Here's what the attack on Syria (most likely) will consist of

[cali]

(the administration hasn't exactly been hush hush on this)

Cruise missiles only fired from offshore and directed at a few select military installations. Very limited, of short duration and not intended to cripple the capabilities of the Assad regime but to "punish".

Can you spell "political posturing"?

Here’s a telling map of the most likely strike targets in Syria

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/08/28/heres-a-telling-map-of-the-most-likely-strike-targets-in-syria/

[polichick]

1. Face saving...

But that's better than another bullshit war designed to enrich private contractors.

[geek tragedy]

2. Pretty much pointless, but also hardly reminiscent of Vietnam or Iraq. nt

[pampango]

3. If runways are destroyed, the Syrian air force will be grounded. That will eliminate one big

advantage that Assad has in his battle with the rebels. Runways are easy to hit, not usually surrounded by civilians and a better way to ground his air force than providing anti-aircraft weapons to the opposition which carries all kinds of long term risks.

I don't think Assad would look at losing the use of his jets as "political posturing". He knows that the rebels have no defense against bombing by his air force. Losing this advantage, even for a short while is a cost to him. And it reveals how easy it is to take his jets out of the military equation in the future.

...what looks poised to happen in Syria is expected to be much more limited, (than what happened in Libya), likely restricted mostly or entirely to off-shore cruise missile strikes against stationary targets like runways and military buildings.

If Bush/Cheney were in charge I doubt we would accuse them of "political posturing" since they would prefer to use "shock and awe" with a follow-up invasion.

[stevenleser]

5. Runway attacks are pointless. Particularly in a dictatorial regime, you just commandeer a highway

in the short term and getting a minimal operating strip back up and running is a skill that is well publicized. The USAF documents on it are online for instance: http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a467547.pdf

I was an EA "Engineers Assistant" when I was in the USAF and part of my responsibilities was to know how to assist engineers with getting a minimal operating (Air) strip back up and running if the airstrip at a base I was assigned to was bombed. Even with a lot of damage with special runway penetrating bombs, you can accomplish this pretty quickly.

[MineralMan]

6. The thing is - we know the entire order of battle of Syria,

and have the capability of taking out the actual aircraft, as well. Of that I'm quite certain, unless the Syrians are moving them as we write. In that case, we will shortly have the new locations as well.

Times have changed.

[stevenleser]

7. That is a different matter. Person I responded to talked about destroying runways.

Once upon a time attacking a countries airbase runways was thought of as a strategy. Again, until it became obvious that you can use any highway as a temporary airstrip.

[pampango]

8. Thanks For the input. I was basing my post on this information from the Guardian.

I understand that cratering runways would only be useful militarily if they were recratered regularly. Would not using highways for regular air force operations make it less effective?

The Syrian Air Force (SAF) currently conducts three missions on an ongoing basis that result in regime forces having a significant strategic advantage over rebel forces. Those missions are:

• Receiving aerial resupply of weapons, ammunition, and other supplies from Iran and Russia
• Conducting aerial resupply of Syrian Arab Army (SAA) units deployed against rebel forces
• Conducting area bombing of rebel held territory

Syrian Air Force and Air Defense
Total airfields in syria: There are approximately 27 airbases in Syria capable of supporting at least one of the SAF’s primary missions.

Current status: The 27 airbases are identified by the following categories:

• Primary airbases under regime control, currently supporting SAF operations (6) May 2013
• Secondary airbases under regime control not currently supporting operations (12)*
• Airbases in contested territory / under siege, not available to the regime for operations (5)
• Airbases in rebel controlled territory (4)

Purpose and Assumptions
Purpose: Identify US weapon types and sortie counts required substantially to degrade the ability Syrian Air Force and Air Defense
of the Syrian Air Force (SAF) to conduct three primary missions.

Assumptions:
• Complete destruction of SAF or supporting infrastructure (runways, control towers, fuel depots) is not required as long as SAF ability to conduct its missions is degraded
• No intent to establish a full No Fly Zone (NFZ)
• No requirement to completely eliminate the Syrian Integrated Air Defense System (IADS)
• No requirement to degrade Syrian rotary wing (helicopter) forces

http://www.understandingwar.org/sites/default/files/RequiredSorties-to-DegradeSyrianAirPower.pdf

[KoKo]

4. I've read they want to attack their Air Bases

so that we can put a "No Fly Zone" in place. Syrian military apparently has much more airpower than Libya had. And, the terrain/location of the bases in Syria made it harder to hit the air bases with rockets.

But, I see the WaPo says they can target the runways which I guess would hamper Syrian air power somewhat in the short term.

Whether it's strategic targeting where no civilians are killed or wounded or there's more targeted than what WaPo has been told.. it still means that we have have pushed the boundaries of our "interventions" further to a point where nothing can stop us from doing this again to Iran or wherever we so choose for whatever reason we decide to tell the American People and the UN.

[Johonny]

9. I think they might just run "BEST OF CRAP BLOWING UP" videos from the gulf war

if they told you it was from their strikes in Syria honestly would any American know the difference?

Why waste valuable missiles when we have all the video we will ever need of crap blowing up?

[cali]

10. kick. worth it for the map