December 16, 1998. Copyright, 1998, Graphic News. All rights reserved

SMART BOMBS WILL PLAY CRUCIAL ROLE IN IRAQ
By Oliver Burkeman

LONDON, December 16, Graphic News: ÔSMARTÕ bombs will play an unprecedented role in air strikes against Iraq if diplomatic efforts fail to resolve the the third weapons inspection crisis in 10 months. 
Although footage from laser-guided weapons dominated press conferences during the 1991 Gulf War, they accounted for only nine percent of the bombs dropped by Allied forces, according to the U.S. Air Force. This time, almost all the missiles carried by the USAF strike aircraft stationed in the Gulf Ð and a majority of the U.S. NavyÕs arsenal Ð include ÔsmartÕ targeting technology designed to minimise civilian deaths, or Ôcollateral damageÕ. 
Allied confidence in the weaponry was epitomised by the U.S. military spokesman who told reporters in 1991 that Ôwe couldnÕt have taken a pick-up truck and laid those bombs out there any more accurately.Õ
But while the Pentagon claims that 80 percent of smart bombs deployed in the Gulf hit their targets, a report by the U.S. General Accounting Office has put the figure at 40 percent, adding that claims made for the weapons have been Ôoverstated, misleading, inconsistent with the best available data, or unverifiable.Õ Laser-guided bombs ran into trouble in rain, smoke and darkness, when pilots were unable to guide them to their targets.
Improvements since 1991 include the satellite-based Ôfire and forgetÕ Global Positioning System, which allows targeting information to be transmitted to missiles from outer space regardless of weather or light conditions.
Laser-guided ÔBunker BusterÕ GBU-28 bombs capable of penetrating thick walls of concrete to destroy underground targets Ð two of which were used in the closing days of Desert Storm Ð are also set to take centre stage. But since they can only be launched from F-15 planes, their use may be hindered by the reluctance of countries in the region to allow U.S. use of bases on their territory.
Ultimately, the bombs are only as smart as the military intelligence used to decide their targets Ð and here grave doubts remain. ÔWe are not confident that we know where [Iraqi weapons sites] are [or] what has been destroyed,Õ admitted Phyllis Oakley, assistant U.S. secretary of state for intelligence and research, during a session of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence earlier this year.
The failure of Allied technology could even lead to SaddamÕs chemical and biological arsenal being released into the atmosphere, instead of vaporised, with disastrous consequences.
ÔThe evidence available from CIA studies suggests that even if charges are placed directly under munitions, only 20-30 percent would be destroyed,Õ said Dr Alistair Hay, reader in chemical pathology at the University of Leeds. ÔSome of that goes into the air as vapour, and that could affect people through skin contact or inhalation. But if they target production capability, there would be less of a risk. The precursors for making chemical agents like mustard gas are about 1,000 times less toxic that the finished product.Õ
Paul Beaver, of the military information group, JaneÕs, strikes another warning note. ÔThe politicians now believe that you can have surgical strikes,Õ he said. ÔI donÕt believe you can have surgical strikes. There will always be errors.Õ
ENDS

Sources: JaneÕs