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

Multiple ^ | 25 March 2003 | Various

[An.American.Expatriate]

Good Morning.

This is the Daily Thread of Operation Iraqi Freedom - LIVE THREAD.

It is designed for general conversation about the events of the day. In depth discussion of events should be left to individual threads - but links to the threads or other articles is highly encouraged. This allows us to stay abreast of the situation in general, while also providing a means of obtaining specific information.

Please have mercy on us dial up limited FReepers! Limit the big graphics, post links instead. A breif description of what the graphic is would help:

Special thanks to null and void for keeping these running over the weekend and Monday, to all of you for keeping these threads alive, the AdminMods for their tolerance, mhking for the video links, and, of course, Belly Girl...

[An.American.Expatriate]

What's Up With Turkey? ^

[Semper Paratus]

RUMMY at 1:30 EST.

Is HE going to be in 3-D jacket?

[Peach]

If this done around 11:00am most won't stagger back until 3:00.

Stagger being the operative word.

[An.American.Expatriate]

Iraqi 'farmers' ambush convoy and are defeated ^

[null and void]

You can tap a cable without ever touching it...kid you not.

Yup!...

[freedom moose]

First post (sorry can't figure out how to reply to no specific post)

I just heard the Iraqi correspondent on Catalunya Radio (Barcelona).
He's reporting that all land and mobile telephones are out of service in his area of Baghdad. AND that "Iraqi Authorities" (unspecified) were confiscating satellite phones in his hotel (didn't say which). They were even searching rooms. (how he's held on to his he didn't say).
All travel is severely restricted by the information ministry.
He also said that the Iraqis he's in contact with (taxi drivers, people selling cigarrettes to journalists) seem completely unaware of what's actually going on (of course they know there's a war) and certainly have no idea that coalition troops are closing in on the city. When the studio person asked if the iraqis were supporting saddam, his answer was yes they are - on camera and no off camera.
He said that he didn't hear much pro or anti American talk either.
Not that any of this will surprise anyone. But i haven't seen much specific reporting about this on major US networks although I rarely see them here (only cnn int'l is available) and on the web.

[Lauratealeaf]

Sky anchor commented on the brave dad. I agree that he was very dignified.

Yes, I agree. He seemed to have a Texan accent. I wonder where he is from?

[abnegation]

Borrowed from Tori? (g)

[gop212]

HA! Thanks for posting that, I've heard about that but had not seen it yet.

[An.American.Expatriate]

Europeans flock to al-Jazeera ^

Funniest thing about this is that the European Press has more or less said that Al-Jazeera is propaganda and still they "flock" to it!!

[Quilla]

Welcome! Great first post.

[Robert A Cook PE]

Get off the "air supply" hook.

This ISN'T Stalingrad: WE HAVE THE SURROUNDING territory around Bagdad.

The IRAQI army (what's left of them) ARE THE ONES SURROUNDED and are cut off from supplies. And gas. And ammo. And food. And power - whenever we decide they are going to be shut off, the power and everything else is going to be turned off.

WE HAVE THE TRUCKS, TRAINS, SHIPS and ports and rails and bridges (now) and highways and the desert and the rivers.

So who cares about air supply?

If we decide we aren't going to fight a "Stalingrad" we simply don't figth in the city.

And - and what makes you think that the 25,000 left-over Iraq RG (or even the terrorist militia/police/thug squads) are going to fight like 150,000 desperate (fighting for their own lives!)professional German soldiers at the height of THEIR power.

[Carolina]

Ugh! Campbell Brown on NBC. What's she saying? I have her on mute. Rush will be on soon.

[abnegation]

Fox was just showing the loading of JDAMs on Fox. My friend who knows what they look like said he saw a MOAB being pushed around earlier Fairford footage. He didn't see it being loaded, just pushed around. Perhaps the RG has a fun gift headed their way?

[Lauratealeaf]

Very informative first post!

[retrokitten]

Welcome! Thanks for the info, that's really interesting stuff.

[Peach]

Great snyopsis - thanks. To reply to a specific person, go to their comments and click post reply. It will show up on the thread. If you want to reply privately (it won't show up on the thread) click private reply.

[Wphile]

Interesting report from Baghdad. I thought we had control of Iraqi radio. We should be using that to get the word out that our troops are rapidly approaching Baghdad. My guess is most reporters in Baghdad aren't given much information. I heard they were all confined to the same hotel in Baghdad and someone remarked on how "interesting" it was that the searching for the supposed downed pilot in the river occurred right in front of that hotel! The Iraqis appear to be doing a good job of propaganda here. Sure wish we could take out that darn TV station.

[An.American.Expatriate]

Two U.S. Helicopters Missing in Iraqi Sandstorm, AFP Reports ^

[Catspaw]

A MOAB? I have a few choice places for that Mother to be dropped :-))