The Dogs of War

[theavonlady 2]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Tydium @ Mar. 28 2003,00:02)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Here's a good example of false reporting.

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Earlier the Commander of British forces in the Gulf, Air Marshal Brian Burridge, said Iraqi soldiers in Basra were being forced by Saddam's security forces to get into their tanks and attack British forces surrounding the city.

However,  news reports on Wednesday evening that a column of 70 - 120 Iraqi armoured vehicles was heading south out of Basra seem to have been erroneous.

British Defence Minister Geoff Hoon said on Thursday that only three Iraqi tanks had actually been on the move and that these were destroyed by British forces.

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<span id='postcolor'>

Source: Sky News<span id='postcolor'>

So which part is false? The beginning (which states "earlier reports"), the ending correction (from official military spokespersons) or both?

Your article is an example of innacurate reporting possibly, with an updated correction added. Sounds pretty good to me!

[theavonlady 2]

UK Daily Telegraph says Saddam's wife and children in the Syrian Embassy in Baghdad and Saddam intends to flee to Syria with them.

[brgnorway 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (theavonlady @ Mar. 28 2003,06:00)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">UK Daily Telegraph says Saddam's wife and children in the Syrian Embassy in Baghdad and Saddam intends to flee to Syria with them.<span id='postcolor'>

I guess he's not getting a political asylum-status in Israel?

[Tydium 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">

So which part is false? The beginning (which states "earlier reports"), the ending correction (from official military spokespersons) or both?

Your article is an example of innacurate reporting possibly, with an updated correction added. Sounds pretty good to me!

<span id='postcolor'>

I ment that the earlier reports claiming that 70 - 120 armored vehicles had broken out of Basra was false. But you are right that inaccurate would have been a better word for this occasion.

Elsewhere:

US is sending over 100.000 new troops to the gulf

Sky News

[theavonlady 2]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (brgnorway @ Mar. 28 2003,07:33)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">0--></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (theavonlady @ Mar. 28 2003,060)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">UK Daily Telegraph says Saddam's wife and children in the Syrian Embassy in Baghdad and Saddam intends to flee to Syria with them.<span id='postcolor'>

I guess he's not getting a political asylum-status in Israel?

<span id='postcolor'>

Head of Israel's Histadrut Labor Union, Amir Peretz, says this country isn't big enough for the two of them. I can't understand why.

[theavonlady 2]

It's a pity the moderators prematurely closed that Freedom Fries thread.

Well, we all knew it was going to happen.

[theavonlady 2]

One Apache, two Apache..................

[Guest]

Avon the food menu on Bush's airplane is hardly related to the war.

USA sends 10,000 new troops to Nasiriya.

[theavonlady 2]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (denoir @ Mar. 28 2003,09:11)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Avon the food menu on Bush's airplane is hardly related to the war.<span id='postcolor'>

Well, there's a lot of toasting going around in this war, isn't there!

On this morning's local 7AM IBA news, they were speaking by phone with Israeli TV reporter Dan Semama.

A day and a half ago, he was with US troops and other reporters in the north, alongside the Kurds. Now he's in Kuwait, most probably on the way back here.

Apparently something went awefully wrong and a US commander suspected him and at least one other Portugese reporter of being Iraqi spies. They were treated very brutally, with the Portugese reporter getting something broken (jaw, shoulder, arm - didn't catch).

Anytime they tried to plead their case to the soldier guarding them and made the slightest move, they had loaded guns pointed to their heads.

They were kept as prisoners for 36 hours, apparently with no food. He didn't sound too stable over the phone. The line got cut off after about 3 minutes.

Haven't seen an article on this yet online.

[brgnorway 0]

I watched the news on the norwegian TV2 channel. They say US are going to send 100 000 marines to Iraq?

[theavonlady 2]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (brgnorway @ Mar. 28 2003,09:36)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I watched the news on the norwegian TV2 channel. They say US are going to send 100 000 marines to Iraq?<span id='postcolor'>

That's the third post about the 100K troops (Denoir was second ).

Back to work...................................

Iraq really is the evil Empire! They've got Darth Vader on their side!

Two Iraqi soldiers dressed in black sit in the back of a pick up

truck in Baghdad, March 27, 2003. Powerful explosions rocked

central Baghdad on Thursday and more blasts shook the city

outskirts as Iraq's capital marked a week since the start of a

U.S.-led war to oust President Saddam Hussein.

[madmedic 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (theavonlady @ Mar. 28 2003,08:09)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">One Apache, two Apache..................<span id='postcolor'>

Thats the same Apache from the other day.

It has since been...e'hem..."pit out of it's misery" by its rightfull owners

[PFC Mongoose 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (theavonlady @ Mar. 28 2003,07:56)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Head of Israel's Histadrut Labor Union, Amir Peretz, says this country isn't big enough for the two of them. I can't understand why.<span id='postcolor'>

ROFL!!!!

That's so hilarious!!!

[madmedic 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (theavonlady @ Mar. 28 2003,08:40)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Iraq really is the evil Empire! They've got Darth Vader on their side!

<span id='postcolor'>

No...thats Dark Helmet from "Space Balls"

[theavonlady 2]

Latest published casualty figures on Reuters:

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">CASUALTIES

* U.S. -- 29 killed, 17 missing

* UK -- 20 killed, two missing<span id='postcolor'>

[Balschoiw 0]

It´s 30 000 troops that are currently brought to Iraq. The northern front still is not active besides aerial attacks that made Iraqi forces retreat to Mosul and more close to Bagdad. The problem is 1000 US soldiers without heavy support can´t proceed. They are fixed to the point and are planning to send the kurds to the oilfields. The Kurds will not be able to win this fight. They are outnumbered in troops and lack training (most of them have had 2 months of military training only), weapons, and are not confident in US help on that issue.

It will take 1 to 1 and a half months till armoured forces in a significant strengh will show up in the north.

Now the big question is:

Will the coaltion forces attack Bagdad without the support of the norther front or will they wait until the northern front has been built up ?

I guess they will wait and fight the resistance along their supply routes. This is badly needed right now. Troops  standing 70 km´s ahead of Bagdad have problems with getting fuel, ammo, food and water at the moment.

Their is also a need for more airplanes and helicopters. The units active right now are outnumbered when it comes to the covering of vast distances you have on convoi routes. Additionally planes and helos are needed at the battles to provide aircover and make punctual attacks. And sandstormes left the helos grounded for 2 days now.

Another interesting detail. Elite units and tanks have been pulled back out of the waiting force near Bagdad. They are going back to assist battle areas. This shows that the coaltion forces indeed have a problem with the spread locations of battles right now. And it will take some time to fill this gap. At least 1 month.

[theavonlady 2]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (PFC Mongoose @ Mar. 28 2003,09:53)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (theavonlady @ Mar. 28 2003,07:56)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Head of Israel's Histadrut Labor Union, Amir Peretz, says this country isn't big enough for the two of them. I can't understand why.<span id='postcolor'>

ROFL!!!!

That's so hilarious!!!<span id='postcolor'>

Need a Photoshop person here who can touch that pic up to look perfect.

[theavonlady 2]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Balschoiw @ Mar. 28 2003,10:01)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">The northern front still is not active besides aerial attacks that made Iraqi forces retreat to Mosul and more close to Bagdad.<span id='postcolor'>

Related is this item, which relates that Turkey has now agreed to open its airspace to US aircraft.

Some interesting headlines:

Canada Calls for Special Saddam Criminal Tribunal

U.S. officials: Woman seen with Saddam on Iraqi TV is top weapons scientist (I think this is very relevant).

Though Fearful, Iranians Want Saddam Out

And who can resist Jessie Jackson?!

Jackson wants truce to get aid to Iraqis

[theavonlady 2]

Remember the pics of the communications tower left standing yesterday after the com center's main building next door was bombed?

Not any more! (JPost subscribers only)

[Schoeler 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Balschoiw @ Mar. 28 2003,09:01)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">The problem is 1000 US soldiers without heavy support can´t proceed. They are fixed to the point and are planning to send the kurds to the oilfields. The Kurds will not be able to win this fight. They are outnumbered in troops and lack training (most of them have had 2 months of military training only), weapons, and are not confident in US help on that issue.

It will take 1 to 1 and a half months till armoured forces in a significant strengh will show up in the north.

Now the big question is:

Will the coaltion forces attack Bagdad without the support of the norther front or will they wait until the northern front has been built up ?

I guess they will wait and fight the resistance along their supply routes. This is badly needed right now. Troops  standing 70 km´s ahead of Bagdad have problems with getting fuel, ammo, food and water at the moment.

Their is also a need for more airplanes and helicopters. The units active right now are outnumbered when it comes to the covering of vast distances you have on convoi routes. Additionally planes and helos are needed at the battles to provide aircover and make punctual attacks. And sandstormes left the helos grounded for 2 days now.

Another interesting detail. Elite units and tanks have been pulled back out of the waiting force near Bagdad. They are going back to assist battle areas. This shows that the coaltion forces indeed have a problem with the spread locations of battles right now. And it will take some time to fill this gap. At least 1 month.<span id='postcolor'>

Those 1000 members of the airborne brigade were not intended to "proceed", they were deployed between Iraqi forces in the North and Baghdad to keep the Iraqi forces from infiltrating South. They are supposed to recieve an additional 2000 reinforcements and their armor within the next few days. Its hard to slip past 1000 guys who can call in airstrikes and artillery.

The Kurds so far have not beenused, and are not being encouraged to fight just yet.

The 4th Infantry Division should have its armor on the way to Baghdad in less than a week. They are in Kuwait offloading it as we type.

True, fighting the resistance along the supply lines is badly needed as it was much greater than anyone anticipated, hence the reinforcements and the delay.

[Balschoiw 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">The Kurds so far have not beenused, and are not being encouraged to fight just yet.

<span id='postcolor'>

The kurds have been briefed yesterday to advance towards the major oil fileds in the region. They are a bit unhappy as they were not given weapons from coalition forces and are aware that they will have a really hard time if they are going for the oilfields. They have been granted airsupport.

Bagdads intention is certainly not to attck the south of Iraq. Maybe with ranged weapons, but an infantry attack would make no sense at all. It will be the coalition forces and the kurds that have to go to action.

Meanwhile an interesting developement becomes visible. Kurds do accept coaltion help to fight Saddam, but a lot of them don´t want the coaltion forces stay in the region as soon as Saddam is gone. This will be a problem for the time after the war. Along with 10000000 other problems.

[theavonlady 2]

More reports of Iraqis firing on civilians in Basra.

[theavonlady 2]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (theavonlady @ Mar. 28 2003,10:43)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">More reports of Iraqis firing on civilians in Basra.<span id='postcolor'>

Now Reuters is reporting that a UK officer has admitted that coalition troops have inadvertantly fired on civilians trying to flee Basra.

Same event? Another event? Very tragic no matter what.

[PFC Mongoose 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (theavonlady @ Mar. 28 2003,06:00)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">UK Daily Telegraph says Saddam's wife and children in the Syrian Embassy in Baghdad and Saddam intends to flee to Syria with them.<span id='postcolor'>

By children, does that mean Uday and Qusay, or does Saddam have other children?

Since:

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">(CNN.com)

Qusay Hussein

Command: Supervisor of Republican Guard, Special Republican Guard, head of Iraqi Special Security Organization

Details: Born in 1966, he is Saddam's second son and is said to be first in line to succeed his father.<span id='postcolor'>

And Uday is the head of the Saddam Fedayeen.

Might be a setback to military command and control if they go...

Also thought I'd point this out, kinda interesting...

Note: Pentagon figures. The numbers do not include U.S. troops already stationed in the Persian Gulf region

[Balschoiw 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">does Saddam have other children?

<span id='postcolor'>

I guess he has 11 to 14 children.