It is being reported that yesterday there was some action in the southern no-fly zone in Iraq. The action involved Iraqi violations of the zone by Mig aircraft, and six multi-million dollar dud air-to-air missiles fired by American jets?

The first display of American technical expertise came southwest of Baghdad. Two U.S. Airforce F-15 Eagles were illuminated by the radars of two Iraqi Mig 25s. The American aircraft responded by firing one AIM-7 Sparrow and three AIM-120 AMRAM radar homing air-to-air missiles. All four failed to hit their targets? The second failed display of good old Yankee ingenuity was produced by the U.S. Navy, southeast of Baghdad. Two F-14 Tomcats were illuminated by two Iraqi Mig 25s ( the same two? ) and two AIM 54 Phoenix missiles were fired. These two missiles also failed to down their intended targets? Nice shooting, boys!

" We are willing to protect our aircraft. We are willing to protect the no-fly zone ", said Kenneth Bacon, Pentagon spokesman.

General Henry Shelton seemed to rationalize the escape of the Iraqi Migs with, they " fired at the edge of the engagement envelope ".

Evidently, a small number of other Iraqi aircraft types, including F1 Mirages and Mig 23s, participated in the violation of the no-fly zone with momentary incursions below the 33rd parallel. The only reported casuality was a Mig 23 which apparently ran out fuel short of the runway upon landing, and crashed.

So, what the heck is going on? Is American technology failing, or were these missiles fired with the intent for them to fail to reach their targets? Either one of these possibilities has it's own problem. If the missiles were faulty, the Department of Defense contractors have some " 'splaining to do "! If the missiles were fired at maximum range with little chance of finding their marks, why was over two million dollars worth of ordnance blown off for a dud fireworks show? The Sparrows are old, maybe around one hundred thousand dollars, but the AMRAMs are three hundred thousand bucks a piece. The Phoenix missile is the longest range and most expensive air-to-air missile in the U.S. Navy arsenal, and I believe a half a million dollars a piece. I can't believe that I am hoping that the latter explaination was the case. The only other reason for the six misses, would be some very effective new ECM ( electronic counter measures ) being employed by the not so update Soviet fighters flown by Saddam Hussein's airforce?

I support our military in their deployments, but am I the only one who thinks they should feel a bit embarassed at going zero for six, with American made high tech weapons?

- Bongo ( Could you please move a little closer next time? )