Iraqi deserters describe front-line despair

Boston Globe ^ | April 3, 2003 | David Filipov

[sarcasm]

ASHIRA, Iraq -- The American warplanes screamed in before dawn yesterday, unleashing a ferocious attack on the Iraqi lines. It was still dark, but the flash of continuous explosions lit up the northern Iraq sky as if it were day. Iraqi soldiers ran everywhere, looking for any kind of shelter or relief -- but found none.

[DoughtyOne]

Saddam Hussein is caught in public for the first time since 03/23/03.

Iraqi leadership has yet to confirm the identity.

[AFPhys]

But there was nothing to defend them against the bombardment. Monday night was the worst, they said. High-flying jets were quickly reinforced by what the Iraqi soldiers said were Apache helicopters firing rockets at their bunkers and foxholes.

''We didn't expect it to be so heavy,''

THIS is the real meaning of "Shock and Awe". Regardless of the effect on any of the dense politicos safely esconsed in Baghdad, the troops in the field are feeling the effects, and as was said otherwise in the article, "...official state radio in Baghdad. It was telling us that everything was normal, even though we could see that it was not"

[arkady_renko]

Yes, I don't think the shock and awe was for our benefit - sort of a perverse 4th of July display to be seen on Fox. With God's help this will all be over soon and these people can have a better life.

A_R