Day 9

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm...t_afp/iraq_war_kurds_front&cid=1514&ncid=1478

Iraqi's withdrawing in the North.

 

war is hell - the more violently we get after the Republican Guard and eliminate them the sooner the regime will implode -

Fedeyeen is not the center of mass - the RG is

the sooner the 4th ID gets into fray - the sooner this will be over

the 173rd will do a great job of keeping the Turks out - why else do you think they are there?

 

This combined with news of the aid getting through, is really encouraging news.

 

Anyone have predictions for day 90?

 

Very very hot weather (50°C).

 

I hate press conferences with Blair and Bush. Blair intelligently answers the question at hand while Bush repeatedly recites single phrase mantras like a retard at a Spelling Bee.

 

Democrats' dilemma solved!

Blair for President, 2004.

 

Since a trade is probably out of the question, what is the transfer fee that parliment has put on Blair?

 

Re: Re: Democrats' dilemma solved!

<insert 2000 Presidential "election" joke here>

 

How can Bush keep saying this coalition is bigger than the one in 1991 with a straight face.

 

Could someone more versed in military logistics help me with something? If we have control of an airfield in northern Iraq, how large of a force could be flown into there over the course of a week?

How many soldiers can fit on a military transport plane? How many flights could get in and out of there each day?

Basically, I'm trying to guage how significant this event is.

Murf

 

If you say a lie long enough you begin to believe it.

 

Convoy hijacked in aid 'disaster'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2891069.stm

 

CosmosRIP...that would truly suck if true.

But the BBC seems, to my eyes/ears, a little too quick to believe bad news. We'll see.

I think the last sentence is the money shot.

 

Friedel will still have titanium cojones - oh wait - wrong thread.

 

Would it be a case of you can't afford Blair or we don't want Bush though?

Actually, a trade would probably be of benefit to both nations. You lot can have a guy who wants to be President reeally badly and doesn't make you all look like a nation of hicks every time he attempts a cogent expression of thoughts and we can have Bush over here, where he would be a shoe-in for Conservative leader and, as such, effectively cease to exist.

Everyone wins.

 

The airfield was already secure.
Infact, reporters over here are questioning why it was necessary to airdrop a load of Paras into an area controlled by the Kurds, containing an airstrip the Kurds had readied and repaired.
I think the phrase 'unnecessarily elaborate' was mentioned.

 

Re: Re: Day 9

How else are you gonna get a thousand para's a spiffy new combat jump patch?

 

Re: Re: Re: Day 9

I'd thought that may be the case.

In related news:
The two British POWs shown on Iraqi tv, are infact Kenyan.
http://reuters.co.uk/newsPackageArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=246658

Other UK POWs weren't so lucky apparently:
http://reuters.co.uk/newsPackageArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=246818


Reports on Sky are saying UK forces have taken over Basra TV and radio stations.

And the Iraqi column leaving Basra for Umm Qasr met with little success.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/2891059.stm

 

Re: Re: Re: Day 9

I'm not sure if you were joking or not, but that may have factored into the decision.

 

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm...30327/wl_mideast_afp/iraq_war_britain_boots_1

This isn't very good.

 

Unfuckingbelievable.

 

The Brits should broadcast Mexican Professional Soccer to force the Iraqi's to surrender. If they do, then they can have EPL games as a reward.

Duh!!! BTW - Why did the Brits have so much trouble with Basra? British restraint? Let's face it, your soldiers have far more recent experience with urban guerilla tactics and operations, vastly superior air-support, artillery, equipment, and professionalism.

 

http://www.msnbc.com/news/870749_asp.htm

TIME TO REGROUP

"U.S. officials told NBC News that the push on Baghdad likely would pause over the coming days to give American and British forces time to quell resistance in the rear, solidify supply lines to the front areas and hammer Republican Guard units surrounding Baghdad from the air. One source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said CENTCOM Commander Tommy Franks does not want to move on the capital until air strikes "degrade" Guards units by 50 percent or more."

Mr. Cam's prediction. U.S. air-power will continue their siege of Baghdad. American land forces will not advance any further and pin down in place the Republican Guard units that protect the southern approaches to Baghdad with armor, artillery, and air-power. American air-power will try to prevent the escape or retreat of ALL Iraqi military or paramilitary units to Baghdad. The process of attrition will continue for 30 days. The final assault on Baghdad will not commence until the 4th Infantry Division is in place.

The order of battle for the final assault on Baghdad. The 3rd Mechanized Infantry Division will assault Baghdad from the southern approaches, the 1st U.S. Marines Division will assault from the eastern approaches, the Ivy Division will assault from the western approaches.

Wildcard prediction: The 82nd Airborne and 101st Air Assault in conjunction with any force development from the airstrip captured by the 173rd Airborne Brigade will assault from the northern approaches. To step up the tempo of aerial bombardment, the U.S. coalition must\will position\shift aircraft to one or all of the seized Iraqi airstrips. This will reduce fuel consumption, flight\response time, and provide an emergency landing strip for coalition aircraft.