Republican guard bombarded outside Baghdad

Irish Examiner ^ | March 24th, 2003

[Sabertooth]

Coalition forces have begun a massive aerial bombardment of Iraqi Republican Guard units entrenched just outside Saddam Hussein’s capital, military chiefs said today.

The aim is to “soften up” the Iraqi dictator’s elite troops before ground forces arrive to begin the “Battle of Baghdad".

Up to 40 helicopters from the US Army’s 11th Attack Helicopter Regiment were involved in the first assault on the Republican Guard’s Medina Division, one of six stationed in and around Baghdad.

Each division could have more than 10,000 men.

Around 30 surface-to-surface missiles were also fired at Republican Guard command posts and their artillery, which could be used to fire chemical shells.

One US Apache helicopter was downed in the attack and the fate of the two crewmen is unknown.

General Tommy Franks, head of US Central Command in Qatar, said the Republican Guard could expect to be battered further.

“They have been hit and they will continue to be hit at points and places and times that we choose.
“The effect has been very positive for us,” he said.

Coalition commanders want to stop the Republican Guard from retreating back inside Baghdad to fight a guerilla war.

They also hope crushing the Medina Division would encourage others, including the Al Amarah and Baghdad Divisions stationed to the south of the city, to give up.

[Sabertooth]

[Grampa Dave]

Thanks for the good news and prayers for the safety of our soldiers and airmen in this very dangerous battle.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

Bump this.

[Credo]

The RG units will experience MOAB.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

Bump this again.

[FreeTheHostages]

Good posts. Thanks. God Bless our troops.

[Sabertooth]

((((((growl)))))

[Texas2step]

Tariq Azziz alive - Fox News

[ASA Vet]

The RG units will experience MOAB

Hopefully several.

[vikingchick]

Bumping your comments.

[denydenydeny]

Each division could have more than 10,000 men.

Not for much longer, I think.

Thanks for finding this one, ST.

[madison46]

This is the FIRST mention of this outside CNN and they report it as more-or-less a failure. Just good to see some news agency has it cause Fox doesn't think a 40 helicopter attack is news.

[Paradox]

MOAB is a fascinating weapon, however, there we have weapons that are far more appropriate for this, like the I guess MOABs have been given heroic status here on FR, but in all actuality, we have weapons that are far more sinister and useful in the battlefield.

[Duckdog]

To bad they didn't get hit by B52s. When those things unload, you have to redo the maps.

[savedbygrace]

There are a number of toys we haven't pulled out of the box yet. I am confident our boys will be victorious. ("Our boys" is not intended to mean males exclusviely.)

[concerned about politics]

Islam, not Geneva, to dictate POW treatment !!!

The US prisoners of war will be treated in accordance with "the teachings of Islam", Iraq's Foreign Minister Naji Sabri said today.

Mr Sabri, who is in Egypt on a diplomatic trip aimed at rallying Arab governments against the US and British policies of "colonialism, neo-colonialism and war", said it would take precedence over the rules laid down in the Geneva Convention.

From UK. news source

[Robe]

Listen to the rumble of bombs here (AS of 13:42 EST)

mms://lv-msnbc.msnbc.com/msnbc2

[VOA]

The RG units will experience MOAB.

I'm usually peaceable...
but for the sake of the future Iraq, I kinda' hope the "true believers in Saddam"
dig in and are simply buried by MOABs and Daisy Cutters.

It will be that many fewer discontents to guard and feed for months/years...
and save the cost of a burial detail.

[mabelkitty]

Interesting. Wonder why he's been hiding all this time.

Could he be an American spy?

[TomServo]

The aim is to “soften up” the Iraqi dictator’s elite troops before ground forces arrive to begin the “Battle of Baghdad".

Screw softening them up. Bomb the living shit out of them. What's with this softening up, crap?