LARGE-SCALE surrenders to Marines by troops driving out of Baghdad in buses

ABC Nightline | April 3, 2003 | Mike Cerre (sp?)

[John H K]

Embedded reporter with Marines, had videophone footage of a LOT of Iraqis, at least hundreds possibly thousands, that had ridden packed buses out of Baghdad to surrender. While they wore civilian clothes, they had close-cropped haircuts and were all of military age.

Apparently, they got weekend passes from their commanders (who KNEW they were going to surrender) and simply piled into vehicles and drove out.

[John H K]

Wondering how the "IT'S A TRAP" folks will spin this one...

BTW, if you can catch Nightline on the West coast, was pretty cool. They put a camera on the first tank over the Euphrates bridge at Musayyib, and also a camera inside the turret as the guy was loading the 120mm.

[Dialup Llama]

We have got to somehow get these people behind wire. The last time we told surrendering Iraqis to 'go home' they ended up attacking us.

[noutopia]

Kill em all.

[I'm ALL Right!]

I wonder if the bus was shaped like a horse....

[Retrofire]

Hmmmm...Those extreme forward units are ill-equipped to deal with mass surrenders at the moment.

This does have a faintly fishy smell, and if we're keying up on it, you can bet the Marines are three steps ahead of us.

Hopefully, there is no more here than meets the eye, and the embed footage can be broadcast to the world soon. =)

[Shermy]

Kill em all.

Rough crowd.

How about making them into a new army?

[Paleo Conservative]

I wonder if the bus was shaped like a horse....

You mean the reverse Trojan Horse strategy?

[WOSG]

Maybe the Shock and Awe is finally hitting home!

[Naspino]

Unless they have artillery hidden in those buses -- I don't think it matters if they are planning a trap. They'll just be gunned down now that they are in the open.

[Paleo Conservative]

Maybe the Shock and Awe is finally hitting home!

Didn't General Myers say Baghdad would collapse from the inside out.

[the808bass]

Wondering how the "IT'S A TRAP" folks will spin this one...

Took all of one response.

[Torie]

Here is my wild shot. Most of the middle/upper middle class of Iraq is parked in Bagdad. Those who think they will not be fingered as war criminals know the score, or at least their parents do.

[CyberAnt]

Hmmmm? What's really funny is that it was reported that the SAS had stopped 4 bus loads of guys from Syria - and took them into custody. Of course, that was in the north near the border with Syria.

[John H K]

The last time we told surrendering Iraqis to 'go home' they ended up attacking us.

Cite specific example.

[Walkingfeather]

Shoot out the tires and make them walk out of Bagdad on their knees. Sounds a bit fishy to me.

[Paleo Conservative]

What's really funny is that it was reported that the SAS had stopped 4 bus loads of guys from Syria - and took them into custody.

Too bad the weren't used for target practice.

[midwestjenny]

Let's hope they're not "armed" with a disease. Nothing would surprise me anymore.

[Retrofire]

Very true...Those who have access to western television, or are literate and have read the pamphlet drops probably tossed in their lot privately as soon as Saddam's bunker got hit.

I imagine there are a LOT of Iraqis who feel that if they play their cards right, they'll emerge from the conflict with their assets and lifestyle largely intact.

[noutopia]

Ever since the first cartoons, the Arabs have always been the ones to stab you in the back.