Doubt Cast on Sourse of Hotel Attack

jegs2 · Post by **jegs2** » 2003-04-09 04:00pm

From this story:

He added that after examining the scene he concluded it was virtually impossible for the US tank to have fired on the 15th floor room.

"I have to say I rather doubt it and, having been underneath it and looking up now just before it got dark at the hole again in the side of the hotel, I still doubt it.

"For a start the damage to the hotel is superficial, it's only the masonry that's been torn off in a very small area, a tank shell would have done more damage I feel.

"Secondly the angle that the tank would have to have reached to hit that roof, it would more or less have had to have shot just round the corner and I don't think even the Americans have got those kinds of weapons."

Discuss.

theski · Post by **theski** » 2003-04-09 04:01pm

Jegs2 I posted the BBC link in Breaking news.. Is it the same?

jegs2 · Post by **jegs2** » 2003-04-09 04:10pm

theski wrote:Jegs2 I posted the BBC link in Breaking news.. Is it the same?

One and the same -- we can discuss it here or a mod can move this to the Breaking News Discussion thread.

Warspite · Post by **Warspite** » 2003-04-09 05:09pm

"That is pure speculation. I just think there must still be some doubt over this area."

Just wanted to start with this one...

I have heard talks from military analysts, that have "theorised" the shell fired from the Abrams was an antitank round, instead of a high-explosive one. That could account for the small damage done from the shot. Of course, it's speculation, but one that suits nicely into the small evidence there is.

kojikun · Post by **kojikun** » 2003-04-09 05:16pm

I have heard talks from military analysts, that have "theorised" the shell fired from the Abrams was an antitank round, instead of a high-explosive one. That could account for the small damage done from the shot. Of course, it's speculation, but one that suits nicely into the small evidence there is.

I'd wager that an armor piercing antitank round can do more damage than knock a few square feet of plaster and brick off a wall.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-04-09 05:19pm

If it was sabot there would be only one impact point, but it would have gone clear through. All there is a small crater and some other lesser damage. A HEAT round also would have blasted a big crater. A high caliber auto cannon is really the only thing I can think off that would do that with. It might be some rooftop gunner shot at it with a burst of 23mm cannon or a Bradley was hitting it. But that wouldn't sound like a tank cannon firing or shell impacting.

What would be good to see is the inside of the room. Its possibul that the shell exploded inside. But that wouldn't blow off the masonry in that fashion, it was clearly hit from the outside.

Might have been some combination, an auto cannon killed them but the tank fired its shot at the same time.

Warspite · Post by **Warspite** » 2003-04-09 05:26pm

The photo only shows the outside damage, not the damage done inside the hotel rooms, and the author clearly states a hole on the 15th floor, even so, I don't think the damage shown was created by the fire round.

I recall footage from several news agencies, were they show the damage done to several rooms, and it wasn't that much, just a lot of masonry all over the place, with the usual debris from clothes, furniture, etc. I don't remember seeing burned up, totally fucked, rooms, as if an explosion had happened.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2003-04-09 05:54pm

It was obviously an American weapon. If it was an Iraqi weapon, it would have misfired or failed to explode on impact

EmperorChrostas the Cruel · Post by **EmperorChrostas the Cruel** » 2003-04-09 09:40pm

Or never used!

Darth Fanboy · Post by **Darth Fanboy** » 2003-04-11 03:48am

Doesnt matter wether it was American or not, fact of the matter is that the PR damage has been done. Saddam could go on Al Jazeera right now and give up surrender and plead guilty for all sorts of war crimes and we'll still be hearing about American Imperialism all the while.