tales of
one guy, who lied through his teeth trying to get the US to depose Saddam
so he could take over.

--
Paul Tomblin http://xcski.com/blogs/pt/
OTOH, the general theme is that lusers should not be allowed to have
computers, cars, guns or genitalia.
-- Anthony DeBoer

"Paul Tomblin" wrote in message
...
In a previous article, "C J Campbell"
said:
is that poor intelligence is becoming very costly. Satellites are
predictable and are unable to loiter over an area, while drones can cover
only relatively small areas. From Desert Shield up to now we have been
basically blind in our search for WMDs, terrorist and troop
concentrations,
mobile Scuds, etc.

I think Predators and Global Hawks would do a better job on almost all of
those jobs.

But what the US really needs is spies on the ground. The biggest problem
in the lead-up to Iraq is that they put too much emphasis on the tales of
one guy, who lied through his teeth trying to get the US to depose Saddam
so he could take over.

Maybe he did do that, but Saddam's actions in the period leading up to the
war seem to indicate that Saddam himself believed he had weapons of mass
destruction. He may have been deceived by his own people. Certainly there is
a very lawless element in Iraqi culture. Every two-bit cleric seems willing
to submit to no law but his own, and every one of them seems willing to back
up his threats with force. They out-gun both the Iraqi military and the
police. It is as if we allowed Jesse Jackson or Jerry Fallwell to maintain
their own private armies while declaring the holy cities of New York and
Birmingham off-limits to law enforcement personnel. To paraphrase the quote
attributed to T.E. Lawrence: "So long as the Islamic nations submit to no
law but that of local clerics, they will remain a little people, a silly
people, greedy, barbarous, and cruel."

Your right. I equate these clerics with feudal war lords. Each with a
private army and each trying to consolidate power.

"C J Campbell" wrote in message
...

"Paul Tomblin" wrote in message
...
In a previous article, "C J Campbell"
said:
is that poor intelligence is becoming very costly. Satellites are
predictable and are unable to loiter over an area, while drones can
cover
only relatively small areas. From Desert Shield up to now we have been
basically blind in our search for WMDs, terrorist and troop
concentrations,
mobile Scuds, etc.

I think Predators and Global Hawks would do a better job on almost all
of
those jobs.

But what the US really needs is spies on the ground. The biggest
problem
in the lead-up to Iraq is that they put too much emphasis on the tales
of
one guy, who lied through his teeth trying to get the US to depose
Saddam
so he could take over.

Maybe he did do that, but Saddam's actions in the period leading up to the
war seem to indicate that Saddam himself believed he had weapons of mass
destruction. He may have been deceived by his own people. Certainly there
is
a very lawless element in Iraqi culture. Every two-bit cleric seems
willing
to submit to no law but his own, and every one of them seems willing to
back
up his threats with force. They out-gun both the Iraqi military and the
police. It is as if we allowed Jesse Jackson or Jerry Fallwell to maintain
their own private armies while declaring the holy cities of New York and
Birmingham off-limits to law enforcement personnel. To paraphrase the
quote
attributed to T.E. Lawrence: "So long as the Islamic nations submit to no
law but that of local clerics, they will remain a little people, a silly
people, greedy, barbarous, and cruel."

"Paul Tomblin" wrote in message
...

But what the US really needs is spies on the ground.

Pretty much banned by the Tower Commission in 1979.

The biggest problem
in the lead-up to Iraq is that they put too much emphasis on the tales of
one guy, who lied through his teeth trying to get the US to depose Saddam
so he could take over.

_One_ guy wanted to take over? Slight under-estiamte, I'd say.

"C J Campbell" wrote in message I believe these planes should be
re-activated.

Perhaps there is already a newer model plying the upper flight levels.

D. (que music with Rod Sterling's voice)

"Capt.Doug" wrote in message
...
"C J Campbell" wrote in message I believe these planes should be
re-activated.

Perhaps there is already a newer model plying the upper flight levels.



If there is such an airplane it is doing a terrible job.

If there is such an airplane it is doing a terrible job.

It wouldn't be the airplane's fault. The blame would go to the intelligence
interpreters.


-John
*You are nothing until you have flown a Douglas, Lockheed, Grumman or North
American*

One of the most important lessons, I think, coming from the war on
terrorism
is that poor intelligence is becoming very costly.

From "The Simpsons" episode where the FBI enlists Homer as a spy to find a
trillion dollar bill:

"Agent Johnson: We believe Burns still has the bill hidden somewhere in his
house, but all we've ascertained from satellite photos is that it's not on
the roof."

"John Harlow" wrote in message
...
One of the most important lessons, I think, coming from the war on
terrorism
is that poor intelligence is becoming very costly.

From "The Simpsons" episode where the FBI enlists Homer as a spy to find a
trillion dollar bill:

"Agent Johnson: We believe Burns still has the bill hidden somewhere in
his
house, but all we've ascertained from satellite photos is that it's not on
the roof."
Humorous as it is, one of our presidential candidates has been pushing just
about that scenario for quite a few years.