Article

2003-04-01 Iraq

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by Steve 2003-04-01 10:26 am|| || Front Page|| [13 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 interesting to contrast this with WaPo, which this AM says brits are sitting outside Basra, essentially waiting for Bagdad to fall first, and have not moved into city at all. Telegraph's map al Khasib as within 10 miles of center of Basra - shows Brits within 10 to 20 miles all around.

Im not sure whats happening - the usual fog of war and reporters "looking through a straw" (and US reporters not understanding the "sandhurst way of war")or if there is deliberate disinformation going on, one way or the other.

Too many contradictions
1. Brits are pushing into Basra, and sitting quietly outside it
2. 3rd ID and Marines are waiting for air campaign and raids to reduce RG, or are pushing towards Bagdad.
3. Iraqis are pulling RG's rapidly from north, while we are quietly wrestling with the Kurds and Turks about what to do about Kirkuk - Kurds say the northern front wont happen in obvious way.

I think (hope?) something important and largely invisible is underway, im certainly not sure what.

Posted by liberalhawk 2003-04-01 10:54:00|| 2003-04-01 10:54:00|| Front Page Top

#2 saddam was supposed to give a speech at noon EST today. The speech was read by the information minister.

Didn't even have a tape of Saddam. Odds that he's dead or badly injured are very high now, I'd say.

Posted by liberalhawk 2003-04-01 11:38:54|| 2003-04-01 11:38:54|| Front Page Top

#3 Liberalhawk, what do you mean by 'supposed to'? Is this a monthly thing, an annual thing, a scheduled-months-ago-thing, or something scheduled since that strike? Would make all the difference if the Iraqis had recently promised he'd be on air in the last few days...

Posted by Bulldog 2003-04-01 11:45:07|| 2003-04-01 11:45:07|| Front Page Top

#4 More good news! I love it! Further proof that once they kick in the door good and hard, the whole rotten edifice will come down. The Iraqi people just need to believe we won't abandon them (again), and then the battle is won.

This scenario will be playing out all over Iraq in the next few weeks. We just have to be patient and supportive.

Posted by Dar Steckelberg 2003-04-01 12:47:28|| 2003-04-01 12:47:28|| Front Page Top

#5 You realize that all this is during a "6 day pause".

We need more pauses like this.

Posted by OldSpook 2003-04-01 12:52:46|| 2003-04-01 12:52:46|| Front Page Top

#6 Liberalhawk. My bet is they've got something going out west. All we're hearing about is the northern and southern front, and it appears Sammy's pulling forces from the north to the south. In the west, they took 2 airfields the first day and we haven't heard much since. I think they took those airfields for more then eliminating the Israeli Scud threat.

Posted by tu3031 2003-04-01 13:03:23|| 2003-04-01 13:03:23|| Front Page Top

#7 4ID started arriving in Kuwait today...

Posted by Fred 2003-04-01 13:32:23|| 2003-04-01 13:32:23|| Front Page Top

09:39 raptor
07:13 Bulldog
00:52 Brew
23:37 RW
23:29 mojo
23:23 mojo
23:17 True German Ally
23:14 mojo
23:10 mojo
22:54 Former Russian Major
22:52 tu3031
22:46 H.D. Miller
22:32 tu3031
22:21 becky
22:21 Anonymous
22:20 anon1
22:17 Former Russian Major
22:11 Anonymous
22:10 markiv
22:10 Frank G
22:10 Former Russian Major
22:04 OldSpook
21:53 OldSpook
21:52 True German Ally