From: Frederick Burroughs <riburr@shentel.net>
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1998 09:33:04 +0800
To: Cypherpunks <cypherpunks@ns.minder.net>
Subject: Re: Clinton Attacks Iraq
In-Reply-To: <199812172117.WAA10224@replay.com>
Message-ID: <3679A6BD.3CED0FC8@shentel.net>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



There is limited outrage being expressed by some members of the UN Security
Council over the use of UN weapons monitoring information to strike targets in
Iraq. The latest US military action in Iraq, dubbed Desert Fox, utilized
information acquired from UNSCOM weapons inspection teams to develop targeting
priorities and improve strike precision.

Specifically, positioning data from GPS receivers used by weapons inspectors at
inspection sites in Iraq provided precise targeting coordinates for US cruise
missiles. Information from UN inspectors was also used to prioritize targets
into several categories, including: High threat defensive sites such as
antiaircraft missile and radar facilities, medium threat command and
communications sites, and low threat power and manufacturing plants. GPS data
was essential for targeting high threat sites located near residential areas.

Some suggestion has been made to sequester the GPS receivers, some of which may
store a record of use in memory. A case is being made that, in the instance of
Desert Fox, the use of UN property and UN operations aided and increased the
likelihood and effectiveness of military force. Scott Ritter, former UN weapons
inspector, was interviewed on NBC's Today show on Dec. 17. Mr. Ritter said, "The
U.S. has perverted the U.N. weapons inspection process by using it as a tool to
justify military action, falsely so."

And, for those who require it ;-)