***Operation Iraqi Freedom - Situation Room - Day 10 - LIVE THREAD***

Everywhere! | 29 Mar 2003 | An.American.Expatriate

[null and void]

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:

To all who helped this get started, thank you!

Special thanks to An.American.Expatriate for staring the daily threads, Mo1 for the screamer, the AdminMods for their tolerance, mhking for the video links, and, of course, Belly Girl...

[oceanview]

I agree with you, but the problem is that they also have an effect on our side. when they came out that first weekend talking about surrenders and regime collapse, they provided a false sense of security to our own citizens that this was going to be a "cakewalk". i don't believe that stories released by the pentagon that make their way through the US media effect the behavior of the regime in baghdad.

[Peach]

I think it was equal parts wishful thinking, some units did negotiate for surrender and there were hopes it would mushroom, and part psy ops.

Psy ops is a useful tool and even if just a few hundred decide to surrender - it will save lives.

[Socratic]

Ya made me cry.

[Daniel Ramsey]

The second in command of Iraqs army gave the orders of mass homocide attacks all over, even in the US, they are desperate now.

[error99]

Apparently, I have more confidence than you that the war planners know what they are doing, and that they have taken every contingency into consideration. - They are the professionals. - This is what they get paid to do. - I have no intention of condeming every twist and turn of this operation that I do not clearly understand simply because I don't have the information on my desk that they do. - When I say I support the military, it means I support them all; from the privates on up through their command, and I am not going to sit here and try to second-guess or criticise every little decision that is made in this war.

[Dog]

I understand the US government didn't spike/kill the Wash Post story about us having CIA/SPEC OPS hunting leaders in Baghdad.

Imagine the leadership in BAG.....not knowing if they are in a sniper's scope or is a Predator drone with a Hellfire missile circling over head as they run from bunker to bunker..

[Cboldt]

Here is a reference to the meaning of the symbols:

HyperWar: Map Symbols

"." Squad
".." Section
"..." Platoon
"I" Company
"II" Battilion or Squadron
"III" Regiment or Air Group
"X" Brigade
"XX" Division or Wing

There are some other symbols on the Iraq maps, so I'll be looking for more references. ALso, I have zero working knowledge of our various units hardware and troop strength, so can't interpret the maps well. But the maps beat the tar out of trying to interpret a text description!

[Green]

I don't doubt that they are desperate. I just wonder if they will surrender or fight to the bitter end - all the while knowing it is a lost cause. Those that are left fighting have nothing to stay alive for after all the atrocities they have and are now committing.

[oceanview]

hard to know who that "mole" was, but I can only hope we tried that decapition attack with some corroboration by some of our own intel.

the problem with getting an honest assessment of what might have happened that first night is that neither side has an interest in Saddam being dead. We don't want to release definitive information because the justification for a full blown invasion would have been near impossible if we had admitted killing saddam and the regime leadership the first night. and iraq would not want to admit it either.

how can you know someone is dead, if neither side has an interest in making it known (if it indeed occurred)?

[sissyjane]

I just saw the coolest report on MSNBC about our FReep in San Francisco today. Showed a large crowd of flag waving FReepers, and San Francisco Cops wearing FLAG bandanas on their heads. FREEP-ON!!

[Peach]

Agreed it affected our side and we all got our homes up.

Reports were interesting before the war of "pre-surrenders" - our military talking to their military by cell phone. Given that we don't have all the appropriate cell phone numbers, it seems perfectly appropriate to use the media to encourage fear among those who aren't 100% loyal to the regime.

Of course, in the "old days" this sort of thing was done via telegram and then in later years through newspaper articles - a lot of plants in WWII.

[Cboldt]

So they never had any infantry in these divisions? Hmmm.

I think the significance is that the "Naked X inside" means only infantry. The armored stuff may be, but isn't necessarily, accompanied by infantry. I see one of our units having a combination of infantry and Air Assault (close air support, Apache probably).

Do you see the 101st north of Med2? Holy sh!t. They were in the same (general) location yesterday.

Now I have developed a habit of chacking for new maps . . . LOL!

[Peach]

You're right, Dog. There have been a few articles in major papers about special ops having operated in Baghdad for several months prior to the war.

So now Saddam doesn't know who to trust. We hit his bunker the first night. He's not loved by many, not all, but many of his own guards.

Helps me sleep at night knowing he's, shall we say, fearful.

[oceanview]

i support them too. but all I am asking is whether to believe baghdad is going to fall from the "inside out"? i'm just not seeing it could be true.

[Cboldt]

I just wonder if they will surrender or fight to the bitter end

Given their status in the regime, I'm thinking they won't get much chance to surrender. Not half or 'em at any rate, maybe 20% of 'em.

[Green]

gonna take a break for awhile...bbl

[mewzilla]

Saddamn's not dead. Yet. And I'm really hoping that when we do get him, it's with some help from one of his own.

[CasearianDaoist]

It would be interesting to know how the hard left views these rallies. They may try to pretend otherwise, but their rallies are the resuslts of months of planning and years of organized "activizism." These pro-US rallies around the country are of the plain grass roots sort - it must give them pause to see it.

[Cboldt]

I am asking is whether to believe baghdad is going to fall from the "inside out"?

It's not beyond the pale. If we can keep the RG from returning to the city, and we can get inside Saddam's bunker complex, the Iraqi people vastly outnumber the thugs.

[Dog]

The distant explosions haven't stopped yet in Baghdad..