War Could Last Months, Some Military Officers Say [Thomas E. Ricks = DISCREDITED]

Washington Post ^ | Thursday, March 27, 2003 | By Thomas E. Ricks

[JohnHuang2]

"...some senior U.S. military officers are now convinced that the war is likely to last months and will require considerably more combat power than is now on hand there and in Kuwait, senior defense officials said today....."

Snip "The combination of wretched weather, long and insecure supply lines, and an enemy that has refused to be supine in the face of American combat power has led to a broad reassessment by some top generals of U.S. military expectations and timelines."

Snip

"More forces are coming...But it will probably take the better part of a month for that tank-heavy division to get into position and provide combat power. Other forces heading to this region, including the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, at Fort Carson, Colo., and the 1st Cavalry Division, at Fort Hood, Tex., will require months to move their tanks and other armor from their bases into combat, the defense officials said."

Snip

"That traffic jam also has undermined Bush administration plans to quickly follow the U.S. military advance with tons of food and other humanitarian relief to win support among Iraqis. "There's tremendous fog out there," an officer said, referring to the confusion of wartime operations, with logistical commanders struggling to figure out where various supply items are in a system that at times resembles "just a bunch of guys out there driving around."

Snip

"Overhanging all developments in the war this week is the unsettling realization that thousands of Iraqis are willing to fight vigorously."

Snip "When Army combat operations resume, major adjustments are likely in strategic goals and targets."

Snip

"The sources said that some of the major assumptions underpinning the U.S. approach to Iraq are being discarded."

Snip "Finally, the resilience of the Medina division will be a major indicator of whether the Third Infantry Division can do the job by itself or will have to dig in and wait for help sometime in April from the Fourth Infantry Division."

Continue

[PhilDragoo]

"There's tremendous fog out there," a Democrat strategist said, referring to the confusion of anti-Bush operations, with doomsayers struggling to figure out where their various body parts are wedged in a system that at times resembles "just a bunch of nelly queens out there mincing around."

Damn the nattering nabobs of negatism--on to Baghdad.

[Grampa Dave]

Great quote. Did you see the attacks that I got for daring to say what you and I say about the Russians and their role in this mess?

[Radix]

 

 

 

 

 

Sherman, it is time to reurn to the future. Set the Wayback Machine for reality.  Sherman, I said reality. 

[PhilDragoo]

Russian Generals Boris and Natasha in Baghdad w/GPS jammer.

[Diddley]

This war is moving so fast, that these retired military men had better not make any rash statements.
By the time their articles get out, the action they said would fail or be harder is behind us (usually with incredible ease).

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the heads up!

[Victoria Delsoul]

LOL, the prophets of gloom and doom and doomsday dimwits are at it again!