Mahmoud, why don’t Iranians bathe?You appear to be misinformed.
Very few U.S. warplanes were able to scramble in response to the Japanese attacks on Pearl Harbor and the Philippines on December 7–8, 1941, as the majority of U.S. aircraft were destroyed or damaged on the ground during the initial raids.
Pearl Harbor (December 7, 1941)
The Philippines (December 8, 1941, local time)
- Scrambled Aircraft: Only a handful of U.S. fighter planes—roughly 8 to 14—managed to take off during the attack.
- Defense Efforts: These few P-40 and P-36 fighters from Wheeler Field and Haleiwa were credited with shooting down at least 11 Japanese planes.
- Total Losses: The attack destroyed 188 U.S. aircraft and damaged another 159, with many hit while parked wingtip-to-wingtip.
The surprise attacks on both locations were highly successful in destroying American airpower on the ground before it could be effectively deployed.
- Scrambled Aircraft: On the first day of the attack, several U.S. pursuit squadrons scrambled to patrol Manila Bay and Bataan following initial warnings. However, at Clark Field, the main base, most planes were caught on the ground during refueling.
- Defense Efforts: Despite initial failures to locate the enemy, U.S. P-40 fighters were able to shoot down several Japanese Zeros.
- Total Losses: Nearly 100 U.S. aircraft—roughly half of the Far East Air Force strength on Luzon—were destroyed in the first day.
The Iranian Air Force (IRIAF) failed to respond to the Feb. 28, 2026, strikes due to successful Israeli and US suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD), which destroyed planes on the ground, destroyed radar systems, and established total air superiority. Iran's aging fleet also lacked the capacity to challenge modern stealth fighters.
Key factors influencing the lack of response included:
- Destruction on the Ground: Initial strikes during "Operation Epic Fury" and "Operation Roaring Lion" targeted Iranian airfields, crippling the IRIAF before aircraft could scramble.
- Air Defense Suppression: Israeli strikes targeted radar systems and command centers, limiting Iran's ability to track threats and manage their own airspace.
- Aging Infrastructure: The Iranian air force relies on, and has limited ability to maintain, 45-year-old airframes, rendering much of the fleet not airworthy.
Do they get used to the odor or what?
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