Mass desertions weaken Iraqi defences

Times of London ^ | 3/19/03 | David Sharrock in Northern Kuwait

[Coop]

Just heard on KFI AM radio, they are removing American flags from all of our tanks. Anyone know the reason for this strange move?

My guess would be so the force appears more of a coalition and less of an American force. Yeah, it's a stretch, but...

[CMClay]

I say we feed 'em of course, but they should be made to carry supplies, dig latrines etc.

...at gunpoint of course.

[Live free or die]

24.995% of all statistics are made up on the spot.

13% of all posts with stats in them are usually correct or not.

Yes but 52% of that 13% of statistcs that are right (or not) have been researched (or have).

[Joe Hadenuf]

LOL.....

[smith288]

Yes but 52% of that 13% of statistcs that are right (or not) have been researched (or have).

Ahhh, but the mean of the 52% of the 13% does or doesnt coincide with the numbers that didnt combine with the average....

You know?

[ClearCase_guy]

I agree. The Romans were scary, but their enemies did not have a habit of running away (as far as I recall). On the other hand, I do believe that the Mongols had a policy of approaching cities and announcing that the inhabitants had two choices: 1) surrender the city peacefully and join the Mongol empire. 2) Everyone dies.

Since the Mongols were willing and able to enforce the second option, word got around and some locations chose option 1. I admit I know of no specifics, and this could be "urban legend" but I've seen this cited in multiple books.

[Alex Murphy]

In the mainly Shia Muslim south, Kuwaiti border guards are having to turn Iraqi soldiers back - telling them that they must wait until an attack begins before they can surrender.

Ah, I see we've already sent in the lawyers...

[sphinx]

73% eh? Not 74 or 72?... ;)

Actually it's 72.57% but due to rounding ... oops, here comes another one. Forget it.

[tru_degenerate]

why do the surrendering iraqi soldiers have to be turned back

if they want to defect why not let them and gather all the intelligence possible from them

i question these reports

[JasonC]

Mongols and fortified cities, yes. Romans and field armies, no.

[Live free or die]

Exactly...and by that we can tell the earth to be bannana shaped.

[Coop]

LOL.....

That was supposed to be a serious hypothesis.

[CyberAnt]

Just watching FOX and they showed downtown Iraq - there were a couple of Iraqi army people in a sort-of foxhole with their rifles. However, these guys were in their DRESS UNIFORMS ...??

With a war about 12-24 hours away, wouldn't you have your people dressed for battle - not a parade ...??

Very interesting! And ... this thread is such great news - these people have already experienced all the hell man can visit upon man - and I surely hope those most wicked will be the ones to lose their lives.

God bless our troops!

[G L Tirebiter]

73% eh? Not 74 or 72?... ;)

Exactly (so to speak).

Any time I see such precise estimates the BS meter starts to jump into the red zone.

[2oakes]

Just remember that 50% percent of the posts are above average

[Attillathehon]

Let's hope they're not using the "surrender" ploy to infiltrate American lines.

[SendShaqtoIraq]

Where is downtown Iraq?

[js1138]

73% eh? Not 74 or 72?... ;)

well, 94.37639501% of all statistics are made up.

[Myrnick]

the mean of the 52% of the 13% does or doesnt coincide with the numbers that didnt combine with the average....

You would do well to remember that 100% of the data fall within an infinite number of standard deviations on either side of the mean.

[uncbob]

"We are seeing Iraqis trying to come across the border, saying they want to surrender, but we are having to turn them back and telling them that they must wait until the war begins," said an intelligence officer

This is surreal
Like some kind of game
You can't surrender until the war starts
I don'r know whether to laugh or cry