DoD News Briefing
Tuesday, November 09, 1999 - 1:45 p.m.
Presenter: P.J. Crowley, PDASD PA
....................
QIt appears that the Iraqis are intensifying their efforts against U.S. aircraft. Do you have a trend line on that? We have been dropping more bombs on them lately than had been the pattern in the past.
MR. CROWLEY: I would say that -- I wouldn't necessarily see a major difference.
As you know, since Desert Fox, they have been using all elements of their air defense system to threaten our aircraft, as we continue to enforce the no-fly zones, both north and south. And you know, given the way that they have employed their air defense system repeatedly to threaten our pilots, we have chosen to take appropriate action at a time and place of our choosing.
So you know, there was an incident today where Iraqi forces fired anti-aircraft artillery on a Northern Watch aircraft near Bashiqah. And it was during one of these routine no-fly-zone patrols. And we took an appropriate response in dealing with that threat.
QAre the Iraqis getting closer to our aircraft?
MR. CROWLEY: Now -- I mean -- not withstanding we have been at this for some time -- our aircraft do remain under fire. There is no question that Saddam Hussein has set as a goal, shooting down one of our aircraft. There is always going to be risk associated with these operations. I think it's a testament to the skill of our pilots that, notwithstanding that our aircraft have been threatened, on literally hundreds of occasions, that we have successful enforced these no-fly zones without losing an aircraft.
I am not aware of any significant increase in Iraqi capabilities. Their AAA fire, for example, you know going back to Desert Storm, has usually been ready, fire, aim; just trying to put as much flak up in the sky in the hopes of a one-in-a-million shot.
So I'm not aware of any particular new capabilities that they've demonstrated, but you know, you have to look at the odds here, that any time we put our aircraft and pilots in harm's way, there's a risk to them. That's why we have dealt forcefully with the Iraqis every time that they have threatened our aircraft.
QSo you have not seen an increase in close calls in the last --
MR. CROWLEY: I mean, I think our pilots have come back in recent days and reported that there have been a couple of close calls. But we think that's just dumb luck. We don't think that that represents any kind of change in their capability or tactics.
QAnd what does a "close call" mean to you?
MR. CROWLEY: I mean, I don't know. I also would not want to go into that specific detail, because it might get to, you know, how we approach these missions. We do change our tactics. We do change how we do the enforcement regime, so that we don't get into a pattern that makes us predictable to Iraqis. Jack, I don't know the specifics in terms of how close is a close call.
QHave any planes actually been hit?
MR. CROWLEY: No. Not -- well --
QAntiaircraft figure or anything?
MR. CROWLEY: Not recently. Not that I'm aware of.
QNot recently.
MR. CROWLEY: I mean, go back to Desert Fox. I think we did have, you know, some instances where aircraft have been hit. I'm not aware of any hits, but then again, I don't necessarily see that on a day-to-day basis.
............QTo follow up Jack's colloquy, if the unfortunate happens and an air crew is shot down by Iraq, what is the administration's position as to their status? Are they considered prisoners of war and therefore Geneva conventions apply? Or since the war is over, does that not apply? What is the pilots' status?
MR. CROWLEY: Not being a lawyer, let me take the question. I mean, I'm sure -- obviously, anytime that we operate there are some Geneva convention implications to it. And I think that would apply, you know, in any kind of operation that we have underway. But let me take the question.
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http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Nov1999/t11091999_t1109asd.html
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