Posted on 03/14/2003 3:30:46 PM PST by blam
Fear and chaos on the road to Baghdad
By Kim Sengupta in El-Mahawail, Iraq
15 March 2003
The road to Baghdad is good and straight, ideal for US and British heavy armour, the Abrams and the Challengers, coming up from Basra for what is expected to be Saddam Hussein's last stand.
El-Mahawail, Ilmullah and Eskandaria, cities and towns on the final 100 miles of this route to the capital, could be the key sites for desperate and fierce clashes in which the Iraqi forces may attempt to halt the advance.
With just days to go before an almost certain invasion, these places should be bristling with Iraqi weaponry – T-72 and T-54 tanks, artillery and missiles. Instead, apart from a few machine gun nests and elderly anti-aircraft guns at government buildings, there is mile after mile with no sign of militarisation.
At El-Mahawail, 92 miles from Baghdad, a few trenches had been dug, with the word "victory" laid out in coral shells; the paramilitary station and the office of the ruling Baath party have some sandbags haphazardly draped against the walls, and a handful of smiling conscript soldiers standing guard. At the main square, the only sign of martial presence is an army band playing disjointedly.
A look around the nearby countryside also failed to unearth any armament and Republican Guard positions. Salim Mujtab Haidari, a farmer driving, three cows and a calf, said he has not seen anything unusual.
At a key-cutting shop the owners – Bashim Talib Hassun and Mahar Kardim Ali – make the usual noises about fighting American aggression, and making sure the enemy suffer. But with what? The government had been saying every Iraqi has his own gun, as the US and British forces will find to their cost. "They are after our oil", said Mr Ali, a former infantry officer. "They want to dominate everyone. They will find 25 million Iraqis ready to defy them".
When asked, Mr Hassun, 29, and Mr Ali, 33, insisted they had weapons. When pressed, they claimed they had "machine-guns". But they did not appear to have any further details on the make, the type or the calibre. Mr Hassun said they were Russian-made, while Mr Ali thought they were Iraqi.
A good few miles up the road, on the outskirts of the capital, a group of soldiers and policemen manned a checkpoint. They did not appear to be doing much checking – nobody got stopped. "Have a good afternoon, enjoy Baghdad" said a young officer, as he waved us through.
Well that's just wonderful. Iraqis meet MOAB, MOAB meet Iraqis.
I have seen them do that before. lol
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