War, Day 14

OK, I can understand Rummy letting the troops run out of such items as food, water, and a line of fresh prostitutes. But nicotine?


http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm...20030401/ap_on_re_mi_ea/war_desperate_dippers

IN CENTRAL IRAQ - There is a war on, and danger lurks ahead, and the Marines of the 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry are getting desperate — for tobacco.

It's been two weeks since they left they relative luxury of their camp in Kuwait and their supplies of cigarettes and chewing tobacco are running out. They are rationing their precious supplies, and even begging smokes from local farmers.

An army, Napoleon reputedly said, marches on its stomach. But for generations, armies have also marched on nicotine. And these Marines — smoking more than usual under the stress of battle conditions — are getting antsy.

"It just crushes morale," said Cpl. Jonathan Kibler, 22, of Lexington, Va.

With the few remaining shreds of tobacco nearly gone, the Marines here face the prospect of being involuntarily enrolled in what could be one of the most successful programs to end nicotine addiction in history.

 

some good news today

The Marines had an easy time advancing. Also, I thought I saw an article at nytimes.com saying the Brits felt safe in Basra and had traded their helmets for berets, but when I went back there to copy the link for here, I couldn't find it. Anyway, if I wasn't hallucinating, that's a hopeful sign for the coming occupation. It won't come easy, but we can win the hearts and mind.

obie, according to all of the discussion in the "Blair's mistake" thread, yes, Bush is going back on his word.

 

Did anyone think "Operation Predicted Cakewalk" would last this long? Maybe that's why they're running out of smokes?

 

Yes and no. I thought that 'Operation: Massive Propoganda' aka 'Operation: Iraqi Freedom' would be at least a month long battle plus whatever time it takes for cleanup and political installation.

 

Stories are out there saying one of Saddam's main body guards, who's always with him, has been seen without him, also that it's believed several of his relatives have left Iraq for Syria. Plus Saddam still has not been seen publicly.

I'm wondering if the end of the actual war may be in sight, though the parmilitary issue may be a problem long after the war ends.

 

Re: some good news today

This article doesn't mention them doing that in Basra, but it does say that in four other towns in southern Iraq the British are donning berets instead of helmets. It also mentions that Iraqis are helping the Coalition forces find the locations of the Iraqi troops. http://www.news-journal.com/news/content/news/ap_story.html/Intl/AP.V3534.AP-War-Tipping-Poi.html

 

US-British bombings kill 48 more civilians south of Baghdad

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm...u=/afp/20030401/ts_afp/iraq_war_raid_civilian

HILLA, Iraq (AFP) - Forty-eight more civilians, including women and children, have been killed and 310 wounded in US-British bombings around this town south of Baghdad in the last 24 hours, a hospital director revealed

The deaths brought to 73 the number of Iraqi civilians who have died under allied bombings since Monday.

Thirty-three civilians, including women and children, were killed and 310 wounded in a coalition bombing on the southern province of Babylon on Tuesday morning, a hospital director said.

Murtada Abbas said the bombing targeted the Nader residential area at the southern outskirts of the farming town of Hilla, 80 kilometres (50 miles) south of the capital.

He was speaking at the Hilla hospital where a large number of children lay wounded under blankets on the floor due to a shortage of beds.

At the scene of the bombing, dozens of what seemed to be parts of cluster bombs equipped with small parachutes were peppered over a large area, an AFP correspondent at the site said.


Images in the "USA invades Iraq pics" thread.

 

Casualties.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,926589,00.html

 

More Casualties?

Haven't seen this one reported by the major media yet.

http://www.borderlandnews.com/war/stories/20030331-94562.shtml

 

So, when are guys like Cheney going to be sent off to mental institutions?

 

Re: Re: Re: some good news today

If they give Jerry Lewis a Victoria Cross, then we'll have to worry.

True. But, this is a sign that things are getting better in terms of relations between the Iraqi civilians and the coalition forces in this part of Iraq. I agree that in the other areas of Iraq, except for the north, things will be more difficult.

 

La La Land, where Donald Rumsfeld is Mayor and Sheriff.

 

And where Dubya is President...

 

I loved the touch at the end, where he gave the date. As if the world freaking cares if the information minister is alive. Either Saddam is incapacitated or he is playing cat and mouse. Does anybody know how often he gave addresses during Gulf War I? I seem to remember that it was pretty often. What does he stand to gain by keeping the world guessing? Maybe he's trying to pull a Willis Reed...

 

Rumsfeld said the Iraqi regime is guilty of human rights abuses the likes of which the world has never seen?!?