USAF Lt. Gen. Walter E. Buchanan III, commander of US Central Command Air Forces, told the Associated Press news service at the Dubai (United Arab Emirates) Air Show that he knows that some “civilian casualties” have been “staged.” Buchanan, who retires early next year, was responding to questions about collateral damage in the war in Iraq. He told AP that coalition air forces are “very, very careful” about controlling “collateral damage.” CENTAF uses precision-guided munitions and, says Buchanan, “they are always the smallest weapons possible.”
Air Force depots are not typically meant for quick repair jobs, but during Operation Epic Fury, the service moved some of its stateside heavy maintenance capability forward to fix battle-damaged aircraft closer to the fight.
