Right now, it appears pretty peaceful. As NamVet noted, though, that is very unlikely to be true overnight as they start the bloody work of going after Saadumb's henchmen.
I don't begrudge them going after Saddams thugs,,if it is a bloody business, so be it. They can do as they wish if you ask me.
I don't suppose any of this is going out of country on a TV feed to any of the other Arab countries.
How would the protestors in Jordan, Iran, and Syria explain this??????
It would be nice if the locals can rid the city of the Syrian, palestinian, and Yemeni terrorists who were Hussein's henchmen.
CENTCOM - Wed. Apr. 9:
Brig. Gen. Vincent Brooks:
"It has now been 20 days since coalition for
Today the regime is in disarray...
"Recently coalition air attacked air on 5 diff. fields
Pic: Tikrit facility . Apr. 6, regime compound -
Efforts by coal. Spec. Ops coord. strike on Baath P. hq in W. Irq., in N. seized small town N. of Mosul and captured over 200 enemy personnel...attacks along ridge 36 K. so. or Irbil...attacks, Spec. Ops supported air..attacked no. of enemy tanks...
In Basrah - Coalition forces transitioned to security efforts..humanitarian assist.
5th Corp in Baghdad and west. transitioned to humanit...nr. Karbala recon. discovered weapons caches in school, undergr. facility...w/ air def. missiles
1st Mar. Ep. force cont. attack nr. Ramallah...10th adn 14th div. had already left weapons and departed field
now occupy the 10th hq. and will transition to security..
Marines received info re. truckload of SAMs SE of Baghdad...SA6 techn. altered to have an infrared seeker...told by locals it was there..
1st Mar. Exp For. conitnued attacks ...along w.edge of river to NE corner to block road...there encounters w/ Iraqi population have been positive...particularly in Shia areas...
5th zCorp cintinue to converge from multiple directions toward Baghdad ..from N. toward center, in center and from the south
Baghdad Airp. remains in coalition control...
Bridges ...downtown Baghdad...some sporadic fighting...
We have ongoing air ops...conducting security...and increasing capability in center of Iraq...
Maritime...made possible humanitarian supplies...(lots coming in now)..
Our efforts to communitcate w/ Iraqi people grow each day...video of "tactical loudspeaker team" communicating to Iraqis in Basrah...broadcasts given in Arabic...say coalition is present....how to get water, that coalition forces would get rid of regime..
We often encounter Iraqis in need of medical care...we have medics embeded w/ our teams....Pic..med. expert providing care for a child, smiling parent...as we encounter civilians we provide care...video: tactical field hospital providing assist. to Iraqis found on battlefield...
Restoring function to civilian med. facilities...identifying usable supplies...prc. hospital in Nasiriyah left a mess by regime...we looked for records, supplies might be useful...
Forces supporting regime also used educ. bldgs ( and hospitals)... in most cities...the majority sustained some structural damage....many are back in use...
We expect sometime later today Spanish field hospital on way from port in Umm Qasr...
Questions:
Re. Tikrit: "There have been some forces deployed there....many of them have moved...some repositioning...the amount that remains...we're still assessing...a combination of conventional and irreg...some loyal to Baath..still...not going (to say when we're going)...we're certainly focused on Tikrit (to stop regime using it for hiding place, C&C)..
"We do have coalition forces working closely w/ Peshmerga in N. Iraq...there are still Iraqi forces in teh N...we continue to (place pressure on them)..we don't anticipate a change in dynamice in the N. (though celebrations continue throughout other parts of Iraq)..
"People long been oppressed for years and years having choices...we believe (they) will settle down...we'll see some of this in a lot of areas that have been liberated...a lot of pent of energies...(people who ahve been long oppressed)..
Re. our not being in control in the North (the reporter just can NOT let us celebrate) 'I do not agree...there are (our guys) conducting ops in N. the fact that it's as stable at it is (is because of us)...there will be some new decisions in the oming days...we remain optimistic...combat ops do continue in the north...
"The forces in Baghdad still have work to do...that is not complete...there are areas where the population knows the regime is gone...we haven't located every leader...there are pockets....theroughout the country..wherever we can establish (normalcy...humanit. aid, etc. )..we do...not quite ready to do that in Baghdad...we do provide med. assist...as to POWs we cont. to remain concerned from those unaccounted for...and from previous conflicts...still unaccounted for people...we still have not found them ..w.e expect (the bad guys to follow Gen. Conv)..
"I think we'll cont. to (see) less and less control by the regime...that helps us focus our efforts in a very deliberate and effective way..." "We anticipate that there is more and more info coming..."
"They're seeing a number of things in a variety of areas...(mostly good) there are pockets...we're not finding hostile behavior from the population...they certainly are supporting the coalition throughout...we're seeing cooperation...the camera's only in one particluar place the images occuring are much broader...
"Without going to a ceasefire they have the option of surrendering...we have over 7000 EPWs...we're remaining discriminating...fighting those who support the regime...(our objectives are clear...bye, bye regime)...
"Our efforts in and around Baghdad, remain focused on targets that have been identified..that hasn't changed...we continue to remain focused,,,when people an see for themselves...move freely...there will not be the scenes ...historical ..images through history...most of Baghdad (continues as it did)..traffic can still move on the streets, most of the bridges are up...there's still work to be done...
Committee to protect journalists demands investi. into Hotel incident, lecturing the General..."We should be very clear, Baghdad remains a very dangerous place, those who choose to remain there are puting themselves in danger.The regime will use any civilians that are available...when the two work together...makes it more difficult (for us)...we has civilians to move away from those areas before they increase the risk.."
Re. Scott Speicher, and foreign EPWs: "I don't have any new info. on any specific...POWs.." "We have ident. a no. of foreign fighters...there was a call for that....was adequate time before conflict for those (to get there...thanks, UN)...they are afforded med. care if need be...that's our approach...that will continue to be our approach..."
"We use a variety of munitions...(precise work....our approach will always be the same as it has been from the start....close air support aircraft carry diff. (weapons...cannon that fire at high rate of speed...but very precise, we believe we've been successful in minimizing civilian casualties...
"Rasheed prison nr. the Rasheed airp. had a history of holding prisoners...we did not find anyone...there were uniforms there...it can not tell us anything else at this point...we remain concerned for our people..and we hold regime accountable...
"There are a number of regime locations throughout the city..(some we occupy, some we prevent movement to, some we aren't there yet)..
"It's a tough challenge..it has been a challenge because of the tactics (of regime) our men and women out there fighting are great professionals...when it's all said and done, with the help of Iraqi population we'll have a clear (picture of who was bad)...
Re. dancing in the streets...because they love you or fear you? "I'm not feeling a lot of love in here right now so I appreciate the question. It's not about us. It's about the regime. It tells us that the (regime is failed , the people know this)..
Reporters need to identify themselves as reporters...we anticipate that they should be able to move out of area...(reporters say there is firing at the hotel..) "We certainly have concern for their saftey and we want them to move away from areas where combat is located."
"With every day that passes...the regime has less and less control...it is more out of control today than it has been before...I think we are at a tipping point...for the population...all of the regime is not gone..still WMD potential...we have said it before...the capital city has now been added to the list of places where regime has lost control..."
"The circle on the Bagdhad map represent areas where we have had a continuous presence over last 24 hours..we came and stayed...we have freedom of action...more a matter of being able to maintain security...conduct ops at times and places of our choosing...(lots of white circles on map)...we know that there is still work to be done..place that the regime still DOES have control...there is still capability...intent.."
Another reporter demanding investigation into Hotel (really arrogant twit): "What we know...the reports that came up to us from forces involved in fight is that they received fire and they returned fire. Everything else must be investigated.."
Re. Canada refusal to hand over Iraqi criminals if found fleeing (a task force on ground in Iraq): "As with all coaltion efforts, we respect the efforts of coalition members..it's a different operation... not related ot Operation Iraqi Freedom..
We are very discriminating in where we conduct ops...we are deliberate and patient...cameras are in places where military ops are not...there is jubilation occurring...many of the looting incidents are reported to be against Baath Party members...we want to cause order and stability to occur in all areas...(re. comparing Basrah to Baghdad) it's a different place and a diff. circumstances..the timing becomes different as a result...diff. size., diff. compostion of town..
ANOTHER QUESTION RE. HOTEL, + pic on BBC of Iraqi POW facing wall: "As we've said a number of times. Downtown Bagdhad remains a dangerous place. We remain focused on regime ...we maintain the inherent right of self-defense (you can leave)..."I have not seen the (BBC PIC) I remain convinced that (our guys are doing the right thing by EPWs)...
Re. hospitals in Baghdad...The first thing we do to protect hospitals is that we recognize they're hosptials and treat them that way.. the regime does not. the regime treats hospitals (for selfish bad reasons)...we are now focusing on ridding the bad guys...will provide care when can)
ANOTHER QUESTION ABOUT CIVILIAN CASUALTIES..."We regret the loss of any civilian on this battlefield. We KNOW that there have been civilian lost because of actions of this regime...(when we believe we have something to look into we do)...