American pilots patrolling the skies over Iraq have been ordered to target not only artillery and radar installations but also command and control facilities. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld revealed on Monday that he had ordered a change in tactics a month ago to inflict greater and longer-lasting damage on Iraq's air defenses and to make patrol missions of American and British aircraft over no-fly zones less risky. Late last month, the U.S. military stated that it had attacked an Iraqi air command unit in the south of the country. Iraqi officials claimed that what was targeted was a civilian facility. Since 1991, American and British aircraft have been patrolling the no-fly zones in northern and southern Iraq. Their mission is to protect Kurds and Shiites from Iraqi forces.
American Pilots Will Also Target Iraq's Command and Control Facilities - 2002-09-17
American pilots have been instructed to target Iraq's command and control facilities in addition to artillery and radar. This change in tactics aims to reduce risks for patrol missions and increase damage to Iraq's air defenses. The U.S. military's actions are part of a long-standing effort to protect Kurdish and Shiite populations from Iraqi forces.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
U.S. pilots have been ordered to target Iraq's command and control facilities in addition to artillery and radar installations. This tactical shift aims to enhance the effectiveness of patrol missions and weaken Iraq's air defenses.
- The U.S. military has been patrolling no-fly zones in Iraq since 1991.
- The new tactics were implemented to reduce risks for U.S. and British aircraft.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Since the Gulf War, the U.S. has maintained no-fly zones in Iraq to protect vulnerable populations from the Iraqi military, which has historically been a point of contention with Iran.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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Translation confidence: 85%