Bulk of Iraqi army will not defend Saddam, former Baghdad air commander says

AP | 3/17/03

[kattracks]

WELLINGTON, New Zealand, Mar 17, 2003 (AP WorldStream via COMTEX) -- A former commander of Baghdad's air defenses said Tuesday that the bulk of the Iraqi military would not defend President Saddam Hussein - and that the elite Special Republican Guard will crumple when faced with U.S. forces.

Shamel Majid, now living in exile in New Zealand, said Iraq's armed forces were "just waiting for a spark" to abandon the regime.

His comments came moments before U.S. President George W. Bush gave Saddam a 48-hour deadline to flee Iraq or face a U.S.-led invasion. "The tyrant will soon be gone," Bush vowed as more than 250,000 American troops stood poised to strike.

Majid said that once U.S. forces start bombing Baghdad, military chiefs would abandon their formal command centers and direct troops from smaller bases in the city's suburbs, where they have hidden many weapons.

Whether there are troops to command, however, is doubtful, he said. The military's morale was low and equipment scarce.

"The reason they aren't rising up now is because the Americans have disappointed them many times in the past, especially in 1991," Majid said, referring to the first Gulf War. "They rose up (then) but the Americans allowed the Iraqi government to use weapons, even planes, against them."

Majid said soldiers of the Special Republican Guard, who were hand-picked from Saddam's own tribe, would fight on despite the rest of the army quitting.

But he said there were too few of the elite troops to pose a serious threat to U.S. forces.

Before fleeing his homeland and arriving in New Zealand as a refugee five years ago, Majid served as an Iraqi air force pilot, rising to command Baghdad's air defense center.

[clintonh8r]

It wouldn't surprise me to see mass surrendering. One of our biggest problems could be POW management.

[TADSLOS]

One of our biggest problems could be POW management.

It will be but this has been thoroughly thought out and planned for. We learned some valuable lessons from Desert Storm.

[Torie]

This is my question: how does the US avoid high civilian casualties (siege tactics) or a considerable number of troop body bags in taking Bagdad if Saddam does not split, or is not turned on by his most loyal troops? Granted, we all hope and pray that does not happen, but what if it does? Does anyone have any thoughts? Who are the military gurus on this Board?

[Grand Old Partisan]

Surrounded by U.S. forces in Baghdad, Saddam Hussein would soon have his EXACT location discovered by the U.S. military -- if you know what I mean.

[jwalsh07]

Mech infantry and collaborators.

[sinkspur]

It wouldn't surprise me to see mass surrendering.

If this happens in the next 24 hours, Bush should just let the hammer hang.

We might win this thing without firing a shot.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/bump-list

[jwalsh07]

TravisMagee, Harpseal,poobah and anybody with a Vietvet, CB, airborne or ranger embedded in his screen name.

[Poohbah]

We might have to move in and say, "Children...children...OK, enough of lynching Saddam's lackeys, let's try to have a little due process here..."

[Poohbah]

My preferred: airdrop a lot of "Liberator" pistols into Baghdad. These were single-shot .45s. The intended method of use was for the Resistance operative to approach an enemy soldier, make like you're asking him for a match...and when he ducks his head, stuff the muzzle up under his helmet, pull trigger, grab soldier's weapon and ammo, run like hell.

[milagro]

Our message to Saddam: How long can you stay in your bunker?

We don't have to go in and smoke him out--we just have to cut him off and let him slowly but surely wither on his own whine!

[Texasforever]

[Poohbah]

How do you break up an Iraqi Bingo game?

Call one of the following:

"B-1!"

"B-2!"

"B-52!"

[Texasforever]

LOL

[Poohbah]

Poohbah the ex-doorgunner's rules of target discrimination:

"ANYONE WHO RUNS IS IN THE REPUBLICAN GUARDS! ANYONE WHO STANDS STILL IS A WELL-DISCIPLINED REPUBLICAN GUARD!"

[clintonh8r]

That's what I was thinking. Still, some whack-job fanatics will start something and then they'll have to be converted into a red mist...

[Torie]

We just drive the Humvees to Saddam's residence, and say hi eh, sort of like in Black Hawk Dawn? I can't quite get the picture if there is substantial urban resistence.

[Lockbox]

One of our biggest problems could be POW management.

Yes, the French method of slowing an attack.

[milagro]

Now that's funny!!