Pentagon sources: U.S. attack on Iraq may be postponed to end of March (Army Radio)

Haaretz.com NEWS FLASH ^ | 3/3/03 | Haaretz

[Mark Felton]

Pentagon sources: U.S. attack on Iraq may be postponed to end of March, beginning of April (Army Radio)

[This is all that is available on the News Flash at this time].

[reg45]

Next new moon! I was just looking it up! http://www.usno.navy.mil/data

[mystery-ak]

The 4th ID is still at Fort Hood, their equipment is on ships off Turkey.

[Once-Ler]

"What gives? Are we serious about this or not? I think it's high time for the Prez to address the people honestly and frankly about what is going on here without repeating the same tired broken record rhetoric he's been spouting for MONTHS (weeks, not months - right?). This is making us look indecisive, weak and foolish."

Wrong. It makes us look patient. Our patience will be all that more impressive to our enemies when they see the lightning speed and precision death we rain down on the adversaries of America. Fast and decisive victory in Iraq will go a long way towards slapping Akhmed and his terrorist friends, upside the head so they think about their future. We will go in when everything is in place and no further advantage can be made in waiting. Dubya is making sure every US soldier has the best possible theater of action. Not one second sooner because of polls or politics.
Good things come to those who wait.

[Steve Eisenberg]

Probably [a ruse]. This is a report from Army Radio broadcasting IN the region.

Right. It's Israeli Army radio, by the way. I can't believe they are in the business of giving away what one would hope is a closely held US secret.

Actually, I do not believe the President will give up his option to attack, or not attack, until the last minute, or after. So there is no way for the Israeli Army to know the magic date, because the President and British PM have yet to decide. How could they have a date when they do not yet know about Turkey? The future is far harder to predict then folks think. There's more tha a 10% chance that we'll fight North Korea first.

[Ben Hecks]

"Or, it could be such massive, overwhelming bombardment that there will be no need for the troops to be in chemical suits."

According to today's DOD briefing, warmer weather with more sun works against the use of biological and chemical weapons. The pundits may not be considering all the tradeoffs.

[Mark Felton]

How do you know their equipment is sitting off the coast of Turkey?

I know the troops are at Hood. 12,500 of them are waiting for flight orders. The 1st Cavalry just deployed 17,000 today out of Hood.

My nephew is an M1A1 driver with the 4th ID, he left with the equipment on a ship about 3 weeks ago.

[ConservativeLawyer]

Pentagon sources: U.S. attack on Iraq may be postponed to end of March, beginning of April (Army Radio)

I've been hoping you are wrong, but its looking more and more like you might be right.

[Mark Felton]

" It was announced last week that our intel was seeing him pulling out of the north."

If you remember, we gave the Turks a drop dead date of 2/18/03.

It came and went.

It's quite possible that Hussein was reacting to that drop dead date, and repositioned some or all of his forces intended for the 4th ID.

I assume Hussein has been watching the Suez canal and counting ships as well. It would not be hard to spy that out.

[mystery-ak]

How do I know?.....I just do!

[Antoninus]

Don't go wobbly on us, now! Hang in there. Pray for Bush, Blair, and our troops.

[Mark Felton]

Warmer weather drastically, negatively affects the Apache AH-64 and especially the OH-58D as well.

[ConservativeLawyer]

I'm dying to see GWB re-enact the baptism scene from "The Godfather", as he is making a speech about the just nature of the war, the news flaks have to put the inset picture up with shots of the fireworks over Baghdad....

I've been hoping for that scene to occur ever since 9/11.

Only, not just Iraq. Bombs dropping on all the enemies of the U.S. at the same time. Terrorists' doors kicked in by special forces spraying rooms with automatic weapons. Terrorist cars blowing up after hellfire missile strikes from Predator Drones.

"My fellow Americans, today I took care of all the United States' business...."

[Mark Felton]

"How do I know?.....I just do!"

LOL. I haven't seen any news helicopters flying over the fleet off the coast of Turkey.

The US government has been the only source of info that has been saying the fleet is still "waiting" out of sight.

Only 1 ship is sitting at the docks, as Geraldo kept showing us.

[Bombard]

I know nothing of the website that posted this information. I do not know how valid this date is. So don't go off half cocked.

[Ben Hecks]

True. Rotary wing AC lose a lot of lift when it gets hot. I was a white-knuckle passenger in an old Hiller H-23 many years ago when it chopped a fair amount of greenery out of a couple of trees on takeoff on a hot day in August.

[185JHP]

Are there swarthy guys with mustaches looking for a sudden blip in pizza deliveries at "that place in Virginia"?

[StarFan]

I was about to ping you in light of what we discussed yesterday (President Bush to give inspections more time). This is by no means confirmation but the closest I've come to support what I know I heard on foxnews. My gut, however, tells me we will invade on 3/15/03.

[Dolphy]

I agree, it's a ruse. War isn't something that gets scheduled in the TV guide, despite the wish of all the cable news shows. The number of contingencies that have to be planned for are enormous. We have to bluff, see who moves where, what happens, and adjust. This isn't just about blowing away Saddam, it's about being able to maintain stability in that country after the regime is overthrown. There are associated risks in our country too and those are being sought out. Then there is North Korea, and what the heck is going on in Iran through all of this?

I am as frustrated as the next frustrated person, but there is no way I believe Cheney, Powell or Rumsfeld would put our troops or country at more risk. I believe this delay is more about minimizing risk. We will go on our terms.

[sissyjane]

Great post about the impatience before we went into Afghanistan----BUT we went in less than ONE month after SEPT.11.( Oct. 7) We've been hearing weeks not months for longer than I can remember, and I for one have had it!!

[The Coopster]

Well, we sure don't ever have to wait for the Eeyore crowd, do we?