Allies Risk 3000 Casualties in Baghdad - Ex-General

Reuters ^ | 3-24-03

[oursacredhonor]

LONDON (Reuters) - The U.S.-led force in Iraq risks as many as 3,000 casualties in the battle for Baghdad and Washington has underestimated the number of troops needed, a top former commander from the 1991 Gulf War said on Monday.

Retired U.S. Army General Barry McCaffrey, commander of the 24th Infantry Division 12 years ago, said the U.S.-led force faced "a very dicey two to three day battle" as it pushes north toward the Iraqi capital.

"We ought to be able to do it (take Baghdad)," he told the Newsnight Program on Britain's BBC Television late on Monday.

"In the process if they (the Iraqis) actually fight, and that's one of the assumptions, clearly it's going to be brutal, dangerous work and we could take, bluntly, a couple to 3,000 casualties," said McCaffrey who became one of the most senior ranking members of the U.S. military following the 1991 war.

"So if they (the Americans and British) are unwilling to face up to that, we may have a difficult time of it taking down Baghdad and Tikrit up to the north west."

McCaffrey said Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld had misjudged the nature of the conflict. Asked if Rumsfeld made a mistake by not sending more troops to start the offensive, McCaffrey replied: "Yes, sure. I think everybody told him that."

"I think he thought these were U.S. generals with their feet planted in World War II that didn't understand the new way of warfare," he added.

U.S. forces have advanced more than 200 miles into Iraqi territory since the start of the war and are beginning to confront an elite division of the Republican Guards deployed to defend the capital.

"So it ought to be a very dicey two to three day battle out there." McCaffrey said of the confrontation with the Republican Guards.

He said his personal view was that the invading troops would "take them (the Iraqis) apart."

"But we've never done something like this with this modest a force at such a distance from its bases," he warned.

McCaffrey, a former Commander in Chief of the U.S. Armed Forces in Latin America, served overseas for 13 years and took part in four combat tours.

He twice received the Distinguished Service Cross, the second highest medal for valor in the United States.

[fooman]

Very interesting. Please go on.

I notice that they all gain a political element at that level.

[org.whodat]

OOP's you are correct I got carried away it,75-80 to one.TWO many little 0's.

[dtom]

Dose anyone know when the 4th ID will arrive, will they come across from the west of Saudi Arabia or have to go all the way around to the port of Umm Qasr?

[blam]

"Isn't this one Clinton's faggot "Generals"? I thought the rest of them went back to their former jobs as Arkansas State Troopers."

Nah. This is a real soldier. He blew up 160 Iraqi vehicles AFTER the ceasefire in GW1, 60 of those were T-72 tanks. Schwartzcoft was worried that they couldn't get him to stop. There was a big investigation after the war and his actions were deemed justifable. (Whew!)

[montag813]

Thanks for such a fine remark on a guy who did a good job in Desert Storm as far as I know.

I stand corrected. I thought he was another Wesley Clark.

[11B3]

Mc Caffrey is a lying POS DemonRat hack. During his time as Drug Czar he proved without a shadow of a doubt that his disconnect with reality was beyond description. This is more of the same. Lump him in with Clinton, Carter, and Ramsey Clark (make that both Clarks) - they should all STFU.

In the military, he was one of those Generals who really let the power of his office go to his head. A 'perfumed prince'.

[MatthewViti]

amen!

[MatthewViti]

amen!

[Joe_October]

The Iraqis give up when the Press admits the Hussein is dead. Has been since day 1. Why they fight every verb, every adverb, every phrase against the US adminstration which has been very forthcoming and won't be skeptical of one statement from the Iraqi propoganda is a crime.

I loathe them (Fox is being very conservative. They telegraph what they think but they need to call the Iraqis bald face liars!).

[tomahawk]

Good catch.

[deport]

The 21,000 soldiers of the 4th Infantry Division, based at Fort Hood, Tex., could begin arriving at staging areas in Kuwait almost immediately. But the 35 cargo ships laden with the division's heavy armor and equipment will not complete their journey from the Mediterranean, through the Suez Canal and Red Sea, and begin arriving in Kuwait until the first week of April at the earliest, defense officials said yesterday.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A21450-2003Mar24.html

[blam]

"Nothing against the good general, but I'd prefer an opinion on this matter from GEN Fred Franks who commanded the Jayhawkers in Desert Storm. I believe Franks was a better thinker on the battlefield and can offer an candid assessment without the "baggage" that McCaffery (sp?) brings to the table."

Read Fred Frank's and TomClancy's book, Into The Storm. Franks thought highly of McCaffery. BTY, I thought Schwartzcofts critizisms of Fred Franks were unwarranted too.

[tomahawk]

I read within a week. Possibly quicker if they unload at a Saudi port.

[jwalsh07]

The First Cav is on the way as well, in fact if it wasn't for the Belgian pukes they'd already be in Kuwait.

[Republican Party Reptile]

Sec Defense is a political job, I sometimes wonder if he should be so personally involved in the actual planning and excution of the war plan as opposed to just being the big picture guy - conveying the President's directives and provide the political cover for the generals.