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| Iraq |
| Commander of Iraqi 51st Division Surrenders |
| 2003-03-21 |
| This is from the NYTimes -- link might require registration. The commander of Iraq's 51st division and his top deputy surrendered to United States Marine forces today, according to American military officials. I hope these guys don't have family anywhere where Saddam can get ahold of them. It was the first time that the commander of an Iraqi division has surrendered to allied forces. The 51st is a Regular Army unit that was deployed in southern Iraq directly in the path of the allied invasion. Bad place to be. American forces made a determined effort to persuade the 51st division to give in, including leaflets and propaganda broadcasts. The leaflets instructed Iraqi forces that did not want to fight to park their tanks and walk at least half a mile away. American officials said that many of the soldiers of the 51st had simply left their posts and that the division melted away. Psy-ops backed by massive force: the gift that keeps on giving. There are indications that other Regular Army forces want to surrender or stay out of the fight. The most loyal capable forces, however, are the Republican Guards, who still seem determined to fight. Oh well, the question of what to do with the guys who had been part of the RG was going to be an awkward one. Now it's settled. We make an example of them. The Republican Guard forces around Baghdad were targeted in the air strikes conducted tonight. Think it over, boys. |
| Posted by:Patrick Phillps |
| #4 CIA seems to think that Chemical Ali got a fatal dose of whupass in the inital strike, along with Ramadan and al Douri. http://abcnews.go.com/sections/world/Primetime/iraq_main030321.html |
| Posted by: jrosevear 2003-03-21 18:50:20 |
| #3 If the RG fights. They fought last time, and they got clobbered. 2nd Cav held them by the nose and 1st AD kicked their butts - Tawakalna, 12th Armored Div, Adnan, and Medinah. |
| Posted by: Fred 2003-03-21 16:30:10 |
| #2 It wasn't the ONLY division around basra, as well as the fact aht teh RG troops are being led by chemical ali, who won't be willing to give up without a fight. Though I do agree that basrah will fall pretty soon (within 12 - 24 hrs) but.. not for the reason of the 51st giving up. THis will be won by good old fashioned combat, not a wave of surrenders. Not with the RG anyway. DS "the horns hold up the halo" |
| Posted by: DeviantSaint 2003-03-21 16:09:55 |
| #1 51st was the main regular army division in Basra area. Basra should be falling any minute now. |
| Posted by: liberalhawk 2003-03-21 15:35:12 |