***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...

[Sacajaweau]

There was a gentleman on the other day discussing Saddam's chain of command and said the information which led to the bombing of the bunker came from at least one person within the top 55 people which surround Saddam AND additional corroborating sources.

[oceanview]

why would iraq release videos of him which were so questionable, two of which were obviously edited? either release a definitive video of him, or release nothing.

[Nam Vet]

I seem to recall that Saddam extended his generosity to all of his generals by hosting all the the generals' families to stay at Saddam's place, free of charge, until the battles are over. They just might be too afraid for their loved ones to surrender. JMHO

Nam Vet

[Straight Vermonter]

Army Formations

• Squad: The smallest groupings in the army structure, squads are made up of 8 to 11 soldiers and are normally led by a sergeant.
• Platoon: Usually consisting of two to four squads, platoons are typically led by a lieutenant, with a senior sergeant second in command.
• Company (in the infantry), battery (in the artillery) or troop (in the cavalry): The company, battery or troop is made up of three to five platoons and is typically commanded by a captain. It usually has a first lieutenant as the second in command and a first sergeant as the senior non-commissioned officer.
• Battalion: The primary combat maneuver element of the Army, the battalion or squadron is composed of four to six companies and is commanded by a lieutenant colonel with a sergeant major as the senior non-commissioned adviser. A major acts as the executive officer and second in command. The battalion is tactically and administratively self-sufficient and can conduct independent operations of a limited scope. An armored or air cavalry unit of similar size to a battalion is called a squadron.
• Brigade: The brigade or regiment is made up of two to five battalions under the command of a colonel with a sergeant major as the senior non-commissioned officer. Armored calvary and ranger units of similar size to a brigade are called regiments, while special forces units are known as groups.
• Division: Typically made up of three maneuver brigades, as well combat support brigades, they are commanded by a major general. The division performs major tactical operations for the corps and is capable of sustained operations.
• Corps: A corps is made of two or more divisions commanded by a lieutenant general. At this level, national intelligence assets are analyzed and command and control of the whole theater operations are coordinated.
• Army: Armies can be identified as theater armies, field armies, or army groups.

[Timeout]

So What?!

Who the eff cares what "people" thought after the first TWO DAYS of warmaking? It has no bearing on the military strategy; the ultimate goals; or the men and women fighting in the deserts, mountains and cities of Iraq. The chattering class is the only one who cares...and they just have to fill space and air time.

This is going to go on awhile and it would be a good idea to just watch the action and forget about all that "analysis" being done by people who have no clue what the battle plan is.

[Robert A Cook PE]

No, don't do that:

Don't blindly accept the "military are professionals AND never make mistakes" assumption.

Ever.

our guys are quite capable of making erors, of following politics, and NOT protesting stupid (political and military) decisions.

BUT ..... THEY DO RECOVER. They do make better decisions, and ARE better trained than the other guys. They have better equipment than the enemy, and they have better leadership than the enemy.

Our guys WILL MAKE ERRORS IN THE FUTURE - have made errors in the past, but their subordinates, their troops, and their political leaders (this time) WILL LEARN from those errors and, will force the enemy to make his errors, and will (in the end) prevail.

But never, ever, fall for any statement that claims the military are "too professional" to make errors. The trick is to make fewer errors than the other guy.

[mewzilla]

Seems to me they're too scared to go live, for a number of reasons. And if Saddamn were dead, and we knew it, I think we'd spill. It would make too much sense not to. We're going to finish disarming Iraq anyway, and why put the troops at more risk if we can prove Saddamn is toast and hopefully send his loyalists into a tailspin.

[aloysius89]

Fascinating. Fox is reporting 30,000 German protesters formed a 31 mile long chain. I wonder if they played Telephone.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Just back....I tried to hit post #1900 so I wouldn't slow down the thread w/graphics, heh. Maybe next time. ANTI-American protests growing? In Terry Moran's dreams, but not in America...not with our guys in enemy territory...not w/ enemies in AMERICA....not after 9-11. Grandmothers are calling them speed bumps. Rodney Dangerfield gets more respect. Freepers are out supporting their troops across America again today...with flags waving and no litter left behind. It's a good day.

One of the military guys on FOX said paratroopers are called "Hanky-Poppers".

Think the first one to name them this is still alive. (^:

[Queen of Excelsior]

Does anyone know what's in the buiding across the street from the Baghdad camera? Lights on, people inside. Reporters?

[Straight Vermonter]

I don't thin the Iraqi people (his only intended audience) have the level of sophistication nor outside invetigators to cast doubt on these videos.

[error99]

And all I'm saying is that we should support the war effort in every aspect; and put as much faith and confidence in the commanders of this operation as we give support to the soldiers in the field; and stop being so critical of every troop depoyment, or strategy that we hear about on the news.

[Cboldt]

This appears to be a definitive source of the symbols.

Military Map Symbols

As for the squad/platoon . . . ./brigade/division/etc. heirarchy, I have just been using the "rule of fours." A squad having 10 soldiers, and each next designation having four times as much as the previous.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

If you listen to reporters and armchair generals you get a much different view of this war. SOD Rumsfeld and CENTCOM have not been misleading the people.The press on the other hand - never have so few been working to cause so much mischief for so many, imho.

---

Humor break:

One day a teacher read the story Chicken Little to her class. She came to the part of the story where Chicken Little tried to warn the farmer. She read, ".... and so Chicken Little went up to the farmer and said, "The sky is falling, the sky is falling! " The teacher paused then asked the class, "And what do you think that farmer said?"

One little girl raised her hand and said, "I think he said: 'Holy Shit! A talking chicken!'" The teacher was unable to teach for the next 10 minutes.

[Socratic]

I don't know what bag-cam you're watching, but if it's that typical one at the street corner, with the mosque diagonally across from the camera, it's a bank (they said this a while ago on FOX).

[B4Ranch]

Armored unit must have ground troops with them or else they don't last long. A tank isn't a watchtower, the guys inside have very limited visibilty.

[oceanview]

it may have no bearing on the military plan, but maintaining firm public support is critical. you can't come out and make those statements about surrender and regime collapse that we did the first weekend, have it be part of psy-ops, and then when it becomes apparent that this was not going to be the case, not expect some of the "sheeple" to be get weak in the knees.

luckily, the pentagon decided to do this very early in the operation and did not take any hits in public support (aside from the media hysterics). but I would say if they had continued to make only "feel good" claims day after day, it would not have been good. luckily they have started giving more reasoned public statements about this not being easy, and not being over in days or a couple of weeks.

[error99]

I don't know what the hell you are talking about. Nobody ever said that commanders never make mistakes. The conversation has to do with how we all (yes, I have been guilty too) condemn, critisise, and second-guess military decisions, tactics, and strategies based simply on what we have heard on the evening news. How can we say "we support our military", and then we say "the guys at the pentagon do not know what they are doing" out of the other side of our mouths? Do we just support privates, airmen, and seamen? Or just Lieutenants? Or nobody over the rank of Colonel? Or what?

[Queen of Excelsior]

Thanks. I'm watching CBS cam(no green screen). A bank? They sure keep some strange hours!

[Socratic]

It's time to grab your own while the grabbings good!