On the move ... US Marines head for Baghdad Posted on 03/27/2003 6:11:02 AM PST by veronica
On the move ... US Marines head for Baghdad
From GEORGE PASCOE-WATSON Deputy Political Editor at US Central Command in Qatar
FIERCE US Marines were last night braced for a bloody battle with thousands of Republican Guard troops on Iraq’s Highway Seven.
Intelligence reports revealed as many as 5,000 Iraqi soldiers were pushing south to meet the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force for a head-on battle.
Satellites and unmanned spy drones spotted two groups of men — one 2,000-strong and the other numbering around 3,000 — leaving their base yesterday morning.
They were travelling with a convoy of 1,000 vehicles including tanks and light artillery along Highway Seven, which connects Nasiriyah to Kut, south east of Baghdad.
Military chiefs at US Central Command believe they were ordered into action by members of Saddam’s special forces who had been sent to force them to fight.
Last night early skirmishes erupted at Shatra, 25 miles north of Nasiriyah, as Iraqi militia ambushed the US Marines.
It took two hours to stamp out the enemy using Abrams tanks and heavy machine guns.
Further battles broke out another 35 miles north at Qal’at Sukkar between Marine reconnaissance units and guerilla forces.
Brigadier General John Kelly declared as the second firefight got underway:
“We put the Marines on the ground and, as our convoys roll through, anyone who wants to shoot gets shot right back.”
Marines fired at enemy machine gun nests hidden in low huts and mud buildings, blowing them to smithereens.
Witnesses reported seeing one coach with its back end blown off and the charred corpses of soldiers hanging out.
Other dead Iraqi soldiers were left where they died at their machine gun posts or in the street.
Marine intelligence sources believe the Republican Guard left their barracks at Kut hoping to take advantage of a giant sandstorm blowing through Iraq.
Their tactics have so far been to avoid moving in large numbers through open desert, presenting a bullseye target to US and RAF warplanes.
It is thought they tried to advance under the storm — dust from which prevents US Apache helicopter gunships taking to the skies.
Last night the Marines sent out advance scouts from their holding position at Qal’at Sukkar, hoping to spot the enemy.
US A10 Warthog Tankbusters, F16s and RAF Harrier GR7s were circling in the region, ready to wipe out Iraqi columns as soon as they were spotted.
A British military commander said: “If they show themselves for a split second we’ll know where they are and they’ll wish they hadn’t.”
US gunners will also rain artillery shells on the enemy ranks, including multi-launch ATACMS rockets — Army Tactical Missile Systems.
SADDAM Hussein is losing his grip on power and his days are numbered, Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon said yesterday.
In his report on the first week of war, he told MPs that Top Gun pilots had wreaked havoc with 5,000 air strikes on key targets.
Mr Hoon said: “The focus of our effort will now shift towards close air support of ground forces advancing on Baghdad.
“Saddam’s thugs continue to resist in some areas.
“Although his regime has not yet collapsed, he has effectively lost control of southern Iraq.”
Mr Hoon also said Brits killed in action would not be forgotten.
He added: “Whether they died in tragic accidents, or from enemy fire, these men gave their lives in the service of their country and in defence of the highest ideals.
“We owe them and their families a profound debt of gratitude.”
Mercy mission ... US soldier rescues injured boy near Al Faysaliyah
And the Rep Guards uses them for shields.
--John Ashcroft
I've wondered why it has not been used, is it now considered to be non-pc?
Nothing motivated massed troops to break and run faster than masses of flames engulfing their position.
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