Have Republican Guards in retreat tipped the balance?

The Daily Telegraph ^ | April 4, 2003 | Alec Russell

[MadIvan]

Something to think about.

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Bump!

[RetiredArmy]

A hostile army is at the gates.

Enemy At The Gates. Sounds like a catchy title for a movie!!!

[f.Christian]

The "tip" is near, if it has not already happened.

[tang-soo]

Mene , Mene , Tekel , Parsin

If don't understand, read here .

[husky ed]

The balance was tipped when the first American soldier set foot on Iraqi soil.

[Brett66]

I think it's already happened, the Shias are helping the British forces in Basra now. This will only escalate.

[colorado tanker]

Sometimes I wonder at the complete inability of pundits and "analysts" to reflect on basic human nature. People joined the Republican guard for the droppings from Saddam's palaces, better pay, better food, better housing, an occasional prisoner to beat or rape.

Seeing that these perks are about to be cut off, and indeed if they are identified they might go to prison, why would they even keep the uniform on, much less fight to the death?

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

The "tip" is near, if it has not already happened.

. . . to God's ears!

[hchutch]

It's turning into 73 Easting all over again.

[Incorrigible]

[Joe Boucher]

Good job there Ivan. Keep thinking and digging.

[colorado tanker]

It's turning into 73 Easting all over again.

Eeerie, isn't it, how the left hook into the east side of Baghdad by the 3rd ID resembles the left hook by the 2nd ACR and VII Corps? From what I've seen so far, it looks like the Tawakalna Division fought better than the Medina Division, even though Medina was defending Baghdad.

[headsonpikes]

Ahhh...the Ceaucescus; now that was a happy ending!

[Blueflag]

This is not Kosovo. The rabble and the remains that are 'falling back' into Baghdad will not represent oragnized resistance.

The greater peril, not mentioned here, is a 3 million plus populace without electric power, soon, therefore without water, then food, then social order, etc.;

The Iraqis are still working for a negotiated solutoin brought on by the 'human crisis in Baghdad'.

Don't look for us to delay a final resolution. Wage war to crush.

[JusPasenThru]

Sorry, don't understand that bit of history. Please explain.

[colorado tanker]

The Battle of 73 Easting took place in Gulf War I when Schwartzkopf's "left hook" emerged from the desert in Iraq north of Kuwait and ran into the Tawakalna Republican Guards division, a crack Iraqi armored outfit. The 2nd ACR acting as VII Corps's cavalry screen ran right over the initial elements, the battle later becoming a route. I believe a Silver Star went to the commander of the initial squadron in contact. There's a description in the Freeper Foxhole and several websites.

[patriciaruth]

It's a long, long way to TIPperary....

[Happygal]

Until that moment, only in the small south-western town of Timisoara had people dared to rise up, and their protest had been bloodily put down. Yet the next day Ceausescu was on the run and three days later he and his wife, Elena, were executed.

In the case of Saddam..200 assassination attempts can't be WRONG?

[WOSG]

es, we know: "Numbered, measured, counted, divided."

The butcher of babylon is soon to fall.