🧵 #OTD 20 years ago the US targeting community travelled to @20FighterWing for targeting week under OPLAN 1003 V - the "final" planning of the deliberate targeting phase for the Iraq war in 2003. #OIF @MarkHertling @laraseligman @MilAvHistory @militaryhistori @dave_brown24 1/ 
CIA, DIA, NSA, CENTAF, CENTCOM, UK, etc - went to the Outback steakhouse in @CityofSumter outside Shaw AFB to watch the AFC playoff game in a then dry county. The next day we started our macabre task. We plotted DMPIs on hundreds of buildings, worked with weaponeers, finalized 2/
the Joint Targeting List - all for naught as the eventual decision to hit Dora Farm scrapped the JTL and we started the targeting process anew and on the fly. Then I switched to leading High Value Targeting and the hunt for Saddam... I had helped create the "Black List" 3/
which became the basis for the "Deck of Cards." We had pulled the final names from a NY Yankees cap, months before. I had briefed JSOC before their insertion. So much prep. Yet for me January 19th is when the war began...and I am filled with grief.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
