***Operation Iraqi Freedom - Situation Room - Day 6 - LIVE THREAD***

Multiple ^ | 25 March 2003 | Various

[maquiladora]

U.S. Marine wounded by friendly fire.

[steveegg]

Don't know about the Sky News links (they don't work for me), but CNN's BaghdadCam (RealPlayer) is just whipping around. The sky is reddish-brown, and a piece of debris keeps on blockign the camera every time the wind really whips around.

[Catspaw]

The shot was unbelievable--they had the engine out (and it was a big 'un) next to the tank and the mechanics from the unit Bloom is attached to swarming over it like it was NASCAR. The conditions were wretched, and now they've gotten worse with the thunderstorm moving in. According to Bloom's last report--in pitch black--they were STILL working on the engine.

My admiration for our troops just grows and grows.

[Carolina]

All this does, true or not, is encourage the Iraqi's to concentrate on taking out our supply convoys by skirting engagement with our heavy armour. Nice going ya talking heads.

The Beeb and Sky have some really good analysts. Chess players who see the big picture.

The rest of the Beeb's stuff is execrable.

[hawkaw]

Thanks! Yes I have been watching that.

[Lauratealeaf]

I read about retired General Barry McCaffrey stating that we could lose up to 3000 troops in Baghdad. Suffice it to say, that if your mother was dying of cancer, he would comment, "she has two weeks and one half days, better buy the coffin." He is a total, a-hole. I know many people who served under his command and he is despised by all. The fact that he said this tells me that he is not really supporting our war effort. I have thought about his statement and while, of course, in the worse case it could be true how does that help our troops or our nation's morale?

[CasearianDaoist]

GWI was not an infantry battle and the ground battle lasted three days. We must somehow find a way to curb this stategem by the Liberals in the press. If these can be silenced there is much to gain. The world needs to see that we are ready to die for our ideals, we need to see that as well.

[Carolina]

Seeing the light? Story about Chris Hitchens.

Good read.

[An.American.Expatriate]

Hey DogByte !!

We are very very far from a quagmire. The ground under our troop's feet isn't even damp! We have moved an incredible distance in a very short period of time. We are wiping out or containing the pockets of resistance. Advanced troops can probably see Baghdad.

We are about to see the defining events in this conflict and we will be victorious - there is no doubt (except in the brainless mass media!!)

[carton253]

I would like to offer another opinion. The war on Iraq is the next battle field on the war on terror. It won't end when Saddam is dead. There are other regimes that must be confronted... Iran, Syria, the PA, Libya, Sudan, and Saudi Arabia.

There are two schools of thought within the Arab world... Pan Arabism as expressed through the regimes in Iraq, Syria, and Libya and Islamic Fundamentalist as exported through Saudi Arabia and Sudan. The PA is the benefactor of both schools.

To do what we are doing is very risky... because it creates a flash point... There are 275 million Arabs, and close to 1 billion Muslims in the world...

Dubya is fighting terrorism one regime at a time. Boiling... in the background, ready to explode is Hezbollah, Fatah, Al Qaeda, etc.

These groups are not just confined to the Middle East.. they are in Pakistan, Indonesia, and Europe. Right now, they are scattered and divided, mostly because they can't get along... but, if it appears we are "crusaders", then flash point will be reached... and we will find ourselves confronting all dangers at one time... with Europe divided, the West demoralized, Israel squeezed, Hizbollah turned loose, North Korea and China who are in a "axis" relationship with Iraq, Iran, and Syria (it's no coincidence that North Korea is acting up now...)deciding that the USA is in a position to be confronted.

Even though I just described the quisessential slippery slope argument... in reality, it could trip that fast. This "war on terror" has the potential to sweep the world into World War 4.

So... the Administration is walking a very fine line. To remove dangerous regimes without making it look like it is a war on Islam.

Now, short-sighted people will say, "they don't care... American lives... let's roll... etc. etc."

I agree with that... but the danger of all out kick-butt war in Iraq is not Iraq, but in the rest of the Muslim world (which extends into Pakistan, India, China, Indonesia, the Phillipines... and even into the USA...) This march to Baghdad could explode into a 3 or 4 front war overnight...

If we can liberate the Iraqi people... then, when we turn our attention to Iran... the Iranian people will see us... not as "crusaders" but as liberators... then the Mullahs will fall... Hezbollah will crumble. Syria will go... followed by that rat's nest called the PA. Then, we can turn our attention to the exporter of it all... Wahabbism in Saudi Arabia.

So... I understand the soldier who wants to shell the position. But, I understand that we are fighting with our backs at a huge precipice.

We don't want to win this battle... and lose the war. So... as we fight toward Baghdad... we need to see this battle is the context of the larger war.

[hawkaw]

The fact that he said this tells me that he is not really supporting our war effort.

I have watched this guy for sometime. He is a big cheerleader of the troops in this cause. He just wants ot express his opinion about how one American heavy vehicle division has to take on a whole pile of Iraqi Divisions. I understand his concern. I just think he, as a tank commander, forgets that we have the best air force in the world.

hawk

[dogbyte12]

I have no doubt in my mind whatsoever that we will win the military war. I just don't want to lose the peace for lack of a better phrase.

Peter Jennings will try to find any way he can to make the US look bad, and it pisses me off to no end. Hanan Ashrawi must have been spectacular in bed.

[carton253]

My favorite has been "fierce"... In fact, the media seems shocked that the Iraqis are fighting back. Can I have a show of hands... how many people expected the Iraqis to fight back?

[Quilla]

I believe this is the link to Sky News (at least it's the one I'm watching). If incorrect, I'd appreciate the right one as their site is lacking in navigation ease:

http://www1.sky.com/sky_asx/sport_news_live/p2_livebb.asx

[CasearianDaoist]

There are two schools of thought within the Arab world... Pan Arabism as expressed through the regimes in Iraq, Syria, and Libya and Islamic Fundamentalist as exported through Saudi Arabia and Sudan. The PA is the benefactor of both schools.

Actually, there is a third school: the "mullahtocracy" if the Islamic Republic of Iran.

[hawkaw]

God, I am watching BBC TV and the reporter explained how "Rummy" told the world that the war would be a "cake walk"!!!

Did Rummy ever say that? The only one person I recall saying something about a quick war was some idiot Admiral who commanded something in the gulf.

hawk

[carton253]

Which is fundamentalist Islam... Shi'a branch as opposed to fudamentalist Islam... Sunni branch, which finds its expression in Wahabbism and Al Qaeda...

[carton253]

I should have put Iran down in the Islamic Fundamentalist school... oversight on my part...

[Carolina]

In fact, the media seems shocked that the Iraqis are fighting back.

It's interesting how Bush, Blair, Rummy, Franks, and crew have stressed continuously that this is not a cakewalk. There WILL be difficulties.

It's aggravating to hear the media pushing the idea that the Allies did not anticipate such fierceness.

[steveegg]

Can I have a show of hands... how many people expected the Iraqis to fight back?

Aye.