[An.American.Expatriate]

The Day 5 Thread is here -> http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/873593/posts

[TomGuy]

Domino effect may be beginning:

Tehran, March 22, IRNA -- The holy city of Najaf in southern Iraq, which has a major Shiite population, is bracing for an uprising against the regime of Saddam Hussein.

[mondonico]

Rummy: we're bringing emergency supplies with us "...and the people who are embedded [with the troops] know that..."

Translation: reporters who are actually working for a living have a clue, unlike the slobs who make a living nagging officials at press conferences.

[TomGuy]

These news conferences are a game. Rummy says 1 question. Reporters try to get a 2nd question. (Reporter has $20 riding on it.)

Reporters have a $20 pool based on who can ask the most idiotic question of the day. At the conclusion of the conference, the winner is the reporter who asked the most stupid question; he/she gets the pool.

[Helen Thomas wins alot, so does Terry Moroan and David Gregory.]

[goodolemr]

White House Briefing starting...

What stupid question will Helen ask today?

[TomGuy]

These reporters ask their questions in a way that they are trying to play "gotcha" with the Admin even over minute or common-sense details. Their questions are intentional.

[TomGuy]

FoxNews: Basra. Iraqi Rep Guard/Saddam Loyals dressed in Coalition uniforms accept surrender of Iraqi's, then execute them.

[Norman Arbuthnot]

Hackworth Alert!! He's coming up on Sean Hannity's radio show in a few minutes.

[Moose4]

And now, for a brief public service announcement...

This, the Operation Iraqi Freedom Situation Room Live Thread, Day Six, is brought to you by Belly Girl.

Belly Girl! She's why we fight.

And now, back to your regularly scheduled thread...

}:-)4

[Pro-Bush]

Breaking at SKY NEWS

KARBALA BATTLE LARGEST YET

The largest battle of the ground war in Iraq has broken out just south of Baghdad reports say.

Between 300 and 500 Iraqi troops have died in fierce fighting around the cities of Najaf and Karbala without the loss of a single Allied troop, according to the Pentagon.


The battle began when Iraqi troops launched a huge night time attack on US forces, possibly trying to take advantage of poor visibility due to sandstorms.

Sky's Washington correspondent Keith Graves said: "From what the Pentagon is saying this was a major encounter, possibly the biggest ground battle of the war so far."

Najaf and Karbala, 100 and 50 miles from Baghdad respectively, are some of the last obstacles Coalition forces must overcome before beginning an all out strike on the capital.

[Luis Gonzalez]

Quite frankly, all networks need to back-off the coverage.

Bring it to me nightly, and break in when something truly significant happens...don't cover every turd some supply camel leaves behind on the road to Baghdad.

We're both desensitizing war, and creating a CNN mentality to the events...we want the war to proceed at a pace that holds the viewer's attention, and that's wrong. The war need tp proceed at whatever pace the field commanders set, and not for the benefit of impatient people back home.

[Capitalism2003]

Hugh Hewitt just mentioned Free Republic...said we had some nice pictures of marines in a sandstorm somewhere...haven't seem em yet, just got here. :)

[TexKat]

It's easier for Saddam to fight this war

[TexKat]

POW effect: The captured become tools of warfare

[TexKat]

Russia rejects US claim of violating weapons embargo

[TexKat]

Perhaps this may be something to keep an eye on:

Russian exile who presents Blair with a dilemma

[overtaxed_canadian]

First Basra, Then Baghdad - A Reversal (DEBKA)

[TexKat]

Iraqis shoot into crowd; Baghdad defense pounded

[TexKat]

Our tanks kill British troops in crossfire

[TexKat]

Saudi says promotes "ideas" to halt Iraq war

[TexKat]

Kremlin Fires Back At Bush