The Washington Times reports that four AC-130 gunships will be based in Iraq, presumably for the duration. The planes have already been used in Iraq, but now they will be based somewhere inside Iraq to cut down on the time it takes to bring them into action.
The slow-moving AC-130s also offer an intelligence-gathering advantage in the Iraq fight: sophisticated long-range video, infrared and radar sensors.
American commanders are marshaling all available tools to detect the Iraqi insurgents' stealthy operations, especially at night, when they plant roadside bombs targeting American road patrols and convoys.
The Air Force's senior tactical commander in Iraq said the AC-130 can be both a high-intensity and low-intensity weapon.
"It's got tons of guns, and it's got all kinds of stuff on it that can be applied to the problems you have," said Brig. Gen. Frank Gorenc, who refused to discuss the current AC-130 deployment.
That "stuff" includes "the ability to take these high-tech pods and to use them to find guys planting [bombs] and to find other nefarious activity," he said.
The times also mentions that there has been criticism of their use.
The use of AC-130s in places such as Fallujah, urban settings where insurgents may be among crowded populations of noncombatants, has been criticized by human rights groups.
How long will it take for our "loyal opposition" to try to bludgeon the Administration over this.
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