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what is shock and awe?
El_Kabong
Posts: 4,141
here is a collection of quotes about 'shock and awe' from this administration as well as the ppl who came up w/ the concept. as you can see the creators of it explain the purpose a bit differently than this administration.
White House Briefing with Ari Fleischer
Wednesday, February 19, 2003 – 12:15pm
Russell Mokhiber: You said last week that, “Every step will be taken to protect civilian and innocent life in Iraq.” But Pentagon officials have said that under the plan called ‘Shock and Awe,’ “there will not be a safe place in Baghdad when we attack. “The sheer size of this has never been seen before, never been contemplated before.”” Baghdad is a city the size of Paris, with five million residents. If there will not be a safe place when we attack, then how do you plan to protect every civilian life?
Ari Fleischer: First of all, I think that any construing of any statements that are made by anybody at the Pentagon to suggest that the Pentagon does not and will not take every step to protect innocent lives is an unfair representation of what the Pentagon would say. It's well-known how the United States conducts itself in military affairs. We are very proud of the fact that any time force is reluctantly used, the force is applied to military targets and innocents are protected.
...............................................................
weapons used in the first 48 hours of our 'shock & awe' campaign
600-800 cruise missile strikes on Baghdad (launched from destroyers, subs up to 1,000 miles away)
325 cruise missiles were used during the entire Gulf war, which lasted 39 days.
Average one strike every 4-5 minutes, for 48 hours
1500-3000 heavy “smart” bombs (“dumb bombs” converted with satellite-guidance kits)
“E-bombs” also known as HPM weapons (high-powered microwave) mounted on cruise missiles
Possibly B-61 nuclear bombs (known as “bunker busters”)
(The 2 day total is 10 times the total number of bombs / missiles used in entire 39-day Gulf War)
.............................................................................
Explanatory Notes and quotes about “E-bombs”
HPM weapons (High-powered microwave), can be mounted on cruise missiles
To be used starting on the first day of “Shock and Awe”
2 billion watt lightning bolts (more than the Hoover Dam generates in 24 hrs)
Described as 100 man-made lightning bolts focused into 1 high-velocity electromagnetic pulse
Fries all electronics in range: 300-1,000+ foot radius
“The top item in our boutique of capabilities.” – The Pentagon
"What’s good about it is that it doesn’t hurt people.” – The Pentagon
“Regurgitating PR press releases, the American press has hailed the HPM as a humane ‘wonder weapon.’” -- John Sutherland, The Guardian, 2/17/03
Media calls it “people friendly”
Can cripple hospitals and emergency medical services, fries people’s pacemakers
“Can travel deep into deeply buried bunkers through ventilation shafts, plumbing and antennas.”
HPM engineers call it “dial-a-hurt” –from official document titled “High Power
Microwaves: Strategic and Operational Implications for Warfare” by Eileen M.
Walling, Colonel, USAF
http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/cst/occppr11.htm
It has proved tempermental in tests.
“Although not primarily an anti-personnel device, those who have been exposed to HPM report that its effect is agonizing. The radiation penetrates below the skin, boiling nerve cells. It can blind. It induces uncontrollable panic (early research into HPM was as a crowd-control agent, and it can be used mounted on a humvee to scatter civilians by inflicting intense heat onto their skins.)
John Sutherland, The Guardian, 2/17/03, http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,3604,896930,00.html
[Harlan Ullman, the key architect and a co-author of the “Shock and Awe” battle plan] “once said it might be a good idea to use electromagnetic waves that attack peoples’ neurological systems, ‘to control the will and perception of adversaries, by applying a regime of Shock and Awe. It is about affecting behavior.’” – Ira Chernus, 1/27/03
http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0127-08.htm
“…HPM systems that can be fielded to incapacitate even a relatively primitive society.
In using these weapons, the nerve centers of that society would be attacked…” – Shock and Awe (1996)
“Will Iraqi civilians serve as guinea pigs? No one knows what the long-term effect of microwave exposure is.” -- John Sutherland, The Guardian, 2/17/03
Although the Pentagon says it prefers not to use experimental weapons on the battlefield, “the world intervenes from time to time,” Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says. “And you reach in there and take something out that is still in a developmental stage, and you might use it.”
....................................................................................
Harlan Ullman, (chief architect of the “Shock and Awe” Rapid Dominance battle plan), 1/24/03
(Ullman is a civilian “defense intellectual” who co-authored “Shock and Awe” (1996); currently is an analyst for Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS); was a U.S. Navy pilot in Vietnam, commanded a destroyer during the first Gulf War.)
“So that you have this simultaneous effect, rather like the nuclear weapons at Hiroshima, not taking days or weeks, but in minutes.” CBS, 1/24/03
“You also take the city down. By that I mean you get rid of their power, water. In 2, 3, 4, 5 days they are physically, emotionally, and psychologically exhausted.” CBS, 1/24/03
“The pressure will continue until we run out of targets.”
“You’ll see simultaneous attacks of hundreds of warheads, maybe thousands.”
“…this Shock and Awe may not necessitate imposing the full destruction of either nuclear weapons or advanced conventional technologies, but must be underwritten by the ability to do so.”
Colin Powell, U.S. Secretary of State: [Harlan Ullman] “raised my vision several levels.”
.........................................................................
More harlan ullman quotes:
In some of the examples, the objective is to apply brutal levels of power and force to achieve Shock and Awe. In the attempt to keep war "immaculate," at least in limiting collateral damage, one point should not be forgotten. Above all, war is a nasty business or, as Sherman put it, "war is hell." While there are surely humanitarian considerations that cannot or should not be ignored, the ability to Shock and Awe ultimately rests in the ability to frighten, scare, intimidate, and disarm. The Clausewitzian dictum concerning the violent nature of war is dismissed only at our peril.
<b>There is also the option of applying massive destruction against purely civilian or "counter-value" targets</b> such as the firebombing of Tokyo in World War II when unconditionality marks the terms of surrender. It is the cumulative impact of destruction on the endurance and capacity of the adversary that ultimately affects the will to resist that is the central foundation of this example…..
Achieving Shock and Awe rests in the ability to deter and overpower an adversary through the adversary's perception and fear of his vulnerability and our own invincibility.
The second example is "Hiroshima and Nagasaki" noted earlier. The intent here is to impose a regime of Shock and Awe through delivery of instant, nearly incomprehensible levels of massive destruction directed at influencing society writ large, meaning its leadership and public, rather than targeting directly against military or strategic objectives even with relatively few numbers or systems. The employment of this capability against society and its values, called "counter-value" in the nuclear deterrent jargon, is massively destructive strikes directly at the public will of the adversary to resist and, ideally or theoretically, would instantly or quickly incapacitate that will over the space of a few hours or days…..
Shutting the country down would entail both the physical destruction of appropriate infrastructure and the shutdown and control of the flow of all vital information and associated commerce so rapidly as to achieve a level of national shock akin to the effect that dropping nuclear weapons on Hiroshima and Nagasaki had on the Japanese. Simultaneously, Iraq's armed forces would be paralyzed with the neutralization or destruction of its capabilities. Deception, disinformation, and misinformation would be applied massively.
…it would be vitally important to give the appearance that there are no safe havens from attack, and that any target may be attacked at any time with impunity and force.
[Options for targeting] “could include means of communication, transportation, food production, water supply, and other aspects of infrastructure…”
White House Briefing with Ari Fleischer
Wednesday, February 19, 2003 – 12:15pm
Russell Mokhiber: You said last week that, “Every step will be taken to protect civilian and innocent life in Iraq.” But Pentagon officials have said that under the plan called ‘Shock and Awe,’ “there will not be a safe place in Baghdad when we attack. “The sheer size of this has never been seen before, never been contemplated before.”” Baghdad is a city the size of Paris, with five million residents. If there will not be a safe place when we attack, then how do you plan to protect every civilian life?
Ari Fleischer: First of all, I think that any construing of any statements that are made by anybody at the Pentagon to suggest that the Pentagon does not and will not take every step to protect innocent lives is an unfair representation of what the Pentagon would say. It's well-known how the United States conducts itself in military affairs. We are very proud of the fact that any time force is reluctantly used, the force is applied to military targets and innocents are protected.
...............................................................
weapons used in the first 48 hours of our 'shock & awe' campaign
600-800 cruise missile strikes on Baghdad (launched from destroyers, subs up to 1,000 miles away)
325 cruise missiles were used during the entire Gulf war, which lasted 39 days.
Average one strike every 4-5 minutes, for 48 hours
1500-3000 heavy “smart” bombs (“dumb bombs” converted with satellite-guidance kits)
“E-bombs” also known as HPM weapons (high-powered microwave) mounted on cruise missiles
Possibly B-61 nuclear bombs (known as “bunker busters”)
(The 2 day total is 10 times the total number of bombs / missiles used in entire 39-day Gulf War)
.............................................................................
Explanatory Notes and quotes about “E-bombs”
HPM weapons (High-powered microwave), can be mounted on cruise missiles
To be used starting on the first day of “Shock and Awe”
2 billion watt lightning bolts (more than the Hoover Dam generates in 24 hrs)
Described as 100 man-made lightning bolts focused into 1 high-velocity electromagnetic pulse
Fries all electronics in range: 300-1,000+ foot radius
“The top item in our boutique of capabilities.” – The Pentagon
"What’s good about it is that it doesn’t hurt people.” – The Pentagon
“Regurgitating PR press releases, the American press has hailed the HPM as a humane ‘wonder weapon.’” -- John Sutherland, The Guardian, 2/17/03
Media calls it “people friendly”
Can cripple hospitals and emergency medical services, fries people’s pacemakers
“Can travel deep into deeply buried bunkers through ventilation shafts, plumbing and antennas.”
HPM engineers call it “dial-a-hurt” –from official document titled “High Power
Microwaves: Strategic and Operational Implications for Warfare” by Eileen M.
Walling, Colonel, USAF
http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/cst/occppr11.htm
It has proved tempermental in tests.
“Although not primarily an anti-personnel device, those who have been exposed to HPM report that its effect is agonizing. The radiation penetrates below the skin, boiling nerve cells. It can blind. It induces uncontrollable panic (early research into HPM was as a crowd-control agent, and it can be used mounted on a humvee to scatter civilians by inflicting intense heat onto their skins.)
John Sutherland, The Guardian, 2/17/03, http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,3604,896930,00.html
[Harlan Ullman, the key architect and a co-author of the “Shock and Awe” battle plan] “once said it might be a good idea to use electromagnetic waves that attack peoples’ neurological systems, ‘to control the will and perception of adversaries, by applying a regime of Shock and Awe. It is about affecting behavior.’” – Ira Chernus, 1/27/03
http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0127-08.htm
“…HPM systems that can be fielded to incapacitate even a relatively primitive society.
In using these weapons, the nerve centers of that society would be attacked…” – Shock and Awe (1996)
“Will Iraqi civilians serve as guinea pigs? No one knows what the long-term effect of microwave exposure is.” -- John Sutherland, The Guardian, 2/17/03
Although the Pentagon says it prefers not to use experimental weapons on the battlefield, “the world intervenes from time to time,” Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says. “And you reach in there and take something out that is still in a developmental stage, and you might use it.”
....................................................................................
Harlan Ullman, (chief architect of the “Shock and Awe” Rapid Dominance battle plan), 1/24/03
(Ullman is a civilian “defense intellectual” who co-authored “Shock and Awe” (1996); currently is an analyst for Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS); was a U.S. Navy pilot in Vietnam, commanded a destroyer during the first Gulf War.)
“So that you have this simultaneous effect, rather like the nuclear weapons at Hiroshima, not taking days or weeks, but in minutes.” CBS, 1/24/03
“You also take the city down. By that I mean you get rid of their power, water. In 2, 3, 4, 5 days they are physically, emotionally, and psychologically exhausted.” CBS, 1/24/03
“The pressure will continue until we run out of targets.”
“You’ll see simultaneous attacks of hundreds of warheads, maybe thousands.”
“…this Shock and Awe may not necessitate imposing the full destruction of either nuclear weapons or advanced conventional technologies, but must be underwritten by the ability to do so.”
Colin Powell, U.S. Secretary of State: [Harlan Ullman] “raised my vision several levels.”
.........................................................................
More harlan ullman quotes:
In some of the examples, the objective is to apply brutal levels of power and force to achieve Shock and Awe. In the attempt to keep war "immaculate," at least in limiting collateral damage, one point should not be forgotten. Above all, war is a nasty business or, as Sherman put it, "war is hell." While there are surely humanitarian considerations that cannot or should not be ignored, the ability to Shock and Awe ultimately rests in the ability to frighten, scare, intimidate, and disarm. The Clausewitzian dictum concerning the violent nature of war is dismissed only at our peril.
<b>There is also the option of applying massive destruction against purely civilian or "counter-value" targets</b> such as the firebombing of Tokyo in World War II when unconditionality marks the terms of surrender. It is the cumulative impact of destruction on the endurance and capacity of the adversary that ultimately affects the will to resist that is the central foundation of this example…..
Achieving Shock and Awe rests in the ability to deter and overpower an adversary through the adversary's perception and fear of his vulnerability and our own invincibility.
The second example is "Hiroshima and Nagasaki" noted earlier. The intent here is to impose a regime of Shock and Awe through delivery of instant, nearly incomprehensible levels of massive destruction directed at influencing society writ large, meaning its leadership and public, rather than targeting directly against military or strategic objectives even with relatively few numbers or systems. The employment of this capability against society and its values, called "counter-value" in the nuclear deterrent jargon, is massively destructive strikes directly at the public will of the adversary to resist and, ideally or theoretically, would instantly or quickly incapacitate that will over the space of a few hours or days…..
Shutting the country down would entail both the physical destruction of appropriate infrastructure and the shutdown and control of the flow of all vital information and associated commerce so rapidly as to achieve a level of national shock akin to the effect that dropping nuclear weapons on Hiroshima and Nagasaki had on the Japanese. Simultaneously, Iraq's armed forces would be paralyzed with the neutralization or destruction of its capabilities. Deception, disinformation, and misinformation would be applied massively.
…it would be vitally important to give the appearance that there are no safe havens from attack, and that any target may be attacked at any time with impunity and force.
[Options for targeting] “could include means of communication, transportation, food production, water supply, and other aspects of infrastructure…”
standin above the crowd
he had a voice that was strong and loud and
i swallowed his facade cos i'm so
eager to identify with
someone above the crowd
someone who seemed to feel the same
someone prepared to lead the way
he had a voice that was strong and loud and
i swallowed his facade cos i'm so
eager to identify with
someone above the crowd
someone who seemed to feel the same
someone prepared to lead the way
Post edited by Unknown User on
0
Comments
That should be the US gov't official public slogan...