Fatal flaws in Saddam's gamble

The Daily Telegraph ^ | March 27, 2003 | Michael Smith

[chainsaw]

Roads? We don't need no stinkin roads!

We might need roads if it rains or Saddam blows that dam and floods everything up to Kabala. That is a very large body of water behind that dam.

[Aria]

I fear for our troops but everything they say makes them sound really confident. But it has also been said that maybe he is trying to get to our troops while they are tired. From what I see on Fox it has been real hard to get some decent sleep. This must have been figured into the plans, just not sure how. I wish we hadn't waited so long to get this started.

[AmericanVictory]

It very much resembles similar mistakes by his role model Hitler as things began to cave in.

[GladesGuru]

Since the tanks have tracks instead of wheels, roads are not critical. Support vehicles may be another matter, however.

[JSteff]

"I'm starting to think that their commanders are free lancing and that there is not even a shred of an organized Iraqi battle plan."

I agree. I think Saddam is not in control of anything, probably not even his bowels if he is still alive. Their actions have not seemed to have any theater wide coordination but rather more like the actions of individual commanders. All the better for us.

[scott7278]

This is the only way that Saddam is still making decisions:

And if that's the case, here's his end:

[spetznaz]

I am still totally flabbergasted at why Saddam (or his honchos) would be willing to send out the armored convoy against the US military! That is simply suicidal! Did he not learn from the first Gulf War what happens when US airstrikes trap a convoy by blowing the lead and hind vehicles and the blowing up the remaining tanks at leisure?

Does he not realize what the depleted uranium rounds of A-10s and the Hellfire missiles of Apaches can do?

Does he not realize that of all the things the US military excels at the most paramount is in destroying large well-defined targets (and an enemy convoy moving on a desert highway is extremely well defined). Didn't he learn a lesson from the Gulf War 1 'Highway of death?'

I know Saddam is kooky in the head .....but this is just too much even for him! It just does not make any sense ..........even Hezbollah and Hamas make much more 'sense' than this ....at least they believe they are getting a bevy of virgins when they die!

What do you guys think Saddam is thinking (although it may take an insane mind to understand this stratagem! I tried yesterday morning and ended up talkign to myself in the shower).

This is just plain stupid .......or maybe Saddam wants a further example of what Apache LongBow copters can do (unless, of course, the US Defense industry has been working on some 'mind control ray' that allows us to make the enemy do stupid things ......stupid things like setting off on a desert highway, with swamp on each side, driving toward the US encampments).

If no 'mind ray' is involved then what is Saddam expecting to accomplish by such an act?

[agincourt1415]

Everybody is getting execited about the Fedeyeen Saddam. They are just a bunch of criminals and thugs, and they will loose the will to fight after Saddam is gone.

[agincourt1415]

It wasn't much of a convoy after the B-52s got through with them.

Kafjee All over again.

Its good that Saddam is stupid, makes for less forces we have to dig out of Baghdad.

They have to use the Armor outside Baghdad (the Iraqi's). Or else its Urban warefare with RPGs.

[Pete'sWife]

I think Saddam's mind was splattered all over a wall last week, like a bug hitting a windshield.