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

Various | 3/27/2003 | Me

[Timeout]

Bingo! I remembered who called it a "cakewalk".

Ken Adelman.

[ken5050]

I don't think anyone really knows...I can easilyt imagine a scenario with one or two of them deasd, and the other one or two seriously injured, and unable to exert control;...they'd be isolated in a hospital ward, and the fact of their incapacitation would be a closely held secret...and the next 10 or so closest to the throne would be manuevering for power....i.e. you have a condition of perfect chaos.....about the only good thing in this scenario is that I doubt the orders for release of WMD will be issued..

[ncooper777]

My dad told me, that's how you can tell the "Boys from the Boys" who have seen action. It the talkers how didn't see all that much, but the quiet one's were in thick!

[null and void]

Tony - 400,000 Iraqi children died of preventable malnutrition last year.

And yet, Tony, there was plenty of money for palace building...

[prairiebreeze]

Rummy answering questions on MSNBC

[Nam Vet]

LOL....'Get the pink outa his skivies"

Nam Vet

[Mo1]

Dozens May Be Trapped Inside Manhattan Building After Collapse
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/877321/posts

[GOPyouth]

That clip of the Apache looked like the same clip from the other day. I could be wrong, but even the empty chambers under the wing were the same I think.

[Howlin]

I bet Rumsfeld wishes he had a gun.

[prairiebreeze]

Rummy talking about a RG ring around BD and Tikrit

[Cboldt]

Can't blame our guys for trying to push hard for (and thinking that they had a good chance to get) a quick end to the war . . .

I agree that expectations were set high, by the media. The media feeds on ignorance of the public, and this "war" will be a fast one, a quick one. But "fast" and "quick" are relative terms, and the public perception is FORMED by the media. From the professional warrior's perception, this war and it's aftermath WILL be quick. The media's agenda is to weaken USA and it's interests. If that was your agenda, would you admit it?

[prairiebreeze]

LOL--I'm sure he's been sorely tempted about carrying one.

Prairie

[osires13]

More Rumy on CNBC

[Tripleplay]

Excellent analysis. The worldwide financial markets reacted the same way as you explained.

[null and void]

Christianne in war zone; hubby Rubin in a studio. Possibly irrelevant question, but who is taking care of their baby?

It takes a village...

[Wphile]

Before you go...I agree that Bush has never suggested this would be a cakewalk or of short duration. I was merely trying to point out that the initial pronouncements by DOD and CentCom about decapitation, mass surrenders, surrender talks, oil fields secure, etc. just 1-2 days after the "target of opportunity" Wednesday night probably gave them - the press - and also the American people that this would be a short conflict.

I'm not sure what expectations were going in (by the american people that is; many in the punditry were saying it would be swift) but those early days surely raised everyone's expectations. Then came the weekend and people came back down to earth but the press coverage turned decidedly negative, hence the drop in the number of people thinking the war was going well.

I think now people's expectations are more realistic and the american people will probably easily adjust to the fact that this won't be a one week war. The press, however, will not and will push this point relentlessly. In the end though, when we win, it won't matter. All people will remember is that we won, not how long it took or what the press's false expectations were. I'm not trying to defend the press but I can sense how the expectations played out and I believe the DOD and CentCom had a role in that.

[maica]

Sweet that the appeasers care that we left Kyoto on the table but don't care about the kids dying.
+++

Children are way below whales, porpoises, seals, California flies, trees, etc on the scale of relative importance to these appeasers.

[prairiebreeze]

Rummy was on Capital Hill testifying that we are closer to the beginning than the end of the war

First time I have heard Tikrit mentioned much.

Prairie

[Dog]

Now the AJ network is showing pictures of the latest Iraqi victory....they shot down a drone it looks like...

Rummy just said that the RG have surrounded Tikrit......that is news to me.

[Timeout]

RG ring around BD and Tikrit

Pardon if this is a stupid question.

Is that one big ring encompassing both cities?

Or is it 2 rings, one around each city.