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| Iraq |
| Al-Qaida cell in action near Basra |
| 2003-03-28 |
| BRITISH military interrogators claim captured Iraqi soldiers have told them that al-Qaida terrorists are fighting against allied troops near Basra. At least a dozen members of Osama bin Laden's network are in the town of Az Zubayr, where they are co-ordinating grenade and gun attacks on coalition positions, according to the Iraqi prisoners of war. A senior British military source inside Iraq said: "The information we have received from PoWs today is that an al-Qaida cell may be operating in Az Zubayr, near Basra in the south. There are possibly around a dozen of them and that is obviously a matter of concern to us." British forces were believed to be preparing a military strike on the base where the al-Qaida unit was understood to be holed up. Please do. We'd like the bodies. If confirmed, it would be the first proof of a direct link between Saddam's regime and Osama bin Laden. Which of course, was denied by everyone opposed to the US and British action. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #8 Liberalhawk. I got this off of Blogs of War: 12:42pm CST Saddam Hussein denies having chemical weapons, but U.S. intelligence has discovered more evidence that Iraqi forces may use chemical weapons. A U.S. official involved in military planning and intelligence said Iraqi troops have been seen between U.S. and Iraqi lines wearing full chemical protection suits and unloading 50-gallon drums from trucks. - AP |
| Posted by: tu3031 2003-03-28 13:47:19 |
| #7 Old Pat - And don't forget "Where is 1AD". Betcha the brighter Iraqi tin hats are worrying about that right this instant... |
| Posted by: Fred 2003-03-28 13:33:19 |
| #6 Liberalhawk: Uncertainties: Where is the 101st??? Some reports indicate they're providing security for the convoys heading north from Kuwait to 3ID positions. Others place them 'in the north', while some other indicators say they're in the west. I'd say they're where they're needed at the time. When will the 4th ID get there and be ready? First units arrived late yesterday afternoon, Baghdad time, or early this morning. We've been watching military transport aircraft leave Pete Field for two days now. The people leaving are part of the 4ID. My guess is that they'll be ready to move forward by about Tuesday morning, Baghdad time. What precisely is going on in Basra - how many fedayeen, what are iraqi regulars doing, how bad have fedayeen been hurt, any continued uprising, what have the brits taken, Similar questioins for Nasariya. Good question! I'd be willing to guess that SAS forces and British commandos are inside Basra, while the regular Army troups are trying to clear a way into the city without exposing themselves. Urban combat is a BI$$$!!! Whats with central command in Bagdad? - Looks like Uday is "hors de combat" but not Saddam. My guess is, Central Command in Baghdad is scattered all over the city,has very limited communications capability, and are constantly being hammered by 2000+ lb bombs. Wouldn't want to be any of those guys, no way, no how - even if it did mean a Swiss bank account in eight or nine figures. Current status of chemical weapons,alqaeeda reports? Fractured, incomplete, and probably labelled "TOP SECRET" as soon as anything's discovered. I think we want to prove he has this stuff, but not too soon. The sooner we acknowledge he has it, the sooner he can feel free to use it. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2003-03-28 13:20:06 |
| #5 Come to think of it, the Fox guy called them "chemical suits". Guess he didn't want to NBC a plug. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2003-03-28 11:56:02 |
| #4 NBC suits? Like Al Roker and Katie Curic wear on the morning show? Those bastards! |
| Posted by: Capsu78 2003-03-28 11:44:29 |
| #3 Liberalhawk. The Fox guy (Rick Leventhal?) with the Marines said this morning that some of their forward recon units have eyeballed Iraqis in NBC suits working with 55 gallon drums and they considered the chem/bio threat as very serious. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2003-03-28 11:08:50 |
| #2 Last couple of days: good news: 173rd air drop successful Iraqis retreating, Kurds advancing, near Kirkuk Al Ansar over-run Republican Guards being pounded, not retreating into Bagdad. Iraqi recon probes being destroyed. Brit forces pushing into Basra. Sir Galahad unloads in Um Qasr. Marines advance towards Kut and into al Diwaniyah. 3rd ID being rested and resupplied. Establishment of Talil airbase Further advance in west. Bad news: Continuing coalition casualties - even if its still low by historical standards, its enough to create anxiety (as well as tragic for those involved) Continuing difficulties in Nasariyah - unlike other Fedayeen harassment, this seems to threaten an important supply route. On the one hand, on the other hand: Iraqi atrocities - while horrible for the people of Iraq, may stiffen coalition resolve, counter Iraqi propaganda, and show us why no uprising yet Bagdad Strategic airstrikes - while some targets of obvious value (TV tower, communications nodes,etc) and I presume others are also, and while civilian casualties (even if the regime is telling the truth) are surprisingly low for this magnitude of air strike, still even this level of civ. casualties (in addition to being tragic for those involved) hurts the hearts and minds campaign both within Iraq and beyond - i hope the costs and benefits are working out. Uncertainties: Where is the 101st??? When will the 4th ID get there and be ready? What precisely is going on in Basra - how many fedayeen, what are iraqi regulars doing, how bad have fedayeen been hurt, any continued uprising, what have the brits taken, Similar questioins for Nasariya. Whats with central command in Bagdad? - Looks like Uday is "hors de combat" but not Saddam. Current status of chemical weapons,alqaeeda reports? |
| Posted by: liberalhawk 2003-03-28 10:32:11 |
| #1 Maybe they are getting this information from these guys..... http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/03/28/1048653839564.html SMH reports that "residents of the southern Iraqi city of Basra are helping coalition forces to arrest Iraqi militiamen, General Richard Myers, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of staff, said in an interview. "We are receiving a lot of help from Basra residents who are directing us to the positions of the Iraqi armed forces, to Baath officials and hideouts of Saddam's Fedayeen," Myers told the Qatar-based Al-Jazeera satellite network." |
| Posted by: becky 2003-03-28 10:09:30 |