[LS]

Amazing. I was thinking the same exact thing in the car today---so STRATFOR must be right :)

But this is common sense. This is MacArthur's "Island Hopping" on the ground, bypassing strong points, cut them off---they already have no C&C, no food, no reinforcements. These Basra guys are a sideshow, and STRATFOR nails this one.

[TomB]

"Haul ass and bypass"

[vbmoneyspender]

Well, there was this story early this morning - U.S. forces secure bridge over Euphrates in Iraq.

Plus, Fox's correspondent with the 3rd ID hinted that this was happening last night at around 9:30 pm.

[randita]

B-52's on the way--will arrive in about 7 hours.

[kosciuszko]

The press focuses on Shock and Awe, but this campaign really has been characterized by surprise. And Franks promised more of it today.

They're right about Ted Kopple drawing the long straw. Can say what you want about ABC, but Kopple's stories have been the best of the imbeds.

[VaBthang4]

[Dog Gone]

I've had some beefs with Stratfor lately, but this column is pretty good.

Here's to their weekend writers...

[SengirV]

Uhhh, Basra is important. People are claiming that we should bypass Basra, bullshit. Island hopping was a valid tactic because YOU NEED BOATS/AIRPLANES to get off of an island. In Basra, they would just move and attack the rear of the push to Bagdad. It's a major city and the obvious first target since it is soo far south. The coalition has yet to take it, I think that is telling. Either they are meeting much greater resistance than expected, or they are taking it so slowly to have approx. 0 coalition losses. There are many reports of no soldiers reamining in the initial towns that were taken, and the natives were scared that the US would do what they did in '91.

It's a legit question that should not be minimized.

[jlogajan]

Such is the problem the Iraqi's have in setting up defenses. If they hadn't spread their forces out all across the desert, they'd have left a hole through which the coalition forces would pour. But by needing to spread out the Iraqi forces to cover all holes, the outliers are made useless as soon as the first hole is punched.

Iraq really has an untenable position. A totally defensive posture can never win, since you need to spread your forces out to all possible attack points, yet attacks will always only come at one point -- breaking through and making all other defenders useless.

[TADSLOS]

The media focus is misplaced.

The vast majority of the media are spring loaded and itching to find a glint, a hint of failure to latch onto regarding this campaign. Basra was simply to most convenient and closest place to start. The victory in Basra was never in doubt, but the media locked onto the resistance there as if it were Stalingrad reborn. I'm sure they're chomping at the bit to send out falsehoods and half truths flying when we finally move on Baghdad.

[RightWhale]

Stratfor is making sense today. They have probably been keeping up with FR.

[over3Owithabrain]

Basra may be important in one sense - finding evidence of chemical or other WMD's.
The sooner we start displaying that kind of stuff for the world to see, the better things are politically.