Special Forces in Baghdad as Saddam's army crumbles

The Observer (U.K.) ^ | 03/23/03 | Ed Vulliamy, Kamal Ahmed, Paul Harris, James Meek, and Rory McCarthy

[AmericanVictory]

Actually, if you listened carefully, General Franks said so in his press conference. He did so, we are sure, because he wanted the other side to know just how much they had lost control.

[garbanzo]

Talk about your anticlimatic endings...much like the famous short, "Bambi vs. Godzilla".

[Mihalis]

Shocked, spooked, awed and delighted.

[Mihalis]

Send Tommy an email, man. That's a clever idea.

[Mr.Clark]

I keep telling my parents, why do I have to go to college anymore, look at all my great ideas! They don't seem to think so.

I would send Tommy an email, but I really hope they have minds as devious as mine already working for them.

[Pafreedom]

Baghdad is still broadcasting because we want them to. Only mass media will be able to get their liberation out and direct the Iraqi's to aid as fast as we need them to. Deploying a TV station takes time. Taking their's over is the easiest.

[smith288]

If you are right and Saddam was banking on a last hurrah with chems and we bagged him or made him irrelevent the first night, then that would have to be the most genious war planning anyone has ever accomplished.

[mcenedo]

With the incredible displays of destruction unleashed on Bagdad, I'm amazed at only 3 dead and 200 injured. Lights stay on, radio station still broadcasting.

If I were an Iraqi, I'd be very grateful to be alive.

[TheAngryClam]

The dramatic developments came as details emerged of raids involving US Navy Seal in the battle for Iraq's vast oil empire

IT'S ALL ABOUT OIL!

Stupid media bias.

[smith288]

Its all about oil

In that I mean, with Saddams regime, the oil was used to build and proliferate dangerous weapons... With Iraq free of the Ba'ath party, the profits of oil will go towards building a free Iraq.

So to all those hippy leftists who hate America... Yes, ITS ALL ABOUT OIL...

[r9etb]

If I were an Iraqi, I'd be very grateful to be alive.

If I were an Iraqi, I'd take this as proof that the Allies aren't going to kill every Iraqi they see -- that it really is a war against Saddam and his supporters.

Yet another nail in the coffin.

Interesting, BTW, that we haven't heard from Saddam or sons at all. Cowards, dead, or both....

[Wallaby]

Thanks for the General Khazraji bump!

[snooker]

>>> It looks like Gen. Nizar al-Khazraji has been very busy since he was kidnapped. ;-)

I wondered where this source would show up. Looks like we now know.

I hope it's even half true.

snooker

[TheAngryClam]

"All" is a strong term.

Oil is definitely a part of it. It's a terribly strategic resource, on which the U.S. economy, as well as the funding of our (Islamic) enemies depends.

But oil is only one part of it.

Guaranteed friendly soil to quarter troops on is another part. The Saudis are our enemies, as is becoming painfully clear. Also, Iraq is very usefully close to all of the world problem areas, and would make an excellent staging area.

And the PR doesn't hurt either.

So it's not all about oil, even though oil plays a part.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Re #6

Now if some from these special force roam around Baghdad, eliminating some members of execution-squads and officers who still resist and sowing paranoia, the defender's cohesion will completely break down. Let these die-hard Iraqis frantically look out for elusive Americans targetting them. Let them worry about traitors among their ranks, ratting out to Americans.

As in Afghanistan, instead of chasing elusive local defenders, let local defenders chase elusive American hit teams. Turning the table, so-to-speak. We are playing guerrillas against those who want to play guerillas against incoming American troops.

This way, their best military plan will become totally useless.

[houstonian]

We are coming up on the 88 hour mark in this campaign

As of 23 Mar 2003, 00:00 EST, Operation Iraqi Freedom is exactly 88 hours old. Timeline of commencement is:

19 Mar 2003 - 0800 EST - GWB at WH War Council orders commencement of Operation Iraqi Freedom

19 Mar 2003 - 1530 EST - CIA Dir Tenet calls Oval Office meeting to discuss surgical strike against Saddam's command bunker

19 Mar 2003 - 1912 EST - GWB decision for surgical strike against Saddam's command bunker

19 Mar 2003 - 2000 EST - Expiration of 48 hr ultimatum to Saddam.

19 Mar 2003 - 2130 EST - (approximate) bombs fall on Saddam's command bunker

19 Mar 2003 - 2200 EST - GWB address to the nation.

Ref: Bush OK'd War 12 Hours Before Launch

[shamusotoole]

You can see why Saddam might do this. Hitler thought Stalin was just the greatest thug , rather than a leader. The Spring floods of the Tigris-Euphrates Valley start now. They are Saddam's equivalent of Russian Winter. We have long supply lines, just like Stalingrad, What's more Saddam's "Minister of Information" even said that "They will get stuck in the mud." There is an extensive flood control system that could be manipulated, if we wait too long.

I have trust we have gotten there "fustest with the mostest." We have more than we know riding on the outcome.

[doug from upland]

'international gang of criminal bastards'

That is a great term. Go pound sand, Achmed. After you have carnal knowledge with your goat, of course.

[truth_seeker]

With prisoner-of-war camps being built to house up to 200,000 Iraqi soldiers, senior Ministry of Defence officials said the 'lead scenario' now being worked on was that Saddam's special forces would retreat to one of his major palace complexes in Baghdad for a last-ditch battle.

If they retreat in GROUPS to facilities in Baghdad, it will be known where they are, for precision air strikes. The special resources operating under cover in Baghdad are there, to pinpoint such locations. Those include CIA, Delta, opposition Iraqis with guts to fight for something worth fighting for.