"What is it with your people? I am fine! We have kicked all the American infidels out of Iraq and have started invading Israel."
Posted on 04/05/2003 7:40:50 AM PST by knighthawk
The last hours of Saddam Hussein's reviled regime may finally be at hand.
But there is considerable confusion about whether Republican Guard units guarding the southern approaches to Baghdad have been defeated or have simply retreated into the city to regroup.
If this is the case, U.S. and Iraqi forces may finally meet on more or less equal terms in a bloody battle that will involve tens of thousands of Iraqi civilians and imperil their lives.
"Marines take the fight that they are given," said Lieutenant- Colonel Stacey Clardy, commander of the Third Light Armoured Reconnaissance Battalion.
"We will take higher casualties if the fight continues into the city. But if that is where the fight goes, that is where the Marines will go, too."
Yesterday was one of the hottest days of the campaign, with temperatures in the high 30s. Troops wore special suits to protect against chemical or biological weapons for much of the time; three U.S. soldiers collapsed from heat exhaustion.
Nonetheless, the Third Infantry Division and First Marine Division made steady, often spectacular progress, putting immense pressure on Baghdad's southern approaches with a classic pincer movement from the southwest and from the southeast.
The assault was led by infantry battalions of the Fifth and Seventh Marine Regiments, backed by two tank battalions and about 50 Cobra attack helicopters.
Backed by massive air and artillery strikes, the Third Infantry Division reached the margins of Saddam Hussein International Airport and had partial control of it several hours later.
U.S. special forces say they have also cut the road between Baghdad and the northern city of Tikrit, the hometown of Saddam Hussein and many of his top generals, leaving them no way out of Baghdad -- if they are still alive.
Meanwhile, about 20 kilometres to the east, lead elements of the First Marine Division secured a key bridge over the Tigris River before enemy demolition experts could set off their charges.
Throughout the day, tens of thousands of U.S. Marines and their vehicles have streamed across the bridge and a nearby pontoon bridge set up by engineers to allow more traffic to get to Baghdad more quickly.
Once over the bridges, the Marine force turned due north toward Baghdad, further stretching Iraqi defences depleted by two weeks of bombing and the more recent thrust forward of the Third Infantry Division.
Scores of blown-up Iraqi vehicles and dozens of bodies lined the roads as the U.S. troops passed by.
Members of the Marines of Bravo Company had mixed feelings about the rapidly unfolding events.
"The big test may still lie ahead," said Master Gunner Tim Gelinas, the Marine Corps' last Vietnam veteran and the most experienced U.S. warrior now on active service in Iraq.
"We just can't know what will happen in the next 24 or 48 hours. If Iraq had had a fighting ethic, they would have wiped us out as we were sitting in the desert these past few days, but they didn't try."
But younger Marines are itching for a fight. Among them is Lance Corporal Daniel Glover who has been involved in three fights with Iraqi forces so far but has never got off a shot at them.
"I want to pop out and shoot one round at the enemy," he said.
Yesterday's attack came after the Marines had waited for about five days to get supplies in place for what had been expected to be a long and difficult campaign on the outskirts of Baghdad.
While that battle may still materialize, so far the Marines say they are surprised at how little resistance they have encountered near the Iraqi capital. There have also been some mass surrenders of young Iraqi men believed to be soldiers.
"I think our bombs did the job. A Tomahawk cruise missile is quite a punch," said Lance Corporal Mark Cattabay, a weapons specialist.
"It looks like [the Iraqis] don't want to fight us. They should have done much better in this war than they have."
Added Lance Corporal Eric Charapata, "I thought that when we got to the edge of the city Saddam Hussein would issue a jihad [in person] and launch a lot of weapons, and go out in a blaze of glory. But I'm not disappointed that it's almost over with so few casualties on our side and among their civilians.
"I'm happy that it looks as if our job is just to watch a Shia part of Baghdad after the war, rather than fight Iraqis in the streets."
If Iraq surrenders, the Marines will be stationed in the Baghdad suburbs until they can be relieved by U.S. Army divisions in late April or early May. This will expose them to possible terrorist attacks in an environment where it will be difficult to fight back.
"I think we shouldn't stick around as a peace force for very long because there will be people who will try to pop us off one by one," added Lance Cpl. Charapata.
"I don't want a seven-year-old coming out to us with a little bomb. I don't want to kill him and have that on my conscience."
The Marines intended to keep moving north toward Baghdad throughout the night for an assault against whatever forces lie ahead of them on the outskirts of the city. But until now, they have not encountered much Iraqi resistance.
mfisher@nationalpost.com
In fact, it is my supposition that if Saddam survived the missile attack of 23 March, he made use of such a tunnel and is likely in Iran or Afghanistan by now.
Finally, a Danny Glover Americans can be proud of.
CNN a few minutes ago was saying that a large number of Baathist Party members were attempting to flee WEST towards Syria with suitcases full of cash. The info supposedly was provided by US forces..........nothing followed.
"What is it with your people? I am fine! We have kicked all the American infidels out of Iraq and have started invading Israel."
I don't know about that. I have been watching the Baghdad cam and all of a sudden there was lots and lots of horn honking and yelling.
It sounded to me like our men had arrived.
THIS is the height of stupidity!!!!!!!!
American forces have told noncombatants to stay inside.......Anything approaching US forces in a threatening manner will be destroyed.
In the past few days we have heard about 'suicide' attempts to kill US forces by crazed Republican Guards in vehicles and busses.
Ok, members of the international press....................Go Ahead, get into a vehicle DRIVEN by a loyal member of Saddam's Information Bureau for a 'sightseeing tour'. Just don't complain if you're found dead when a 50 caliber opens up on you.
Idjits.
Scum!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.