Iraq may have set up Russian convoy attack: senior US official

Yahoo! ^ | Apr 8, 2003 | Staff

[Diddley]

WASHINGTON (AFP) -
Iraq may have set up the weekend attack on a convoy of Russian diplomats fleeing Baghdad by instructing the drivers to take a different route than planned, a senior US official said.

The official, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, said there were indications the Iraqis had tried to create an international incident by altering the route of the convoy to pass through a contested area west of Baghdad on Sunday.

"It looks like it was a trap set by the Iraqis," the official said.

The State Department said the Russians had given US diplomats precise details of the description and number of vehicles in the convoy, the people in them as well as the exact route they would take out of the Iraqi capital.

This information was passed to US military commanders to prevent the convoy from facing fire from coalition forces who have surrounded Baghdad, deputy spokesman Philip Reeker said.

[Diddley]

"It seems the Iraqis may have told them to take a different route than they told us because we didn't have anyone in the area they were supposed to be in," an official added.

[Support Free Republic]

Attention!

Our troops give so much of themselves, and we all benefit from their efforts.

The next time you look at your bank balance, why not find some way to take some money and put it towards supporting the members of our armed services in some way? Maybe find a family who has someone serving, and buy them dinner, or some groceries, or a gift for their children? Maybe find a way to contribute to a fund for the memory of any of those who have fallen? Our armed forces deserve our support in tangible ways.

[Billthedrill]

But...but...but the Russians trusted their good buddies the Iraqis...

[Diddley]

But...but...but the Russians trusted their good buddies the Iraqis...

LOL

[NavyCaptain]

This would not surprise me!

[What Is Ain't]

"It seems the Iraqis may have told them to take a different route than they told us because we didn't have anyone in the area they were supposed to be in," the official added.

Maybe they had to swing by to pick up Saddam and his demon sons before making their exit.

[Diddley]

This would not surprise me!

After some of the despicable things they have done (such as children killed or put in jail), I can certainly believe this.

[rj45mis]

actually, we were giving the ruskies a little warning of the consequences of aiding an enemy of the U.S.

[NavyCaptain]

Not a bad explanation either. Russians certainly play both sides of the field, don't they!

[el_texicano]

This has been my thoughts all along - a setup just so to create the international incident. Something anything to turn public opinion against the US and our allies.

[expatpat]

.......and getting a chance to look over who exactly was in the convoy.

[oyez]

Sort of like yesterdays Saddam hit. All they are digging out are civilians.

Some bright Iraqi operative fed the CIA some info and they fell for it.

[lsee]

You so funny!!!

[Trust but Verify]

I don't think we're just taking Iraqi operatives word for it on something so sensitive as leadership targets. We have hundreds of spec ops people in Baghdad and more than one source was used in the targeting of Hussein et al.

[oyez]

I don't think we're just taking Iraqi operatives word for it on something so sensitive as leadership targets.

They processed the orders for this attack in only twelve minutes. Thats a lot of room for error.

[Poohbah]

Uh, no.

The order went out from the guy on the command and control plane to the B-1B. 12 minutes later, the ordnance hit.

We don't know how much work was done PRIOR to that order going out.

[Trust but Verify]

So what? That is more of a product of having airstrike capabilities in the area than anything else. I understand in a case such as this, they only act in the event of multiple sources of info. This strike was a result of both sigint and humint. That is not to say they definitely got him, because we may not have.

What I object to more than anything is the loose lips in the intelligence operation who burned three sources on the decapitation strikes and now, if we did not get him, we have told the world how we compromised his commo. That is irresponsible.

[oyez]

Rita Crosby couldn't wait to blab out the whole set up last night. She should be charged for that.

[Poohbah]

What I object to more than anything is the loose lips in the intelligence operation who burned three sources on the decapitation strikes and now, if we did not get him, we have told the world how we compromised his commo. That is irresponsible.

Maybe we didn't burn three sources. Maybe we burned three people who WEREN'T our sources.

And maybe the commo story is a big headgame. How is Saddam going to get new crypto?

[oyez]

I say we screwed the pooch on that one. They shouln't released all that speculative information and so soon.