***Operation Iraqi Freedom - Situation Room - Day 8 - LIVE THREAD***

Various | 3/27/2003 | Me

[Centurion2000]

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...

[CPL BAUM]

You are absolutely correct - Saddam is either dead or severely incapacitated. This is like "Weekend at Bernies" with a regime of Walking (soon to be) Dead propping up the corpse of Saddam. As soon as Iraqis realize that Saddam is gone (or a drooling vegetable), the people will turn on the remaining regime elements like a hoard of locusts on a ripe crop. This is actually going to be amusing is a sick sort of way.

[retrokitten]

Very cool Rummy pic.

[Peach]

CORRECTION: NOT Paula Zahn. I'm forgetting her name now - just back on Fox after having a baby. Speaks Arabic.

[Michael81Dus]

Hi y´all!

I just saw reports that the media (even in the US) criticized the "fantasy-strategy" of the Pentagon. SnA has failed, they say (and I agree) - they claim, Bush & Rumsfeld have thought of moving to Baghdad like a "walk through Disneyland". Much criticism here, what do you think?

[retrokitten]

Linda Vester

[Timeout]

RE: Sky News Link

I don't know if this is absolute, but I've had better luck using the "video help" button at the bottom...as opposed to simply mashing "play" repeatedly. The "video help" button takes you to a choice of 56k or broadband. I've had better luck with 56k.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Greedy organized UN thieves and bullies. Clinton gave the UN far too much say in US international affairs - w/o accountability - weakening America, giving the UN an inflated sense of authority.

The UN Charter is far different than the US Constitution. American elected leaders do not swear to uphold the UN Charter. Americans do not elect the UN or the press.

UN e-mail links incl. Kofi, Sec. Council: http://progressiveaustin.org/email_un.htm

[Lauratealeaf]

Plus, you never know when Colonel Hunt will say something really funny! LOL!

Yes, that is true. It is never dull with a Colonel Hunt segment.

[Peach]

Thank you. Linda Vester has been gone too long if I've forgotten her name like that. She was around over the weekend but I haven't seen her since.

[Dog]

Poor Bridget Quinn is convinced that the Kurds crossing the Iraqi lines is bad...or she is totally misreading the Reuters copy......Kurds crossing the Turk lines..

She has me so confused..

[Timesink]

I'm not familiar with those shows. Should I be grateful?

Father Ted is one of the funniest Britcoms ever made, IMHO. Coupling is far more generic, but relatively funny. Imagine Three's Company except there's more like eight of them, and they've all already slept with each other.

[myrabach]

Could this have something to do with why they do not want the US or Britain in on the reconstruction?

8. OK... HERE'S WHY

FRANCE
According to the CIA World Factbook, France controls over 22.5 percent of Iraq's imports.

[1] French total trade with Iraq under the oil-for-food program is the third largest, totaling $3.1 billion since 1996, according to the United Nations.

[2] In 2001 France became Iraq's largest European trading partner. Roughly 60 French companies do an estimated $1.5 billion in trade with Baghdad annually under the U.N. oil-for-food program.

[3] France's largest oil company, Total Fina Elf, has negotiated a deal to develop the Majnoon field in western Iraq. The Majnoon field purportedly contains up to 30 billion barrels of oil.

[4] Total Fina Elf also negotiated a deal for future oil exploration in Iraq's Nahr Umar field. Both the Majnoon and Nahr Umar fields are estimated to contain as much as 25 percent of the country's reserves.

[5] France's Alcatel company, a major telecom firm, is negotiating a $76 million contract to rehabilitate Iraq's telephone system.

[6] From 1981 to 2001, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), France was responsible for over 13 percent of Iraq's arms imports.

GERMANY
[1] Direct trade between Germany and Iraq amounts to about $350 million annually, and another $1 billion is reportedly sold through third parties.

[2] It has recently been reported that Saddam Hussein has ordered Iraqi domestic businesses to show preference to German companies as a reward for Germany's "firm positive stand in rejecting the launching of a military attack against Iraq." It was also reported that over 101 German
companies were present at the Baghdad Annual exposition.

[3] During the 35th Annual Baghdad International Fair in November 2002, a German company signed a contract for $80 million for 5,000 cars and spare parts.

[4] In 2002, DaimlerChrysler was awarded over $13 million in contracts for German trucks and spare parts.

[5] German officials are investigating a German corporation accused of illegally channeling weapons to Iraq via Jordan. The equipment in question is used for boring the barrels of large cannons and is allegedly intended for Saddam Hussein's Al Fao Supercannon project.

RUSSIA
[1] According to the CIA World Factbook, Russia controls roughly 5.8 percent of Iraq's annual imports.

[2] Under the U.N. oil-for-food program, Russia's total trade with Iraq was somewhere between $530 million and $1 billion for the six months ending in December of 2001.

[3] According to the Russian Ambassador to Iraq, Vladimir Titorenko, new contracts worth another $200 million under the U.N. oil-for-food program are to be signed over the next three months.

[4] Soviet-era debt of $7 billion through $8 billion was generated by arms sales to Iraq during the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war. Russia's LUKoil negotiated a $4 billion, 23-year contract in 1997 to rehabilitate the 15 billion-barrel West Qurna field in southern Iraq. Work on the oil field was expected to commence upon cancellation of U.N. sanctions
on Iraq. The deal is currently on hold.

[5] In October 2001, Salvneft, a Russian-Belarus company, negotiated a $52 million service contract to drill at the Tuba field in Southern Iraq.

[6] In April 2001, Russia's Zaruezhneft company received a service contract to drill in the Saddam, Kirkuk, and Bai Hassan fields to rehabilitate the fields and reduce water incursion. A future $40 billion Iraqi-Russian economic agreement, reportedly signed in 2002, would allow for extensive oil exploration opportunities throughout western Iraq.

[7] The proposal calls for 67 new projects, over a 10-year time frame, to explore and further develop fields in southern Iraq and the Western Desert, including the Suba, Luhais, West Qurna, and Rumaila projects. Additional projects added to the deal include second-phase construction of a pipeline running from southern to northern Iraq, and extensive drilling and gas projects. Work on these projects would commence upon cancellation of sanctions.

[8] The former Soviet Union was the premier supplier of Iraqi arms. From 1981 to 2001, Russia supplied Iraq with 50 percent of its arms.

China
According to the CIA World Factbook, China controls roughly 5.8 percent of Iraq's annual imports.

[1] China National Oil Company, partnered with China North Industries Corp., negotiated a 22-year-long deal for future oil exploration in the Al Ahdab field in southern Iraq.

[2] In recent years, the Chinese Aero-Technology Import-Export Company (CATIC) has been contracted to sell "meteorological satellite" and "surface observation" equipment to Iraq. This contract was approved by the U.N.
oil-for-food program.

[3] CATIC also won approval from the U.N. in July 2000 to sell $2 million worth of fiber optic cables. This and similar contracts approved were disguised as telecommunications gear. These cables can be used for secure data and communications links between national command and control centers and long-range search radar, targeting radar, and missile-launch units, according
to U.S. officials. In addition, China National Electric Wire & Cable and China National Technical Import Telecommunications Equipment Company are believed to have sold Iraq $6 million and $15.5 million worth of communications equipment and other unspecified supplies, respectively.

[4] According to a report from SIPRI, from 1981 to 2001, China was the second largest supplier of weapons and arms to Iraq, supplying over 18 percent of Iraq's weapons imports.]

[Peach]

Hey - Reuters writers aren't too bright either. Bring on Linda Vester - write Fox and tell them to pay for her nanny for a few months.

[retrokitten]

Yeah, I saw her over the weekend and was hoping that she was back, too. I like her.

[Carolina]

I don't know if this is absolute, but I've had better luck using the "video help" button at the bottom...as opposed to simply mashing "play" repeatedly. The "video help" button takes you to a choice of 56k or broadband. I've had better luck with 56k.

That's how I've been able to stay connected. I get timed out after about an hour but usually get reconnected in a couple of minutes clicking on video help.

[Timesink]

Sorry, it was on Sky Live. I'll try and find copy.

I found it, thanks anyway.

[Cboldt]

Cboldt said: NYT criticized Peter Jennings.

What did they say????

The criticism was generally about his attitude -- I can't reacll the word used, Limbaug read a single sentence from the article or editorial, and from memoery "petulant" comes to mind. I think it was friendly advise, NYT doesn't want Petah to lose ground.

[An.American.Expatriate]

Hi Michael,

The so-called "fantasy strategy" existed only in the reportes minds! This is called self fullfilling prophecy - get enough media to claim "war will be won quick and easy", then start spreading rumors that there is doubt, then, when the first obstacles appear - BOOM - Instant Headline!

"Pentagon mis-read situation in Iraq!"

How exactly has S&A failed? We have caused over 4000 iraqi's to surrender and untold more to desert - resistence in more of a nuisance than anything else.

The criticism in Europe is so transparent. I have yet to here even ONE positive report. Claims be the Iraqi Interior Minister are reported as uncontested fact. Reports from the embedded journalists are dsicouted as propaganda.

Europe ignores one entire side of the "argument" and claims to be morally superior? Excuse me while I clean off my monitor.

[Cboldt]

Next time you see Mara, note that she resembles a younger Elenor Clift.

[Carolina]

FRANCE According to the CIA World Factbook, France controls over 22.5 percent of Iraq's imports.

GERMANY [1] Direct trade between Germany and Iraq amounts to about $350 million annually, and another $1 billion is reportedly sold through third parties.

RUSSIA [1] According to the CIA World Factbook, Russia controls roughly 5.8 percent of Iraq's annual imports.

China According to the CIA World Factbook, China controls roughly 5.8 percent of Iraq's annual imports.

Great post! There's a rally poster idea here.