Posted on 03/23/2003 4:36:12 PM PST by MadIvan
Saddam Hussein's regime appears to be falling to pieces fast and parts of it are already working on "auto-pilot" with no proper directions from the top, Tony Blair was told last night.
Admiral Sir Michael Boyce, Chief of the Defence Staff, briefed an emergency meeting of the war Cabinet at Downing Street, telling it that coalition forces were making "real progress" and, notwithstanding accidents, that the campaign was proceeding "according to plan".
The Prime Minister's official spokesman said the message was that the Iraqi government was crumbling under the force of the offensive.
Some of those in the Iraqi chain of command were giving the impression that they were second guessing what their superiors should be telling them.
"It could be that parts of the regime are working on auto-pilot based on what they think they should be doing without being properly directed from the top," the spokesman said.
Sir Michael said patience was necessary to achieve victory and that accidents were always likely in a conflict.
The Prime Minister asked Sir Michael to send his "heartfelt thanks" to the 45,000 British troops directly involved in the war.
He was briefed in detail on the death of the two-man crew of an RAF plane shot down by an American Patriot missile in the first "friendly fire" incident of the war.
Other reports of British pilots going missing were not true, ministers were told.
The Prime Minister was "deeply saddened" to hear of the death of the ITN reporter Terry Lloyd. The Foreign Office and Ministry of Defence would do whatever they could to return his body to Britain.
Sir Michael said the Faw peninsular had been secured by coalition forces and the port of Umm Qasr was largely safe.
There were continuing "pockets of resistance" particularly from the Republican Guard.
Rest of them, try to miss the loo & mess on their feet.
From what I've read, Prince Charles is against the war.
FRegards,
Regards, Ivan
She can, of course, identify with the concern of the families at home, having worried about Prince Andrew during the Falklands War.
Apparently Her Majesty has a hard and fast rule that she will not accept any telephone calls during dinner, but she relaxed that rule whilst Andrew was with the task force.
God bless all our troops - UK and US and give strength to their families.
FRegards,
May it be true!
If we were less civilized, we would have NO coalition casualties. The rest of the world needs to remember that and be grateful.
Is there really any reason to capture Baghdad?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.