***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...

[Quilla]

From ABC News (my apologies):

"The Iraqi military is currently believed to have 23 military divisions, including six Republican Guard divisions. By comparison, during Operation Desert Storm in 1991, there was a total of 54, including eight Republican Guard divisions. The current divisions are largely comprised of armor and mechanized infantry.

Iraq maintains a military force of about 325,000 troops.

Before the military movements this week, there were 13 divisions — including some Republican Guard units — deployed in the north, roughly along the “line of trace” with the Kurdish minorities.

There are seven divisions in southern Iraq, all regular army units patrolling to keep control of the Shiite minorities. There are also three heavy armor and mechanized divisions of Republican Guard around Baghdad, charged with keeping control of the capital.

The size of Iraqi divisions varies but can run anywhere from 9,000 to 13,000 troops."

[GOPyouth]

AAA still going off in baghdad.

[SoldiersGirl]

Not all of those troops are infantry/artillery though. Some are support for infantry/arty, like the commo guys.
They're also maintanence, supply, PAC, chaplains, medics, cooks, etc.....

I agree we need more infantry there....

[GOPyouth]

The 4th is about to arrive. That will be a nice addition.

[Dog]

Several Explosions in Bag...

[GOPyouth]

Fox saying the explosions are in the center of baghdad.

[Howlin]

Thanks!

[Howlin]

Lord, I do so love FR; ask and ye shall receive!

[SoldiersGirl]

Yeah I know...but as I said last night...
The equipment for the 4th, the humvee's the tanks etc..have been sitting on ships for two+ months without any maintenance being done on them. They will not be ready to roll off the ships and into battle...

[pitinkie]

What the h@ll was that!!!

[GOPyouth]

AAA still going off in Baghdad. BIG ASS BOMB!!!

[Quilla]

Oops, another Russian implication:

Iraq: Desert Dispatch -- U.S. Surprised By Iraqi Use Of 'Kornet' Antitank Missiles (Russian Missile)

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/877510/posts

[Dog]

OMG!!!!

Huge Mushroom type cloud on MSNBC!!!!!!!

[chnsmok]

Wowsers!

[PrivateIdaho]

Whoa... big time blast - close to the BAG-CAM!

[GOPyouth]

Fox showing footage of the bomb results in baghdad.

[Nexus]

Large explosions heard on Bag Cam

[prairiebreeze]

BIG CLOUD on TV Wow

Prairie

[xsrdx]

I agree we need more infantry there....

With the arrival of the 1ID and 4ID in theater we will have more than enough combat power.

The only thing that's kept the Iraqi's active over the past 4 days is the sandstorm, which grounded most of our combat aviation and concealed much of their movement.

Clearing weather will make it much harder for the Iraqis to avoid destruction.

[Dog]

CNN has a shot of this huge explosion....and the Cloud of Smoke is BIG!!!!!!!